#1 SILK ROAD
Bestselling historical thriller, Silk Road, paints a captivating story of courage, daring and human frailty onto the grand canvas of the medieval East.
The Holy Land, 1260: Josseran Sarrazini is a Templar Knight, trained for war. But as the Christian garrisons in the Holy Land begin to fall to the Saracen, he is sent on a mission of peace. Haunted by the things he has done, he sees it as a way to escape his past.
His task is formidable. To forge an alliance with Kublai Khan, ruler of the greatest empire in history and commander of the invincible Mongol horde. To ride the treacherous Silk Road to the edge of the known world. To cheat hunger, thirst and death. And to put his trust in a people who do not believe in his cause or his god.
This new world ultimately brings Josseran face to face with a stark choice: keep his Templar oath – or follow the longings of his soul.
‘Blazing with adventure, epic in scope, and utterly compulsive.' Waterstone’s UK.
‘A magisterial tale.' Daily Mail UK.
‘Sure to find its way onto the bookshelves of lovers of a thrilling tale.' Liverpool Daily Post.
#2 STIGMATA
Weaving the mystery of age-old secrets with the epic battles of the only medieval crusade ever launched against a Christian country, this is breathless action and intrigue from the first page to the last.
France, 1205: Philip of Vercy returns from fighting the infidel in the Holy Land to find his life in ruins and his only son near death. He hears of a miracle healer, a young woman marked with the stigmata, and sets out to find her, desperate to save his child.
But he discovers that she has sought refuge from the Inquisition in the mist-shrouded mountains of the Languedoc. It’s home to the Cathars, and the Pope has ordered a crusade to crush them. As the south convulses into flame and revolt, Philip and his liege men find themselves in the middle of hell.
Any other man would cut his losses and go home. But Philip is not like other men.
‘Loved, loved, loved this novel. Riveting!' Historical Novel Review.
‘Moves at a cracking pace, fraught with action and tension at every turn.' Bookmuse.
‘Beautifully written in typical Falconer style with plenty of snap and sharpness, and wonderfully researched.' Great Historicals.
#3 LORD OF THE ATLAS
From the backstreets of Victorian London to the kasbahs of Marrakesh, this is a gripping tale of intrigue, loyalty and courage, evoking the beautiful and the barbaric of nineteenth-century Morocco.
Marrakesh, 1893: After leaving his military career in disgrace, Harry Delhaze turns to a life of drink and gambling. But then he’s offered a way out – a small fortune to help the Sultan of Morocco quell a rebel uprising. It sounds like easy money and Harry thinks his luck has turned.
But he soon learns that nothing in life comes easy. He is forced to battle the wild bandit armies of ruthless prophet-warlord, Bou Hamra, through the snows of the Atlas Mountains and the baking deserts of the Sahara. And he suddenly finds himself in the fight of his life.
With everything on the line, Harry must search his soul. When you make war for money, does it matter whose coin it is – or do loyalty and justice still mean something?
‘A proper adventure. Brutal and captivating.’
‘Another rip-roaring adventure from the Master... exciting, interesting, set in an exotic location, wrapped in history, and a fast-paced, thrilling adventure.’
‘This would make a great movie. The characters, location and story are of epic proportions. On a scale of Lawrence of Arabia.’
#4 HAREM
In the harem you love, you rule… or you die.
From medieval Venice to the slave markets of Algiers, from the mountains of Persia to the Topkapi palace of Istanbul, this is a gripping tale of betrayal, revenge and murder spanning four decades.
Istanbul, 1520: Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman’s greatest Sultan, must protect his legacy at all costs. On the battlefields and behind the doors of the forbidden palace, his sons and viziers engage in a game of deadly intrigue for absolute power. And his concubines vie for his favour, whatever the cost.
One of them is Hurrem. She knows there is only one way out of the Sultan’s gilded prison – catch his eye and bear him a son.
In Venice, Abbas is the impetuous and headstrong son of the city’s military commander. He embarks on an ill-advised romantic adventure with horrific and unthinkable consequences.
A twist of fate throws Abbas and Hurrem together inside the byzantine world of the Ottoman court. Their intrigues threaten the future of the Ottoman throne – but a terrible death awaits if they are discovered.
Harem has been translated into 15 languages, and on release sold 150,000 copies in Germany.
‘A page-turner. . . This peek behind the walls of the seraglio will seduce lovers of large-scale historical fiction.' Booklist.
‘A great read.' Martina Cole Recommends.
‘A spectacular, haunting tale of malice, obsession and zeal.' Historical Novel Review.
#5 WHEN WE WERE GODS
Cleopatra. Caesar. Mark Antony. Augustus.
Only one can rule. Only one can live.
