Perfectly combining epic fantasy with historical fact, you are left with such a sense of the magic of world history. Set across the tumultuous land of the Eurasian steppe and the Mongolian Empire, sieges raged and battle won or lost mean hundred or thousands of lives spilled before the legendary, inescapeable wave that is the Mongol invasion. Genghis Khan, the great leader. The Khan who united the tribes and created the dream of a Mongol world. A promise so great that even after his death - his sons continue his dream. But political tension reigns between his three sons.

The POVs throughout were perfectly balanced. Sowing information like a network with each chapter. You never know more than the characters, but you know all the pieces that are in play. Timujin, Genghis Khans grandson. Son of the great warrior Hulgai. timujin is not a warrior. He is something else entirely. Disgusted by the wanton barbaric behaviour that is encourage within his circle, he seeks his place in other areas. An outcast because of his mixed blood, and the death of his mother at birth, Timujin may find something he has never dreamed of.

Epic Fantasy reimagining of the Mongol Empire’s invasion of Persia
Historical Fantasy
Multiple POVs
First in a series

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Set in 1260, Persia during the continuous expansion of the Mongol Empire, the book cycles between multiple characters’ POVs, each with their own reasonings for supporting or despising the invasion. The characters’ growth and purposes are explored by the end of book one. In the first half of the book, I quickly forgot that this was also a fantasy book because it read so much like historical fiction and I don’t really mind since I like historical fiction, just something that readers need to consider. This is a fast-paced and well written story for which I am excitedly awaiting the second instalment.

Trigger warnings: Military violence and war themes.

Admittedly I don't usually read a lot of historical fiction and have never encountered this period of history so I was really going in blind to this book! Stephen Aryan creates such a vivid picture of this time period it's impossible to not be sucked into it! The multiple perspectives really show the complexity of this story but you never get lost! Seeing the pieces come together is so satisfying as you see the perspectives merge. My favourite character development has to be Kokochin and The House of Grace but I really enjoyed all the perspectives! I can't wait for the next book!

I received this book as an ARC via Netgalley and was asked to participate in the Book Blog Tour on Instagram, so here's my review of The Judas Blossom written by Stephen Aryan.

First of all, I wanted to read this book because of the beautiful cover. But don't let that deceive you, because the things that happen in this book aren't always as pretty.

The story is set around four main characters: Hulagu (the Khan), Kokochin (the Blue Princess and one of the Khans wives), Temujin Khan (one of the Khans sons) and Kaivon (a Persian rebel). The story is being told out of all of their perspectives, which makes the story easier to read. I thought it was quite a heavy story because of all the historical things and I thought the variation in point of views was really refreshing and made it easier to understand all of it.

I was gladly surprised about the fact that this book was about the Mongolian Empire, since this isn't really a topic that is populair. I enjoyed reading it, and definitely have learned more about it. I thought the character development of two of the four characters was reaaallly well done: Kokochin and Temujin. They both start out as seemingly simple-minded persons but their character develops so well due to the circumstances. I was really rooting for these two! I hope to read more about them in the future.

In my opinion Hulagu and Kaivon were the same in the beginning and in the end of the story. That's okay though, it suited their roles. I loved the idea of the Twelve as a secret organisation and hope to read more about them too.

I think the worldbuilding was exercised beautifully. Often times I really felt like I was there. The story does contain some trigger warnings because there's a lot of references to war and thus to violence. Also a lot of torture and angry and vicious men.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and I think Aryan has done a great job putting the Mongolian Empire on the map. I gave the book 4 stars.

Preliminary 5-star review. Will post a full review and adjust the rating accordingly after I finish the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

That was a great read and treat!
I really enjoy reading this book. I like stories with a little bit of historic background mix with fantasy elements.
Characters were well written, some of them were bad from the beginning and some of them changed during the book.
It is mainly a story about conquering the world by the Mongol Khan and preparations for the battle, but still all the plot comes to a very interesting tale of people living in that time.
I look forward to the next part.

Judas Blossom is something I normally wouldn't pick up. But I'm glad I did.

Judas Blossom follows a few real characters in the story of the Khan Dynasty and their spread across Eurasia to create a vast empire. As a history nerd, who hasn't driven into this time period and region before, it was extremely interesting. I liked how it blended fictionalized elements with real historical events.

