THE JUDAS BLOSSOM (The Nightingale and the Falcon #1), by Stephen Aryan

I received this novel from Angry Robot Books, through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review: my thanks to both of them for this opportunity.

Historical Fantasy always offers me the double joy of reading an interesting story and of learning something about aspects of the past I knew little or nothing about: in the case of The Judas Blossom, that past is represented by the westward expansion of the Mongol empire in the 13^th Century. 

Hulagu Kahn, grandson of the famous Genghis, is carrying forward his ancestor’s dream of an all-encompassing empire, and as we meet him he’s in the process of completing the conquest of Persia: unfazed by the attacks of the guild of the Assassins, bent on stopping his advance, he pursues his grand plan with ruthless efficiency, conquering city after city, each success culminating with the unleashing of his soldiers on the hapless inhabitants in a frenzy of murder and pillage.  His one disappointment comes from the youngest of his sons, Temujin, whose warlike instinct are practically non-existent: trying to earn his father’s attention and respect, Temujin embarks on a quest that will lead him to wield an unexpected power that will ultimately test his mettle as a man.

Kaivon is a Persian general, angry at the defeat of his people but at the same time conscious that rebelling against the invading Mongol army would be a hopeless task. With an unexpected flash of intuition, Kaivon understands that such a mighty foe could be destroyed only from within, so he chooses to attach himself to Hulagu’s army and bide his time until he will find the proverbial chink in the armor of his enemy.

And finally, Kokochin is a young Mongol princess whose tribe has been utterly obliterated for refusing to obey the ruling Kahn: sold into slavery, she’s now the latest among Hulagu’s wives and at first she seems resigned to her fate, until she finds herself drawn into something bigger than herself and quite worthwhile, a means of getting revenge against Hulagu for all of her losses.

I completely (and happily) lost myself in The Judas Blossom, one of those well-balanced novels where plot and characterization blend seamlessly into a page-turning story of intrigue, politics and personal journeys that feel vivid and cinematic – and quite compelling, despite the brutal, unforgiving background depicted here, one where conquest and destruction are the rule of the day and stop at nothing to achieve the dream of an empire encompassing all the known world.  There are several sections where the readers are made privy of the consequences of conquest: streets littered with debris and rotting corpses, beautiful homes or works of art wantonly destroyed by the ravaging conquerors, the worst of humanity exposed there for all to see. 

The Mongols might be the main protagonists of the story here, but they are certainly not the heroes, nor is their leader Hulagu: if at first one might sympathize with him, targeted by assassins on one side and supported by faithful subordinates or by his loving “war wife” (the one who always follows him on campaigns) on the other, once we see him through other people’s eyes that image changes drastically.  He is a man given to murderous fits of rage and possessed by the unyielding determination of fulfilling his grandfather’s dream, and to that end he’s ready to sacrifice everything and everyone.  It’s in his dealings with his son Temujin that his worst qualities come to the fore, at the same time highlighting Temujin’s struggle to find his own way in a world where he does not fit. The young man’s journey is a heartbreaking one, because he does everything in his power to try and gain the recognition – if not the affection – of his father, and once he seems to find something that might prove his value (a threat that introduces the only element of magic in the story) he finally understands that he’s only a tool, and that his quest is a fruitless one. The moment when he decides to “never again to seek his father’s approval” is a poignantly touching one, and it also made me eager to see where this newfound realization will take this character next.

General Kaivon is a man divided: on one side he wants revenge for his people’s defeat and submission to the Mongol horde, on the other he’s fascinated by Hulagu’s determination, and his unstoppable drive.  Kaivon plays a very dangerous game, and one that forces him to terrible compromises when he must play the part of the aggressor against people like his own, but at the same time he enjoys the cat-and-mouse strategy in which he’s able to sabotage the Kahn’s plans while acting the part of the faithful retainer.   The role of the double agent is indeed a precarious one, particularly where Hulagu’s famous temper is concerned, and several of the passages where Kaivon plays out his schemes kept me on edge from start to finish: it will be interesting to see how – and how far – his plan will take him…

Princess Kokochin gained my sympathy from page one: alone and destitute, with few prospects aside being one of the many playthings for the Kahn, she discovers an unexpected way of finding her own path and exacting revenge for her lost family.  I liked to see how daring she could be, and also how stubborn in pursuing her goals or defying the constrictions of her role and status, and I admired her composure in the dealings with Guyuk, the Kahn’s first wife and ruthless manager of his affairs.  All of the main female characters in The Judas Blossom are strong, determined women who manage to promote their own agency in a male-dominated world, their best representation being the mysterious Twelve, a group of highly-placed conspirators who work in secret to thwart the Mongol aggression.

There are many layers in this novel, from the personal journeys of the various characters to the depiction of war and conquest to the political agendas and power posturing that create a vivid, vibrant world built on historical foundations and reinforced with engrossing fictional narrative: for such a large-scope story it turned out to be a compelling, well-paced read that ended with a huge twist which left me eager to know what will happen next. Highly recommended.

My Rating:

The months of August and July will be focused on the blog tour for this amazing story. Here are all the dates where you will be able to learn more about The Judas Blossom: