‘A magisterial tale.’ - UK Daily Mail
The Holy Land, 1260.
Josseran Sarrazini is chosen to escort the Pope’s emissary on a diplomatic mission to the all-conquering Mongol horde in an effort to save all Christendom from destruction. But although he serves as a Templar warrior, Josseran is not all that he appears to be - and he despises the Pope’s man on sight.
Now they have to spend nine months in each other’s company on the most dangerous and most inhospitable journey on the earth - across the legendary deserts of Persia, through the horrific black hurricanes of the Taklimakan, along the entire spider’s web of the Silk Road to Khubilai Khan’s legendary capital at Xanadu.
When he sets out, Josseran cannot know then that he will never see Christendom again.
From the Storehouse of Winds to the Palace of Myriad Tranquillities, from the Pamirs and Hindu Kush to the legendary Xanadu and the dazzling court of Khubilai Khan, this is romance and adventure on a breath-taking scale.
“Callous executions, one-eyed camel drivers, corruption, sin, a heart-wrenching love story, dark secrets, and life and death circumstances are revealed at a fast pace in each brief chapter. The plot is rich and sure to keep the reader focused on turning the page to learn what happens next – and always to some shocking circumstance or pleasant surprise. That’s what I loved most about this book – plenty of the odd and unusual to keep me fascinated throughout. It is the richness of the prose itself that truly made this historical era come alive.” - Historical Novel Review
“Stocked with exquisite details, each chapter paints a mural for the senses, describing in detail articles, scenery, characters, and architecture so that one truly feels as if they are experiencing the story instead of merely reading it. Clashes, politics, characters ever at odds with each other, good and evil, love and hate, sin and goodness, and much, much more all culminate into a very satisfying ending. A profound story of great depth that will please both genders and one I strongly recommend. Utterly absorbing and captivating!” - Mirella Patzer, History and Women
“Falconer’s descriptive narrative is exquisite at times. Each short chapter opens with a flowing brush of words that paint precisely, yet mellifluously, in a manner that is almost poetic. . The grand schemes of politicking and war are lost amongst the narrative of those who would strive to find peace in both themselves and the world around them.” - Historical Writer’s Association
“Falconer, whose books have been translated into 17 languages over the last 25 years, has spun together a fiction which will appeal to readers of all ages. With several twists to keep the reader engaged until the very last, Silk Road is sure to find its way onto the bookshelves of lovers of a thrilling tale.” - Liverpool Daily Post