Fantasy Book Critic: Book review: The Judas Blossom by Stephen Aryan (reviewed by Lukasz P. & Mihir Wanchoo)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stephen Aryan is the author of The Coward and The Warrior (the Quest for Heroes Duology), as well as the Age of Darkness and Age of Dread trilogies. His first novel, Battlemage, was a finalist for the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for best debut fantasy novel. It also won the inaugural Hellfest Inferno Award in France. He has previously written a comic book column and reviews for Tor.com. In addition, he has self-published and kickstarted his own comics. You can find out more about Stephen and his books on his website: Stephen-Aryan.com

Publisher: Angry Robot (July 11, 2023) Print length: 432 pages Formats: ebook, paperback, audiobook

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS (LUKASZ): The Judas Blossom blends political intrigue and historical fantasy, with an emphasis on politics and family drama rather than magic. It’s set during the turbulent time of the Mongol Empire’s invasion of Persia.

Hulagu Khan, the ruler of the Ilkhanate, tries to dominate the world through brute force. His conquests and violence attract many adversaries who are actively scheming against him. Like his newest concubine, Kokochin, also known as the Blue Princess. She finds purpose in honing her self-defense skills and becoming part of an underground resistance group to destroy the Ilkhanate from within.

She’s not alone in her goals; the defeated Persian general, Kaivon, joins Hulagu to gain insider knowledge and destroy the empire and its cruel ruler. Their arcs thrive on the tension and inner conflict between keeping appearances and taming hate towards oppressors.

Hulagu’s youngest son, Temujin, possesses magical powers (control of the Eternal Flame) he learns to control and understand throughout the story. With time, he discovers his true lineage and his potential to reshape the world. I liked his and Kokochin's arcs most.

Temujin's transformation, from a cowardly figure to his ultimate self (I won't spoil it), is profoundly heart-wrenching. He changes so drastically that he becomes almost unrecognizable (physically and mentally), a result of a realistic progression, adhering to the world's inherent rules.

Aryan's writing style is vivid and engaging. His rich descriptions appeal to the senses, allowing the reader to imagine the scenes and relate to the characters' feelings. I also liked how he uses dialog to clarify the characters’ personalities and relationships.

The Judas Blossom weaves a compelling tale of power, love, and treachery. It captivated me and I can't wait to read the sequel.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS (MIHIR): The Judas Bloom isn’t my first taste of Stephen Aryan’s works but it is by far his strongest work IMHO. This historical fantasy focuses upon a geographical location and nations that almost have never been utilized in this subgenre.

The story begins in the 13^th century after the Mongols invaded and brutally conquered most of Persia (Iran) and now have begun their conquest further west towards the Levant and all the riches that lie amidst the historical grandeur of Baghdad, Damascus, etc. Mixing real life personas with fictional characters, the author mines his heritage and ancestral history to give us a story that has magic, grand battles and political intrigue. All of this along with a pacey plot and a lean approach with prose makes this trilogy starter an absolute blast to read.

The story is set in over various months between 1260 and 1261, it features four major POVs featuring Hulagu Khan, the ruler of the Ilkhanate (the Mongol Kingdom set in Persia), Kaivon a Persian warrior who is all out of options and forced to join his enemy. Temujin Khan, a younger son of Hulagu is forced to act against his personal beliefs as his father wants him to become a better warrior. Kokochin of the Bayaut tribe is a new wife to Hulagu and is literally a stranger in a strange land. Forced to come to terms with her life, she tries to find a purpose other than just being a silly young girl as most expect her to be.

This is the excellent set up of the story that mirrors what happened historically as the Mongol empire looked to expand in the southwest part of Asia. The author also takes a page out of GRRM’s works and sneaks in some magic (though at a much larger rate, but no less mysterious) and makes the story jump from being historical fiction into the fantasy side. This was a move that I’m glad that the author chose as it makes things much more intriguing and I’m curious to see whether Stephen Aryan can emulate Tim Powers in retelling historical tales with the addition of magic & without altering the actual events/timeline.

The author’s characterization is his biggest strength as are the world settings. Beginning with Hulagu, and Kaivon who are the major two characters who are striving to achieve their goals. Temujin and Kokochin are both a bit subdued in the first half of the story but blossom spectacularly in the latter half. Hulagu Khan is perhaps the strongest character here and his shadow is felt by almost all the other characters (POV & otherwise). I thoroughly enjoyed how Stephen Aryan brilliantly showcased him to be a complex individual who experiences love, loyalty and honour but doesn’t hesitate in showcasing his brutality, mercilessness and cruelty in furthering the Mongol empire by whatever means necessary. This is brilliantly done by the author and was a very hard task to accomplish nevertheless. Secondly with Kaivon, Temujin and Kokochin, the author is able to showcase how common people are forced to do challenging things just to retain their humanity. Plus another intriguing factor is how lengthy Hulagu’s ambition is and how Kaivon, Temujin and Kokochin’s actions counter the march of Hulagu’s plans.

Next the world settings and the geo-political angle of the story is a fantastic breath of fresh air amidst the fantasy genre. Unless you have a basic understanding of the Mongol empire, its growth, breadth will be astonishing, and here the author demonstrates several of their siege tactics & brutal methods they utilized to subdue greater armies and populous countries. Fantasy readers have read many a variations about the crusades but almost next to nothing of the Mongol conquest of the Persian Empire and their dealings with the European monarchies. I’m no expert on Mongol history besides a cursory understanding but I still enjoyed how the author showcased the geo-political upheaval in the region.

The political intrigue was another special feather within this story's cap. We get to know a group of ladies known as the Twelve who lead most of the chaos. But there's a special kind of focus on how there are various factions within Hulagu's court and even within his wives. Not to mention the whole scenario within the Mongol empire itself. Every character is forced to take some risks and dirty their hands. There are good guys and people with good intentions but there are no easy scenarios. There are only bloody and bloodier options and I enjoyed how the author highlighted this dichotomy for all of our main characters.

Lastly the prose is of a kind that was favoured by David Gemmell, no surprise here considering how much of a fan of the big man Stephen Aryan is. The prose being straightforward helps in making sure that every scene serves a purpose. For me this story didn’t have any drawbacks besides the fact that the magic system introduced has a Highlander-like concept to it and very little of it is explained. I hope the sequels do dwell upon the magical aspect in a lot more depth.

CONCLUSION: The Judas Blossom is a fantastic approach to a part of history that quite many folks know almost next to nothing about. Starting with a Bernard Conrwell like-approach towards history and combining it with George R.R. Martin’s love for political fantasy, Stephen Aryan creates a fabulous start to The Nightingale And The Falcon series that’s sure to captivate many a readers. The Judas Blossom needs to be your next read if you love battles, political intrigue mixed in with a charismatic cast of heroes, marauders and magical beings.