For instance, I really enjoyed the character of Temujin, though I couldn't figure out in my research if he was fully fictionalized. He goes through a character arc of finding himself through mystical and ancient powers, going from the disgraced son to the person his fathers needs desperately to save the empirical dream of his ancestors.

I like Kokochin as well, I think that she develops as a person as well. I think as a man, the author, actually did write this female character well. Often I see women being portrayed very shallow, but Koko has motivations, trauma, etc. She learns to do something for herself that is beyond her live.

Kaivon, I like. Hulagu, I hated. Which I know I was supposed to.

I did really enjoy the mystical and fantasy elements that were added, and I know that they are likely to only build as the series continues. I hope to see more of that, because I'm very excited to learn about the Kozan. I also cannot wait to dig deeper into the Twelve of Persia.

Overall, while this novel isn't my usual taste, I enjoyed it a lot. The writing style isn't my usual taste, but it fit so perfectly for the aura of the story and plot. I can't wait to read the future books.

I received this book for free to review. All opinions are my own.

An unusual and lesser known source material doesn't stop The Judas Blossom being a stunningly crafted and action packed thriller.

The cover of dreams. The story of capture.
I love everything about this book. From the first chapter I was gripped.

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was very cleverly written. Inspired by the history of the Mongol’s invasion of Persia, this fantasy novel is packed with warriors and rebellions, with a sprinkling of mythology. Telling the story from many POVs, all from different backgrounds and situations, but they all have the same goal, which is to stop the invasion. The plot was a little slow at times, with me occasionally not having a clue on what was happening. Overall, I did really enjoy this book.

I am so surprised I never heard of Stephen Aryan before and I definitely will read more of their books.

"You can do nothing to change the path ahead, if you’re not part of the story.”
The story is set in 1260 during the Mongol Empire's invasion of Persia, which is what first made me curious to apply for an ARC. The main POVs follow:
🗡️Hulagu -Gengis Khan's grandson and one of the 4 Mongol rulers
🏵️Temujin-his disappointing son (who gives serious Tyrion Lannister vibes)
🗡️Kaivon- Persian rebel and last living General
🏵️Princess Kokochin, Hulagu's new wife
I'd say Kaivon was my fave character, but nobody's supposed to like Hulagu..we all just love watching everyone ruin his hard work, right?

Every single POV was solid and gripping..which is hard to do in any fantasy, but I was particularly impressed with how the military planning, tactics and politics were revealed to us. This took me back to the thrill and shock of reading GoT for the 1st time...and I NEED to see where it goes🤩

It's also one of those historical fantasy books where you'll want to keep checking the lineage and details of the battles to see how accurate it is..which I think is always a sign of a good historical fiction.

A big thank you to @angryrobotbooks for sending me a physical copy as well!

Book Review:
The Judas Blossom (The Nightingale and The Falcon Trilogy #1)
By Stephen Aryan
Book 156/200
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Format: Digital, ARC
Pages: 450
Published: 2023
Rating: 9/10

*This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.*

I think that the sub-genre of Historical Fantasy is official in my wheelhouse. There's just something about taking real-life events and adding a magical spin that really gets me hooked. Stephen Aryan does an excellent job and creating a dark and unique fantasy novel. Plus a gorgeous cover that immediately made me want to pick it up. Judas Blossom takes readers to the brutal reality of the Mongol Invasion of Persia, with an fun fantasy twist. Aryan writes exciting and visceral battle scenes that hook the reader right from the beginning. Bloody, brutal, and intense Aryan's battle scenes are just what every fantasy fan wants. The story did drag a bit for me for a little bit in the second third, but the pace quickly picked up. The characters throughout this book are written fantastically. I immediately either loved or hated the POV characters, Kaivon being a particular favorite. I really liked this read and it's a definite recommend in my book.

Stephen Aryan starts a tale set in the turbulent thirteenth century at the height of Mongol conquest in the Middle East. Kublai Khan has just become Emperor, and his brother, Ariq Böke, is just setting up the civil war that causes a pullback of Mongol forces. The Judas Blossom (paper fromAngry Robot) follows Hulagu Khan who has his armies raze one Syrian city after another, his son Temujin who had been avoiding the fighting until his father decides he needs backbone. Unfortunately he is one of a very few people in the world who can work magic. There’s also the Blue Princess Kokochin, a minor wife of Hulagu, who starts learning self defense from a woman associated with a Persian rebel group. Then there’s Kaivon, a former Persian general who saves Hulagu’s life and rises in the Mongol army so he can use his new power to undercut the Mongols. This is a fascinating look at a forgotten period of history. This book ends as the civil war is just beginning. I’m looking forward to the next volume.

