THE SARACEN STORM

A Novel of the Moorish Invasion of Spain

by J.M. Nunez

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Description

Based on historical figures and events, The Saracen Storm is the sweeping saga of one of Spain's best-loved heroes and the role he played in the nation's darkest period: the Moorish invasion of its lands in 711 AD.

When nineteen-year-old Pelayo, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Asturias, is asked to lead a cohort of soldiers to hunt down a party of Saracen raiders, he seizes on the chance to escape the city and the scandals that have swirled around him for years. Trained in combat since he was a youth, and taught the dark arts of war by a brilliant ex-monk, he is determined to prove wrong those who say he is unfit for command. As he follows the trail of devastation left by the raiders, he discovers that Valentina, his half-brother's betrothed, has been taken captive. The mission that he has viewed merely as an adventure now turns into a personal quest to save the headstrong daughter of his father's closest ally from the slave markets of Arabia.

In the capital of Toledo, the sudden death of the monarch unravels old alliances, sparking a fierce competition for the throne. As the country descends into civil war, Musa ibn Nosseyr, Caliph al-Walid's ambitious governor in Carthage, sees the Iberian nation's troubles as an opportunity to expand the reach of the caliphate into Europe.

Advance Praise

"An intense, action-packed story that will have you hooked from the moment you start reading it." Readers' Favorite

"The writing is excellent, the prose delectable...It makes for an enjoyable read. Pelayo is a sophisticated character and his character arc defines his development in this beautifully written conflict. The action is strong, and the plot ingeniously done to excite the curiosity of the reader. For those who love adventure and a narrative filled with intrigue and surprises, The Saracen Storm will make for a delightful read." - Christian Sia, critic for Readers Favorite. 5 Star Review

"The book got me from its opening pages. The author does an impeccable job of exploring the political climate of the times. The characters are grounded in history, each written with enough background to augment the sophistication. It takes a skillful author to meld elements of fiction with history and Jose Nunez has that gift. The Saracen Storm is written in beautiful prose and has very strong plot points. This is a historical novel that transports the reader back in time and that brings history alive in ones's imagination. A balanced, deftly narrated and engaging read." - Tomual Dzemo, critic for Readers' Favorite. 5 Star Review

"This is an intense, action-packed story. The narrative is perfect, the flow simple and powerful. The Saracen Storm will have you hooked from the moment you start reading it." - Rabia Tanveer, critic for Readers' Favorite. 5 Stars Review.

"An intense, action-packed story that will have you hooked from the moment you start reading it." Readers' Favorite

"The writing is excellent, the prose delectable...It makes for an enjoyable read...

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ISBN	9781999219703
PRICE	$5.02 (USD)

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Featured Reviews

Anthony P, Reviewer

My Recommendation
I enjoyed this period piece about Spain. It was well written and the story flowed easily. The plot was fast paced.	My Recommendation

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Cherime M, Reviewer

My Recommendation

I've been real lucky lately with my picks for reading. This one is also a good read. That is a particular area of history which hasn't seem much coverage. The only problem I have with it was some odd formatting. That may or may not have been a problem in my tablet. I don't believe it was but you never know. I enjoyed the book. As an added bonus, it encouraged me to look up more about that period of time. There was a tiny bit of language which could be a tad too far in the future. I chose to ignore it because one can get a little too invested in that. I chose to enjoy the book, which I did.

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Stephen W, Reviewer

My Recommendation

I loved this book. I read alot of historical fiction but this was a time period I'd not read much of before. This made it an extremely good and refreshing read. The character depth and the brilliant way the author wrote this made for a excellent read that I "just read one more chapter" well done!

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Anne M, Educator

My Recommendation

The Saracen Storm by JM Nunez is a very readable historical novel about the incursion of the Saracens into the Iberia Peninsula in the early 8th Century. The leading character is Pelayo, who at the age of eight is taken to live with his father after his mother dies. We follow him, off and on, for the next 25 years as he maneuvers through a life in which his step-mother and step-brother hate him and make his life a misery, until his father sends him to war against the Saracens. He spends the rest of his life fighting them, sometimes to victory and sometimes not. He is very difficult to kill, although many try. He has enemies and they always seem to find him. He is a good man and a tough soldier who does his best for his family and his country.

This book is loosely based on fact. Many of the major players appear, including his half-brother, Julian, who was a real person, whether Pelayo was or not. There is much in the book that is today considered politically incorrect regarding the Saracens and how bloodthirsty and corrupt they were. The book moved quickly, skipping through repetitive or unimportant parts so that many years were covered. It was a very readable book and was another example of how little loyalty there sometimes was in royal families of the time. I enjoyed it. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of The Saracen Storm by Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #thesaracenstorm

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