Looking for a thriller that feels like an ‘80s action movie with modern upgrades? This one explodes off the page. 💥

From car crashes and cyberwarfare to motorcycle chases and kitchen pans-as-weapons (yes, really), this book is wildly entertaining. Irfan Mirza, a mercenary with a moral code and a bulletproof sense of justice, is one of the most unique action heroes I’ve met on the page. A Muslim protagonist in the spotlight? YES. 🙌

The plot:
🗡️ Kidnapped as a child and trained to kill.
👑 A despotic king disappearing dissidents.
🔥 A fortress in the desert.
💔 A rescue mission that gets very personal.

It’s a cinematic, blood-splattered thrill ride—with just a few clichés and slow spots here and there—but I had a blast. Think Jason Bourne meets The Mummy with a political edge.

🧭 Global intrigue
🖤 Found family
🥊 Creative fight scenes
📣 And a whole lot of justice.

Non-stop action. From the first pages all the way to the final scenes, this book kept me on the edge of my seat. The fight scenes are excellently crafted. Irfan is embattled, he only wants to do what has to be done. He is hired by a long time friend, whom he refers to as family, to do a protection detail. He is met by a group of highly trained killers that he pretty much single handedly incapacitates, however his protectees are kidnapped. Irfan quickly assembles a group of "friends" to track down his attackers and learns thd location where tgey might be held. The location in question is an ancient highly guarded castle in the middle of the desert. The chemistry and comraderie amongst the characters makes this book very enjoyable.  A high octane action thriller with heart. The story was great, characters memorable and the action was exhilarating.

5 stars

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the ARC.

A whole lot of action in Ammar Merchant's debut novel...the pace of the story was great and had a great cast of characters. Irfan Mirza has been trained as a killer since he was a child. Now he's a freelance mercenary and he’s travelled to a Middle Eastern country of Aldatan on a personal mission – find and rescue someone close to him with the help from some friends.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC and I highly recommend buying the novel on May 20th. I hope Ammar will turn this into a series.

This was a fantastic thriller novel and worked with what was going on in the world, it had that tension that I was looking for and enjoyed in this type of book. Ammar Merchant was able to weave a strong storyline and characters that I was wanting and enjoyed in this type of book. The characters worked well in this universe and was glad they worked with this setting. Ammar Merchant does a strong job in keeping the reader engaged and was glad it worked overall.

Unapologetically brutal, batshit crazy violence packed into insane action sequences, The Palace of Sinners and Saints goes hard from page one and doesn’t stop until the pile of dead bodies is sky high. Ammar Merchant has crafted a viciously entertaining thriller with a protagonist who’s a bull in a China shop with only one goal – total destruction of anything in his path.

Irfan Mirza has been trained as a killer since he was a child. Now a freelance mercenary, he’s travelled to a wealthy Middle Eastern kingdom on a personal mission – find and liberate someone close to him whose been taken captive by an autocratic King who silences his critics without mercy. Along with a small team, Mirza sets off on a suicidal rescue mission to infiltrate a heavily fortified medieval fortress in the middle of the desert, rescue his target and get the hell out of there with his life. And if he maims and kills a large number of enemy combatants along the way, even better.

There’s nothing subtle about this story or Irfan Mirza. It’s in your face, smash mouth, direct action. No tricks or gimmicks. The author lays bare exactly what needs to happen and what Mirza is capable of, then then proceeds in a straight line of aggression and ruthlessness towards an outcome that will result in the annihilation of one side or the other. No compromise, no negotiation, no partial victory. Either Mirza succeeds or he dies. And he’s ok with that given he has no fear of death. Which partially stems from his incredible physical gifts and impressive skillset but also comes from his experience and his faith.

