The Towers Of Samarcand | James Heneage

Europe lies at the mercy of the invading Ottomans and hero Luke Magoris must unite the greatest warrior of the age and a lost Anglo Saxon treasure in time to rescue the Byzantine empire in the second of the epic Mistra Chronicles.

With an Ottoman army at the gates and Constantinople set to submit, Luke Magoris must make an epic journey across a continent to the ancient city of Samarcand to approach the last hope for the Byzantine world; the Mongolian conqueror Tamerlane. Luke, torn away from the woman he loves and all he knows, is trained as a Mongol warrior to impress Tamerlane and his army before joining his fellow Varangian guards, descendants of the men who once brought a vital treasure out of Constantinople. It is this treasure, some say, that can still save the empire - uniting the Christian churches of the east and west in one final triumphant crusade to smite the Ottomans. No longer an innocent patriot, Luke is caught in the crossfire and begins to question if his mission is honourable - or whether those who sent him have the best interests of Byzantium at heart. Can the greatest warrior of the age and a lost Anglo Saxon treasure be united in time to rescue Constantinople? Set against the vast backdrop of the Anatolian plains, this is a powerful and enthralling historical novel, full of vivid characters, compelling mystery and sensational battles. It is the second book in The Mistra Chronicles.