Against a Crescent Storm - (The Balkan Legends) by A L Sowards (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The Serbs defied the world's most powerful ruler, and now Danilo and Maja must fight to save their people and their newly forged love before the sultan exacts his revenge.The Balkans, 1389 Three years ago, Danilo's people won their freedom from the hated Ottoman Empire, but with enemies on every side, the Serbs' hard-earned peace remains fragile. Knowing the sultan will soon come for revenge, Danilo sets out to gain key allies for the coming war-and to escape the haunting grief of personal loss. War has orphaned Maja and her brother, but they've moved forward from the turbulent aftermath of battle by crafting religious mosaics. Yet after being cheated and robbed, they are desperate for help. Rescue comes from Danilo, the man who once saved them from slavery to the Turks. What begins as an offer for safe escort is soon complicated by threats from a Hungarian noble who suspects them of conspiracy and from Iskandar, an Ottoman spy consumed by a vendetta against Danilo and a dangerous obsession with Maja. As their journey grows more perilous, Danilo and Maja are drawn together by shared grief and affection. Yet upon returning home, Danilo finds that his zupan, unaware of Danilo's growing emotional entanglement with Maja, plans to use Danilo's hand in marriage as a tool to forge a crucial alliance. Danilo is soon torn between love for Maja and loyalty to his family and people. As tensions escalate, sabotage and vicious rumors weaken Christian unity, and hope of victory in the Balkans grows dim. Allies and enemies converge on the fields of Kosovo, where an epic battle will shape the destiny of nations for centuries to come"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

The Serbs defied the world's most powerful ruler, and now Danilo and Maja must fight to save their people and their newly forged love before the sultan exacts his revenge.

The Balkans, 1389

Three years ago, Danilo's people won their freedom from the hated Ottoman Empire, but with enemies on every side, the Serbs' hard-earned peace remains fragile. Knowing the sultan will soon come for revenge, Danilo sets out to gain key allies for the coming war--and to escape the haunting grief of personal loss.

War has orphaned Maja and her brother, but they've moved forward from tragedy by crafting religious mosaics. Yet after being cheated and robbed, they are desperate for help. Rescue comes from Danilo, the man who once saved them from slavery to the Turks.

Danilo and Maja are soon drawn together by shared grief and affection, but complications arise on every side. A Hungarian noble suspects them of conspiracy. An Ottoman spy, Iskandar, is consumed by a vendetta against Danilo and a dangerous obsession with Maja. And a pending marriage alliance pits Danilo's heart against his duty. As rumors of treason weaken Christian unity, hope of victory in the Balkans grows dim. Allies and enemies converge on the fields of Kosovo, where an epic battle will shape the destiny of nations for centuries to come.

About the Author

A. L. Sowards is the author of more than a dozen historical fiction novels, with settings spanning the globe from the fourteenth to twentieth centuries. Her stories have earned multiple awards and nominations, including a Readers' Favorite gold medal, and an Editor's Choice selection from the Historical Novel Society. Sowards grew up in Washington State, spent a few decades in Utah, and now resides in Alaska with her husband, three children, and an ever-growing library. She likes hiking and swimming, usually manages to keep up with the laundry, and loves it when someone else cooks dinner.

Sowards enjoys connecting with readers and can be found online at ALSowards.com and on Facebook, Goodreads, and Instagram. Readers can sign up for her newsletter at ALSowards.com/newsletter.