Historical fantasy is among my favourite if not the favourite fantasy subgenre. When Stephen Aryan’s new book was announced I was intrigued not only by the synopsis but also by the author’s choice of setting and period. The Judas Blossom is the 1st instalment in a Persian-inspired fantasy trilogy titled The Nightingale and the Falcon. I was fortunate enough to get an eARC of this book through NetGalley courtesy of Angry Robot Books.

Set in 1260 Persia The Judas Blossom unfurls its fascinatingly poetical and intriguing plot through the points of view of several captivating characters. As I already mentioned, the author’s choice of the historical period and location for the book’s setting intrigued me; mostly because there aren’t many historical fiction or historical fantasy books (that I’m aware of) that are set in this period and region. The 13th century is a tumultuous period around the globe, however, in the location the book’s plot is set in this period is marked by the Mongol invasions of the Islamic world, which began in 1212 with the conquest of eastern Iran. The specific year in which The Judas Blossom is set is characterised simultaneously with the Mongolian expansion further west into the Islamic world (the Levant), but also with disputes over succession in addition to the division and infighting in the Empire.

However, the interested reader does not have to read history or know anything about the historical figures, the region or the period in question to enjoy the book, its characters and its plot. Familiarity with the era, location and historical figures will certainly enhance your enjoyment, but it’s not a requirement. Skilfully and with an exceptional eye for detail, Aryan introduces the reader to the captivating world of 13th-century Persia and beyond. Moreover, the author adeptly achieved a balance between historical accuracy and good storytelling, never sacrificing one for the sake of achieving the other.

To tell the story of The Judas Blossom the author chose (and created) a diverse and distinctive cast of characters: Hulagu Khan (the ruler of the Ilkhanate), his youngest son Temujin, Kokochin (the Blue Princess) – one of Hulagu’s many wives, general Kaivon – a Persian rebel serving in Hulagu’s army (to name just a few key POV characters). The POV characters and how their stories and perspectives are presented to the reader(s) are one of the key ingredients that make this book so magnificently magical. The characters’ diverse backgrounds, experiences, cultures and way of perceiving the world around them is superbly done. The choice of POV characters is not there simply so the reader can have a different perspective, but it also highlights how cultures and states are not monolithic as they can sometimes be perceived.

Character diversity, multiple perspectives and the way the author presents them were among my favourite things in The Judas Blossom. As an illustration, I’ll use Aryan’s portrait of Hulagu Khan (this might be slightly spoiler-y (general spoilers for history, I suppose) so feel free to skip ahead).

“In the shadow of his grandfather, Hulagu, ruler of the Ilkhanate, is determined to create a single empire that covers the entire world. His method? Violence.”

From the blurb itself, it’s clear that Hulagu Khan’s preferred method of dealing with disobedience is violence, which matches what we know about Hulagu from historical sources. However, in this, the ruler of the Ilkhanate is no different than any other ruler (historical or fictional). Hulagu’s brother, Möngke Khan, ordered Hulagu to treat kindly those who submitted to the Mongol rule (bear in mind that “treated kindly” here is a matter of perspective) and to utterly destroy those who did not. Hulagu was vigorous in carrying out the latter part of these orders.

At the same time, Hulagu’s reign was tolerant of diversity (which Aryan highlights in his work) and tolerance to different religions and religious practices was not always so common during this period in Europe. And it is in this case, the portrait of Hulagu Khan (among other things), that the author’s craft truly shines. Although Hulagu is not a person (or in this case a character) the reader will like or love, through Hulagu’s point of view Aryan manages not only to show the readers Hulagu’s perspective and how his mind works but also manages to craft Hulagu’s story in such a way that the readers can understand why he chose to do things a certain way. The readers will not necessarily empathise with Hulagu, or approve/like/tolerate his actions (he’s not a very nice man), however, they will understand why this is so and it will make sense.

