I am sure this is a great book for the right person, unfortunately that is not me. I was not able to finish the book since it was just not for me. The parts I read was well written so I am sure it is a good book if you enjoy this type of macho books

In Ammar Merchant's The Palace of Sinners and Saints, (Simon and Shuster 2025), Irfan Mirza for close to forty years has been a reliably lethal weapon. When deployed, regardless of weapons or none, he never fails, never quits, always outsmarts his enemy. He’s been trained to do that since a child in an orphanage with no goal other than win whatever mission he is sent on. His marriage, other than the daughter he dotes on, is a failure, in the process of dissolution as soon as his religious beliefs allow. Waiting for him is another warrior well aware of his foibles and strengths because her background is similar. Now, they face together a mission to save the life of Irfan's sister and her fiancée as they flee those who would use the royal man's notoriety and name against the country he loves.

This may be Merchant's debut novel (at least on Amazon), but he is an extraordinary storyteller, able to weave personal details into plot without losing the drama and action. Definitely recommended for those who enjoy fast-moving international drama where the fight for justice means all solutions are on the table.

Although Mirza is compared to Jack Reacher, he really is in a class of his own because he does not operate in a free world. He operates in a world where corruption is the norm, yet he still lives by his personal moral code. This book is a high action, edge-of-your-seat page turner! The action begins even before the reunion of MIrza and his sister Renata. There were multiple key characters to support Mirza, and none of the characters or events hit an off-note for not being authentic to the situation. This story is exciting from the very first to the last page. There was great character development and the landscape felt so real - I loved the design of the castle! I look forward to Mirza's next adventure!

"The Palace of Sinners and Saints," by Ammar Merchant is an interesting variation on a familiar genre. This book, published by Simon and Schuster (I am working from an ARC graciously provided to me by the publisher) uses the familiar trope of a band of mercenaries fighting against a tyrannical regime in the Middle East. The main twist here is that some of the mercenaries are, themselves, Moslems. As a consequence., the inherent conflicts in their situation are seen through a very different perspective, that of the indigenous population. This produces more startling insights than the reader might expect from a more them/us schema. Furthermore, the mercenaries employed by both sides offer a variety of backgrounds and religious and political perspectives. The main villain of the piece is a character straight from the early Bond films in the sense that he is truly amoral and given to witty philosophical musing. At the same time, he is a sadistic monster given over to wholesale rape and torture in the service of his royal paymaster. The plot plods along initially, but by the time the reader has passed the midpoint of the work, the action, principally initiated by a Middle Eastern crew of caring mercenaries related to some of the target regime's victims has really taken off. The freelancers who undertake to break into a fortress/black site to rescue some the regime's victims are drawn from something like an Islamic casting call for the old television series known as "The A Team." Through all of the horrors of the tale, the heroic protagonists maintain a studied detachment and a good humored bonhomie that seems to defy all reason. The charm is unmistakable!

Review of eGalley

When the stranger walks into his tiny restaurant, Ahmad Haikal, doesn’t know what to expect. But he’d come for the terrorists/pirates that frequented the restaurant . . . the ones that had killed Cilek Osman.

When Irfan Mirza has “spoken” to the terrorists, all seven lay dead at the hands of the ruthless freelance mercenary.

The request from Cilek’s father complete, Mirza moves on. But when the king has Renata Bardales taken, it becomes personal for Mirza.

What will he do to rescue the woman he considers a sister?

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Despite being brutal, gruesome, and vicious, the unfolding story of the tenacious man trained from childhood to be an elite gun for hire pulls the reader into the story from the outset. The telling of this tale keeps the pages turning as readers root for Mirza and his fellow mercenaries to succeed against the nefarious King Nimir as good once again tries to outwit evil.

Readers who enjoy action-packed, graphic tales filled with bravery and courage will find Mizra’s story to their liking.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley
#ThePalaceofSinnersandSaints #NetGalley

The Palace of Sinners and Saints is a brutally fun time for action readers who like their protagonist to be unabashedly awesome and badass. Ammar Merchant shows great talent in crafting powerful and feral action sequences that make a lasting impression, an impressive feat given that it’s his debut.