Alexandria, 51 BC: When the young Cleopatra VII assumes the throne of Egypt, the Roman empire rules the Mediterranean with an iron fist. Julius Caesar has shattered the Republic and become Dictator. But Cleopatra is not prepared to be Rome’s puppet. She hatches an audacious plan to change the course of history.
Allied first with Caesar, and then with his protégé Marc Antony, she dares to challenge the might of Rome. What follows is a bloody game of thrones, in the palaces and battlefields of Rome, Greece, Syria and Egypt, that reaches its climax at one of history’s epic battles. Through triumph and disaster Cleopatra does not falter.
Finally, with the future of the entire western world at play, she must either bow her head to Rome - or gamble her ambitions, her country and her life on a man she cannot trust.
‘Makes dry history into a real rip-roaring read.’ Forum Magazine.
‘Spectacular… blazing with intrigue, romance and dramatic action.’ Booklist.
‘This is the riveting story of Egypt’s last and greatest queen. A vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman.’ Publishers Weekly.
#6 COLOSSUS
What if Alexander the Great had not died young? An alternative history.
Babylon, 323 BC: Alexander has survived every effort to kill him. Restless, ruthless, he wonders which world to conquer next. He has a powerful new weapon – the war elephants he brought back with him from India.
As captain of the elephants, Gajendra is both ambitious and deeply loyal to Alexander, the great soldier who plucked him from obscurity. He begins a meteoric rise through the ranks of the Macedonian army, protected by his fiercely devoted elephant, Colossus.
But Colossus is far more than a brute weapon of war, and the bond he forms with Gajendra ultimately threatens the life of the world’s greatest general.
Just as all he has dreamed of is within his grasp, Gajendra faces a terrible choice. Betray his beloved general or sell his soul.
Colossus is an epic tale of alternative history, set against the brutal, ancient worlds of Babylon, Carthage and Sicily.
‘A writer in the same bare-knuckled school as Simon Scarrow, Steven Pressfield and Ben Kane.’ Steve Donoghue
‘A helluva good read! Falconer has unleashed all the gods of war in this thrilling adventure... and skillfully brings to life a vibrant and exotic historical period.’ Noble Smith
‘A fantastic read.’ Wilbur Smith.
#7 FEATHERED SERPENT
Cortes and the Aztecs. 500 men against a million.
Yucatan, 1519: Consumed with ambition, Hernan Cortes sails from Cuba to explore the coast of the lands to the west. He takes prisoner a young Mayan princess, Malinali, whose father has been murdered by the Mexica on the orders of their emperor, Montezuma, and enlists her help to further his campaign.
Clever and fiercely independent, Malinali hungers for revenge. She seizes the chance to act as interpreter for the Spanish general and begins to weave a story so compelling and disturbing, it turns the odds in their favour.
As they journey to the heart of ancient Mexico to eventually conquer the Aztec nation, Cortes and Malinali carve out one of the most astonishing and tragic stories in history.
Cortes has his conquest and Malinali has her revenge – but neither of them could foresee the terrible cost for the country or for themselves.
Feathered Serpent stayed on the Mexican bestseller lists for four months. It was once published as Aztec.
‘A never-ending labyrinth of twists and turns that grips and entertains. Get this book. It is a magnificent piece of work!’ Historical Novel Review.
‘Terrific historical fiction.’ Historical Novel Society.
‘Definitely epic adventure: Fast paced and gritty. I loved it.’
#8 VENOM
A fast-paced historical thriller of abandonment, retribution and justice.
Saigon, 1946: Michel Christian is born in a pauper’s hospital during a tropical storm. At five years old, he is thrown out on the dangerous streets to survive as best he can. He is bui doi – the dust of life - and he cares for nothing and no one. But he remembers every beating and every betrayal, and declares vengeance on those who abandoned him.
He grows into a ferocious manhood in the back alleys of wartime Saigon and learns not only to survive, but to thrive, in a pitiless world. Brilliant, chilling and charismatic, there is no prison that can hold him, no policeman he cannot buy. He is a chameleon, invisible and untouchable.
But when the net finally closes around him, Michel must make a choice: trust for the first time in his life - or finally face justice.
‘Exotic, exciting, darkly suspenseful.’ Campbell Armstrong.
‘If you haven’t read one of Colin Falconer’s novels, then I promise you are in for a real roller-coaster ride of never-ending intrigue.’ Historical Novel Review.
‘Keeps your nerves tingling… Falconer creates an intensity that keeps you reading long after hours.’ Blog Critics.
#9 FURY: BOOK 1 - Live For Me
A powerhouse historical thriller about the indomitable will to survive – and what evil can do to the soul.