As I mentioned several times throughout the text, characters, their portraits and their perspectives are one of the highlights of The Judas Blossom. Aryan’s mastery is shown in the creation of these complex and compelling characters, through whose points of view he tells the story, not just about life in 13th century Persia, but the story about families (both the ones you are born into and the ones you find), friendships, love, sacrifice, diversity of cultures, patriotism, rebellions, oppression, war, conquest, complex political situations etc. He deftly navigates through all these themes and simultaneously enchants the reader with spellbinding storytelling.

I mentioned at the start that The Judas Blossom is a historical fantasy, but so far I haven’t touched upon the fantastical elements in the book. And that is because, compared to the historical part of the story, in this instalment, the fantasy elements are minimal and subtle. If you are familiar with the works of Guy Gavriel Kay, Stephen Aryan’s The Judas Blossom is in a similar vein. However, the subtlety of this book’s magical/fantastical elements should not deter you from reading it – it’s a bewitching story and I cannot wait for the next instalment in this entrancing series.

If you’ve reached the end of this rather rambly review, first of all, congratulations and thank you for reading this far. I believe it was abundantly clear that I was very eager to read The Judas Blossom (historical fantasy being my favourite genre and all) and that I’ve also enjoyed it so much that I’ve purchased a stunning special edition created by The Broken Binding in collaboration with Angry Robot Books. To sum up, I would recommend The Judas Blossom to everyone who likes the following:

- historical fantasy
- multiple perspectives
- complex, diverse and extremely well-developed characters
- intricate and interwoven interpersonal relationships
- captivating and epic storytelling
- found family
- political intrigues
- Persian and Mongolian cultures

This is a very solid book. Detailing the Mongol conquest of Persia, it cleverly interweaves multiple POVs orbiting the center of the invasion. It's always nice to read an own-voices SWANA story, and The Judas Blossom is no exception as its descriptions of Persia are crafted with tender care even as the subject matter leans into violence.

The prose is very simple and straightforward, but it works to the book's advantage, allowing the reader to better interface with the breadth of characters and their individual viewpoints. It's a clear cut of a book, getting to exactly what it means with little fuss, but it does not feel juvenile. It does not get muddy.

The multiple POVs rarely intersect directly, but the story does not need to rely on the tension of their eventual intersection. Its internal momentum is driven by the individual goals of each character, and of course, the larger question of how the Mongols will fall in Persia. It would be easy to be sidetracked or derailed in a book like this, or feel aimless, but it remains pointed and engaging. Like its simple prose, the fat has been trimmed from the plot, and each scene is meaningful and propels the story forward. Even if it does not seem like it does, the reader feels it.

All in all, I liked it. Probably more than I was expecting to. It's different from most fantasies I tend to enjoy, but I am very interested and look forward to reading its sequel.

8 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2023/07/28/the-judas-blossom-by-stephen-aryan-review/

I wasn’t even sure how to voice Kokochin’s journey in the blurb, so I skipped it, but to tell the truth I think I found her story the most interesting. For a character that is literally a footnote in history, that’s saying something. So much potential for the author to work with—and he does an excellent go of it. Her story is fascinating, head and shoulders above both Kaivon and Hulagu’s, who competed for the rest of my attention with the Twelve. I could never really get behind Temujin, even though he bears his grandfather’s great namesake.

While Stephen Aryan said he tried to stay as close to the original history as possible, some names and dates were intentionally changed to set the story up as advantageous as possible. Now, this will only seem a complaint if you know the history in any real detail, but I kept getting pulled out of the story to second-guess dates and names and the overall timeline. Again, this is pretty much only a “me” problem, but hey—it’s my review, innit?

The Mongol Empire can form a lovely tapestry on which to build your epic, and the Judas Blossom is just the beginning of what I hope will prove a long and fascinating series (or, likely a trilogy). Much like the Mongoliad before it, there’s just so much to focus on and so many pathways available to explore. Even if one DOES actually follow the history, rather than the Foreword Saga, which decidedly doesn’t. The backdrop of this epic was truly amazing, vividly realized and built, and possessive of an excellent story within. Still, I had minor issues with the pacing and the genre flip-flopping between historical fiction and fantasy, though these are minor complaints when the piece is viewed as a whole.

Where we start is interesting enough, but where the story leaves off is even more fascinating. There’s just so much possible in the next several years, with possibly the greatest dissolution in history on the near horizon (if you’re not familiar with the history, well, it IS history, so maybe google it). The history from that time is a bit sparse, and as we all know history is primarily written by the victors. There’s just so many directions the author can go from here, even while still honoring the true course of events. I can’t wait to see what he chooses!