It’s incredible to watch Mirza work. Fist fights, motorcycle chases, knife work, gun battles, explosions and more fill the pages of The Palace of Sinners and Saints. And while it delivers exciting, pulse-pounding action from start to finish, it also simmers with emotional depth, humorous moments, and undercurrents of romance that need further exploration. Which will be exciting to watch develop if/when this turns into a series. And it should. Because Mirza is a great character, and Ammar Merchant can really craft a story. Whatever comes next will be an automatic must read.

i found this book to be very hard to read...... i may be because of all the strange foreign names that i could not keep straight, or maybe it was just my mood.. There were some parts that were very exciting, but others that dragged. This book was just not for me, but i appreciate the chance for the advanced reader copy. Just cant love them all

Irfan Mirza is like a bull in a China shop. He isn't fast or subtle. But if he decides he sees a wrong that needs to be addressed he relentlessly pursues the wrongdoer. Plenty of action and thrills to enjoy.

Excited to finally start this one! Action packed done right gives all the feels!!

This book is highly entertaining with a simple plot driven approach to the writing. Mission objective is to infiltrate, rescue and secure the package. That package just happens to be in human form.

Lots of action packed scenes with fighting sequences, a team of characters that are uniquely different and a multi-pov, to include the nasty bad guy. I did find the MMC to be likeable with his dark and broody yet quiet and strong presence. He is a highly trained Muslim mercenary that grew up in an orphanage and has a penchant for moral retribution. How can you NOT like him!?

I took off one star because the writing needs a little help. Although mostly entertaining, it can get a tad cliche at times and a touch dry here and there. It’s only slightly awkward in that moment but then seems to get you wrote back into the story, so I didn’t get out off by it that much.

All in all, this was a fun read for me, not heart stopping by any means, but it was thrilling throughout.

Thank you to the author, Ammar Merchant and the publisher Simon & Schuster for the ARC!!

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this thrill ride of a story featuring action, exotic locales, more action, a man strong in morals and in what is right, and a dash more of action.

For a while one of my favorite genres was the books in the Men's Adventure Category. My Grandfather started me on Mack Bolan, the Executioner, and from there I found more. The Death Merchant, the Destroyer, The Professional, and others whose names are better lost to time. These books were pretty much monthly from publisher like Gold Eagle, who were owned by Harlequin Publishers, as fitting because these were basically male romance stories. Instead of love porn these offered gun porn, and a way of understanding a changing world. Because of this most of the modern thrillers kind of bore me. I get the point of Jack Reacher, but honestly he is basically Mack Bolan only broader in shoulder. Also they take themselves too seriously, or are too closeted in their world view. I Am Pilgrim was the last one to really grab me, as it was broader in scope, crazy in action, and looked at the world as a person who lived in it, not just America. To this list I add this book, a book that had interesting characters, took old ideas and made them new again, and just really went for it action and storywise. The Palace of Sinners and Saints is a debut novel by Ammar Merchant, introducing a character I hope to read more of, doing what he does best for the people he cares about.

Irfan Mirza is a mercenary, who does the jobs that no one else wants, and does this quite well. Kidnapped as a boy, Mirza was raised in an orphanage as part of a program to create weapons out of human beings. To Mirza the others in that group are the family he never had, and he would do anything for them. In Thailand a woman he considers his sister is kidnapped, along with her husband a dissident in a Middle Eastern country, where being against the government gets on disappeared. Mirza vows to find her, and traces her to a black prison, an ancient citadel square in the middle of a desert guarded by elite mercenaries. Mirza knows what can happen in these places, and has gathered a team, a thief who wants to more than a business partner with Mirza, and an Irish man, who was also part of the same program Mirza was trained at. Facing them are a sadistic manchild, with a love for violence, and quite a lot of armed men. Mirza has a plan. Destroy everything.

