The Sultan's Harem

From the author of the critically acclaimed When We Were Gods comes a dramatic, unforgettable novel of cruelty and passion, set in the great Harem of the Ottoman Empire. In Constantinople there is only one ruler: Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, Lord of Lords of this World, Possessor of Men's Necks, Allah's Deputy, absolute ruler of the mighty Ottoman Empire. And at the heart of his palace is the Sultan's vast Harem, the domain of hundreds of scented, pampered women--some wives, some concubines, some merely slaves. Among them is Gulbehar, the Sultan's submissive favorite and mother of his heir; Julia, the daughter of an Italian lord, kidnapped when she attempted to flee Venice with her lover; and Hurrem, a Tartar girl from the Russian steppes, sold into slavery. All three women are beautiful, but Hurrem is the most dangerous--ruthless in her desire to rule the Harem and, ultimately, Suleyman himself. Endlessly manipulative and clever, she carefully arranges the downfall of her rivals and endears herself to the Sultan, who places her at the center of the Empire's power. It is his obsession with Hurrem--not his enemies--that in the end costs Suleyman his allies, his sons, and finally his dynasty. Bestselling author Colin Falconer offers an irresistible glimpse into a world of intrigue, sensuality, and violence, where an empire can be controlled not by the might of its king but by the women hidden behind the Harem walls.