I love Stephen Aryan style of writing and storytelling and I know that I will be maniacally turning pages since I start reading.
This has a bonus: it talks about the Mongols and their invasion of Persian in the XIII century. It was a sort of genocide as more then 2 million persons died due to famine and mass killings.
Even if I’m fascinated by the Mongols and how they created one of the biggest world empire this one of the bloodiest conquests and nearly destroyed a civilization and a population.
Stephen Aryan to not spare details but he didn’t write a Manichaeist book where there’s very bad villains and very white resistant. He talks about people and human instincts, love and what some will do to get more power.
His characters are flawed, on the grey moral spectrum but they’re also vivid and realistic.
This is not a book if you want a light and easy historical fantasy. It’s gory, gritty and starts with a massacre of some mythical characters of the Middle Age history. I was a bit disappointed as I expected they were better warriors but they were also fighting against Hulagu's Mongol army that conquered a huge part of Middle East.
All this is history and history play a relevant role in this story even if Stephen Aryan did a good job in keeping the level of historical details in a way that does kill you with tons of names, battles and all the complexities of this age and these historical characters.
There are power plays, there battles and gore, there’s magic and a balance of facts and fantasy.
It kept me reading and made me want to read more about Hulagu and the lkhanate. I’m wondering how the characters will evolve and what will happen.
Even if it’s more than 500 pages I read this book in 3 days and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I loved it and I think it will surely be appreciated by whoever loves historical or military fantasy or simply wants to read a gripping and intriguing novel.
Many thanks to Angry Robots for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.

"The Judas Blossom" by Stephen Aryan appealed to my historical knowledge of the Mongol Empire and my lack of knowledge about Persia. This starts The Nightingale and the Falcon series, and I can't wait for more.

Basic premise, this is post Genghis Khan, the Empire is divided amongst his grandchildren and there are fractures in the empire. One POV we follow is a Khan pushing west, finding purpose in war. Another, his son, who feels out of place. A Persian soldier who ends up a general of his enemy. And a princess, who finds purpose in undermining her people. I don't mention names because some of them might color your expectations.

Reasons to read:
-Historical retelling with light fantasy elements
-Exposure to Persian point of view on this, which most folks probably haven't received
-SMART UNDERMINING OF ENEMIES
-Captures the horrors of the Mongolian Empires, effective, but brutal tactics
-Characters growing
-Holy crap this can go so many places

Cons:
-No mention of Tsubodai/Subutai, but I totally get it

Imgur link goes to Instagram graphic scheduled for July 29
Blog Link goes live July 28
Will be featured in a wrap-up on Youtube channel around second week of August

The Judas Blossom has been pitched as an epic fantasy retelling of the Mongol invasion of Persia. I wouldn’t say it’s wrong - but I would say go in with some important notes. I would rebrand that ‘epic fantasy’ portion as light fantasy and you’ll have a more accurate representation of this heavily political story.

On the whole I genuinely enjoyed this book, but the fantasy is light and it’s very much the setup book to a series. It spans multiple PoV’s, from the one of the most powerful Mongol generals to his wives, and associates and the rebels that oppose them. This makes the book move quick, which is good because the bulk of all of these chapters is political scheming or training. Outside of scheming or training we get war and a lot of it. There are large chunks of the book that just feel like a bit too much description of dead bodies: floating, bloated, and in pieces. Screams and groans and moans dominate the sounds of the world and it really took over for large chunks of the story.

The characters themselves I enjoyed, their voices were each unique enough that I new who I was reading even if I missed the name on the header and each one had a unique struggle. The General was especially my favorite as we begin the book seeing the best in him and really empathizing with him but by the end we see the truth behind a very flawed man. His son is the only place where we really see any magic and that itself is not prevalent till the end - he was my least favorite PoV as well but with the ending of the story it could be a very interesting one in the future.

I will definitely continue this series in the future if I have the opportunity. However I do hope we see more fantasy without the story without loosing the pacing and politics of this one. Additionally a hair less on the gore and blood would probably assist the story in it’s depth. This really was an interesting setup, and I hope to see more from this writer.

I absolutely loved this book and I can’t believe this is the first book I’ve read by Stephen Aryan - I am now going to delight in searching his previous books. A wonderful blend of history and fantasy, completely unable to put it down once I started it.