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The Ottoman Cycle
Series · 4 books · 2013-2015

Books in series

The Thief's Tale book cover
#1

The Thief's Tale

2013

In the first of an extraordinary series from bestseller S.J.A. Turney, the fate of Empire hangs in the balance… Istanbul, 1481: The once great city of Constantine, a strange mix of Christians, Turks and Jews, now forms the heart of the Ottoman empire. The conquest, still a recent memory, means emotions run high; danger is never far away. Skiouros and Lykaion, sons of a Greek farmer, are conscripted into the infamous Janissary guards and taken to Istanbul. As Skiouros escapes into the Greek quarter, Lykaion remains with the slave chain, becomes an Islamic convert and guards the Imperial palace. But one fateful day Skiouros picks the wrong pocket and begins to unravel a plot reaching to the highest peaks of Imperial power... He and his brother are left with the most difficult decision faced by a conquered Greek: is the rule of the Ottoman Sultan is worth saving? The epic and unputdownable first book in S.J.A. Turney’s Ottoman Cycle, The Thief’s Tale is perfect for readers of Simon Scarrow, Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell.
The Priest's Tale book cover
#2

The Priest's Tale

2013

The blistering second novel in the Ottoman Cycle by bestseller S.J.A. Turney sees blood and adventure on the Mediterranean battlefield… Crete, 1492: After a sojourn on a Venetian-controlled island, Skiouros has learned everything he needs to know for his true quest: destroying the person responsible for his brother’s death. Meanwhile, across the Mediterranean, a small fleet of Turkish galleys is engaged in a desperate last attempt to save Islamic influence on the Iberian Peninsula. While the great naval commander Kemal Reis battles to survive, his subordinate yearns to murder every hint of Christian life. When Skiouros’ ship crosses paths with the violent would-be pirate, things turn sour. Tested to the limits of his endurance, with his life at stake and Hassan ‘the Butcher’ prowling the seas, Skiouros must confront unpleasant truths about the past… Perfect for fans of Griff Hosker, Ben Kane and Christian Cameron.
The Assassin's Tale book cover
#3

The Assassin's Tale

2014

The Old World… the world of sin… the world of death… Italy, 1493: As the inquisition takes hold in Spain and the Vatican seethes under the rule of the Borgias, Skiouros finally sets his mind to his ultimate mission since leaving the great city of Istanbul: the death of the usurper sultan, Cem. Gathering old friends and new, Skiouros travels the length of Italy in his quest for vengeance and the quieting of his brother's restless soul. But on his dreadful quest he will face more than just physical danger… For beneath all his strength, does Skiouros have a heart black enough to commit murder in the name of revenge? This latest instalment of S.J.A. Turney’s Ottoman Cycle grips like steel, and is the ideal read for fans of David Gilman, Giles Kristian and C.R. May.
The Pasha's Tale book cover
#4

The Pasha's Tale

2015

Plots, murder and a return to Istanbul form an epic conclusion to S.J.A. Turney’s Ottoman Cycle Five years since Skiouros left the city of Constantine, he has come to understand the dreadful price exacted by vengeance. Saved from the French authorities by Dragi – the Romani crewman of a Turkish galley – he and his friend Parmenio are once again bound for the east. But Dragi’s aid comes with a price… In the Ottoman capital, the populace prepares for a great festival; for the first time in years the Sultan’s three sons are all to be present. But a sect of disenfranchised Romani are plotting a deadly coup. Can Skiouros thwart the mysterious Kingbreaker and save the Sultan’s sons? The sequence of events that shattered Skiouros’ life is finally coming to an end… This is the brilliant and unputdownable final conclusion to bestseller S.J.A. Turney’s Ottoman Cycle, and is perfect for readers of Ben Kane, Peter Darman and Matt Harffy.

Author

S.J.A. Turney
S.J.A. Turney
Author · 46 books

Simon lives with his wife and children and a menagerie of animals in rural North Yorkshire, where he sits in an office, wired on coffee and digestive biscuits, and attempts to spin engrossing tales out of strands of imagination while his children drive toys across his desk and two dogs howl as they try to share a brain cell. A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architecture, Simon spends most of his rare free time travelling around ancient sites, writing, researching the ancient world and reading voraciously. Following an arcane and eclectic career path that wound through everything from sheep to Microsoft networks and from paint to car sales, Simon wrote Marius’ Mules and, with help and support, made a success of it. Now, with in excess of 20 novels under his belt, Simon writes full time and is represented by MMB Creative literary agents. Simon writes Roman military novels in the form of the bestselling Marius’ Mules series based on Julius Caesar’s campaigns, Roman thrillers in the Praetorian series, set during the troubled reign of Commodus, medieval adventures in the Ottoman Cycle, following a young Greek thief around the 15th century world, and a series of Historical Fantasy novels with a Roman flavour, called the Tales of the Empire. Simon can be found on Twitter as @SJATurney and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SJATurney/ as well as on his website http://www.sjaturney.co.uk

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