Bavaria, 1933: Netanel Rosenberg’s family has lived in Germany for centuries. Their factory keeps a whole town employed. But when the Nazis take power, Netanel finds himself an outcast and an enemy in his own land.
His battle for survival takes him from the horrors of Auschwitz to the ancient alleyways of Jerusalem; from the holocaust to the Holy Land, where everything is sacred except life. Torn between impossible choices, Netanel must search his soul for the right path.
With the battle for Palestine raging around him, and his comrades divided, Netanel has a choice: forget the past and learn to live again or exact his own retribution – even if it costs him his life.
‘Another historical fiction masterpiece by the author who now defines the genre. Falconer portrays true historical events, weaving his story within these in a way no other author can do'.
‘Wow, just wow. A powerhouse of a novel'.
‘Both harrowing and enlightening, this tale is an amazing read.'
‘This book had me hooked from start to finish. Heartbreaking.'
Note: Fury comprises two books which tell a story from opposing points of view. Confronting, fast-paced and thought provoking, book 1 tells the story of a Jewish refugee, while book 2 tells the simultaneous story of three Arab brothers. Prepare to be challenged by this gripping story about the dark side of man.
#10 FURY: BOOK 2 - Sleeping with the Enemy
There are two sides to every story. This novel will make you think, make you cry and make you see the world in a different way.
Palestine, 1933: Rishou Hassan’s family have lived in Palestine for a thousand years. When a new kibbutz housing Jewish immigrants is built nearby, there are rumblings of discontent. But Rishou likes his neighbours and wants to live in peace.
When Hitler takes power and a war starts in Europe, the Zionists press for a homeland. For Rishou, the sudden influx of thousands of Jewish refugees threatens to change everything he's ever known. In a confusing new world of ancient jezails and British-built tanks, home-made bombs and jeweled daggers, there seems to be no going back and no way forward.
With his village, his family and his life at stake, Rishou must make an impossible choice: keep the peace at all costs, or go to war for what he believes in.
‘Once you read one Colin Falconer, you’ll want to read everything he has ever written.' Crystal Book Reviews.
‘I think Fury is Falconer's finest work to date. I love his swashbucklers, but this story is so important and compelling... I'd like every lover of freedom to read and think about this book long after they turn the last page'.
Note: Fury comprises two books which tell a story from opposing points of view. Confronting, fast-paced and thought provoking, book 1 tells the story of a Jewish refugee, while book 2 tells the simultaneous story of three Arab brothers. Prepare to be challenged by this gripping story about the dark side of man.
#11 FEVER COAST
A gripping historical thriller set against the lawless coasts of 18th century Africa and the brutal European wars in colonial India.
East Africa, 1750: Lachlan McKenzie doesn’t know why he and his family live on a remote trading post on the slave coast of Africa. The past is best left buried, is all his father will say about it. But then one day three warships sail downriver and turn their guns on their tiny fort. Suddenly Lachlan is in the fight for his life against a formidable enemy.
His quest for survival and burning thirst for revenge take him from the African savannah and the slave markets of Mozambique to the Moghul palaces and British redcoat forts of Carnatic India, where he must ultimately decide between the life that he always dreamed of and his sworn promise of vengeance.
With the future of his new family at stake, Lachlan must search his soul and answer the impossible… how much revenge is enough?
‘Another masterpiece.'
‘Wonderfully evocative.'
‘Falconer's grasp of time and place is almost flawless.' The Australian
‘If you're missing a Wilbur Smith novel, here's a great substitute'.
# 12 EAST INDIA
A gripping 17th century adventure thriller about shipwreck, survival and the dark side of man.
The Great Southland, 1626: Michiel van Texel is a captain on the company's coin on his way to Batavia, on the other side of the world, to fight the Mataram and escape his demons. The ship is overcrowded, and navigation around the Horn is down to the skipper’s dead reckoning - guesswork. But Michiel soon realizes the skipper has his own plans that could put the whole voyage in danger.
When the ship founders on the jagged reefs of the Houtman Rocks, all hell breaks loose. As those around him reveal their true natures, chaos and barbarism ensue. Surviving the wreck soon becomes the least of his problems.
Evil happens when good men do nothing. And Michiel has always seen himself as a good man. But he has never faced evil like this.
One of the great sea stories of history, loosely based on real events.
‘With his usual style of sharp, succinct writing, Falconer captured the facts, skillfully mixed with a little fiction, and created a powerfully passionate novel that shocked me and held me in its grip. I read the entire book in one sitting.' History and Women.
‘Here is a story of total depravity and inhumanity that I could not turn away from.' Just One More Chapter.
‘A gritty tale of doubt, danger and desperation. Beneath the surface, a phenomenal exploration of social interaction... A fast-paced adventure, difficult to put down.' Historical Fiction.