The book starts with a bang, and moves on from there. The character of Mirza unfolds carefully, with little hints being dropped as the story goes, and makes for one of the more interesting characters who look like mountains and can laugh off bullets. Mirza is a complicated person, with a strong moral code, one that is different in these kind of books. The story is familiar, and one knows the outcome, but the journey there is a blast. Car crashes, cyberwarfare, motorcycle chases, a little bloodsport action, kitchen pans as weapons, knives, shields, and bare hands. An 80's movie with a bit of CGI and a lot of blood squibs. The story moves well, the bad guys are bad the good guys good-ish. What I liked a lot was the international feeling to the story. Countries usually not name checked, and a hero that is Islamic.

A book I enjoyed for a lot of reasons, and one that would make a good streaming series. Some stunts were a little, what the???, but that is the fun. This is a fun book, with a lot of potential, and I can't wait to read more.

What can I say about The Palace of Sinners and Saint's other than WOW! This debut novel by Ammar Merchant is everything!

This book is an action packed thrill ride with non stop excitement. Irfan Mirza is a mercenary for hire and is everything you would pay for. In the public of Aldatan, King Nimir is determined to make all who oppose him and his political views disappear. This applies to billionaires, influencers, police force, and journalists. One such journalist is his cousin Mahmud who is taken in front of a hotel one night along with his fiancé Renata as they have been sent to meet up with Mirza for his protection. Mirza tries to stop these Leopards sent by Nimir but fails. Mirza works with his brother Finn and a thief, Omen, to track down where they were taken and break them out. This ragtag team each has their own way of getting things done but ultimately need each other and their skills to balance what they don't have themselves. It is these skills coming together and the way the characters play off of each other that takes this novel up a notch. Not everyone is as serious as Merza and the humor brings a bit of relief to the story.

This novel was everything and I can't wait for more books from Ammar Merchant and hopefully more in the Merza series. Do yourself a favor and read this book if you are into thrillers along this line.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #ThePalaceofSinnersandSaints

I'm not sure this was a book for me. It was very slow in the beginning but the ending seemed to come together quickly. I think if reworked to improve the pacing of the first 2/3 of the book it would be a hit.

Many times while reading “The Palace of Sinners and Saints” I found myself picturing the book as an action movie. Irfan Mirza, the unbelievably capable hero of the story, has been hired to rescue Prince Mahmoud from an unbelievably remote castle in the Middle Eastern country of Aldatan. Mirza is the man-of-all-weapons: guns, knives, explosives, fists. Mahmoud’s fiancee, Renata, knows Mirza can do the impossible: find and breach the castle and bring her prince back to her.

Omen Ferris is Mirza’s female business partner. She has skills in liberating objects from their rightful owners. Of course, Omen and Mirza secretly love each other. This is not a spoiler because it becomes immediately obvious.

“The Palace of Sinners and Saints” takes off like a house afire and never slows until the end. I recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader’s copy. This is my honest review.

This is really more of a 3.5, as I really liked the ending, it seemed to escalate and come together better. The beginning is somewhat lacking in the power to draw me in, it was really only after they infiltrated their final destination that the characters came alive for me. Had a little of the usual Bourne/007 tricks of "where did the weapons come from, where did the money come from, how did they get there" kind of vibe going, but not too bad. Didn't really get to connect with Bey at all, and I didn't get the kind of strength that was hinted at from the characters who were not part of "the family". So, action good, character writing somewhat lacking

We are told up front that The Palace of Sinners and Saints is "... a heart-pounding page-turner" It's an "action-packed thriller." So author Ammar Merchant has his task cut out for him to live up to these blurbs.
Sadly, it did not, for me at least. There is a lot of tedium in this desert based novel, and one main guy to interrupt it. That would be Irfan Merza, a trained killer who takes on a prison holding his "sister'. That involves a lot of one on one battles, usually resulting in the death of the opponent. It's rather predictable, as the reader knows Merza is going to prevail. Sure, the author gives him various handicaps in the form of injuries, yet they don't seem to stop our killer.
The novel has its merits- the setting, for one. I did read it all, but found myself skimming at the latter action parts as I knew Mirza was going to win them all.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Fast-paced, heart-pounding and gory, this thriller ticks all the boxes. It is very well written and even has some humorous aspects.

Irfan Mirza is a mercenary, trained from a young age to be a gun for hire. When his sister and her husband are kidnapped, Irfan must assemble a small group of like-minded killers to go and save them.

This is agonizingly suspenseful, filled with mostly likable characters, and I am grateful to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced reader copy.

"How is he still alive?"
"He'd probably say God loves him," Omen guessed. "I think it's more likely that God just likes being entertained, and Irfan is fun."
Ren chuckled.
"Not in a 'holy crap, what an awesome party' way, but in a 'Jesus Christ, did you see what ridiculous shit that guy just pulled off' kind of way. Like an Evel Knievel who kills people."

Move over, Lee Child, and make a space on the roster of action/adventure/thriller writers for Ammar Merchant. His first novel featuring Middle Eastern mercenary Irfan Mirza has been favorably compared to the Jack Reacher novels, and rightly so.

THE PALACE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS wastes no time on back-story. It gets right to the action from Chapter One and never takes the foot off the throttle until the conclusion. Merchant gives us just enough of the history of Mirza and associates to understand them and get a feel for the "honor among mercenaries" vibe. The dialogue is very revealing, and a great way to inform readers and create empathy without slowing down the pace.

If you like Jack Reacher novels, you will most likely appreciate the escapist entertainment provided here. Thanks to NetGalley for a digital advance review copy of this novel.

This book is full of action from the very first page, never lets up. Lots of interesting characters and a good story line. This is the first book by this author and it is a strong start. I would read another book by this author. Th k you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I received this book as an advanced reader copy in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own
4 stars!
This is not the typical genre I go for but this book was thoroughly entertaining! I enjoyed getting to know Mirza and watching him grow from a grumpy dude to someone who was willing to do whatever it took to save his family. The book was well written and easy but captivating to follow.

The Palace of Sinners and Saints
By Ammar Merchant

Get ready, thriller readers! You are about to meet the Islamic world's answer to Jack Reacher! Ifran Mirza is a Pakistani Muslim who was kidnapped as a small child by the "General", who ostensibly runs an orphanage which is really a camp to train and raise children to become soldiers and killers. Although the General did not succeed in creating a children's army loyal only to him, several of his proteges consider themselves siblings and make it a practice to be there for each other when they need help.

Ifran is a huge man, the ultimate killing machine. His "brother" and best friend is Finn, the man who keeps them all loosely tied together. When Renata, a "sister", contacts Finn to help her and her fiancé escape from the despotic ruler of Aldatan, Ifran and Finn are on the hunt.

The story contains horror, humor, brutality, loyalty and love. The good guys are characters you will love; the bad guys are characters you will love to hate. Everyone plays their roles to perfection.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to Ifran and company's next adventure.

When your family needs you, you go help them. In The Palace of Sinners and Saints by Amman Merchant the family is large and may not be genetically related, but they do not leave each other hanging. The saying “honor among thieves” comes to mind, but some of them are mercenaries.
There are blood and guts, but there are also reasons for that. When you are brought up in an “orphanage” that trains you to be a lethal weapon, you use the resources you have. One of the resources might be your siblings.

Renata is the sister who is engaged to a deposed prince. His father was the king but no more. The prince is expected to follow the king who deposed his father. When he refuses to bow down to the new king, he is kidnapped along with his fiancé, Rennata. They are taken to a medieval castle in the middle of the desert near Yemen and kept as prisoners. The castle houses many other “guests” and a very sadistic keeper. Renata’s brothers will not accept that she is being held. Interestingly, they are not so worried about the prince, but since he makes Ren happy, they will try to free them both.

It is a suspenseful adventure. If you like to bite your nails while you read, this is a book for you. It is different from other books I have read, but when I reflect on the theme of the book, honor of thieves (and mercenaries) may be it.