Book Review: Empire of the Moghul - The Tainted Throne
Power corrodes most men. I know it has me, and that is why I’m happy to drift away from it through the opium and alcohol my wife prepares for me. It’s great comfort to leave decisions to the empress, and now even she is relieved of that burden since you have taken it on yourself. I warn you, power is lonely - or I found it so.
Agra, India, 1606. Jahangir, the newly crowned ruler of most of the Indian subcontinent, is unimaginably wealthy and utterly ruthless. But his sons want power, at any cost, and no battle is too bloody or treachery too great to stop them. Jahangir has another problem: a terrible weakness for wine and opium. His wife, the clever, cold-hearted Mehrunissa, is only too willing to take up the reins of the empire. What follows is an epic and brutal tale of a battle for power, even more ferocious than Timur the Great, the mighty Moghul forebear could have imagined.
The Tainted Throne is the fourth in The Empire of the Moghul series by Alex Rutherford. The book begins with a vivid description of a battle between the newly crowned Emperor Jahangir and one of his sons, who had challenged his authority. Moving from the outcome of the battle, the narrative then takes the reader to witness the assassination of Sher Afghan, whose wife Mehrunissa would soon become the Empress Nur Jahan. Nur Jahan’s entry in history gives a whole new dimension as the author gradually shifts the focus on the insides of Mughal harem and the politics for power. The author introduces several characters based on fact and fiction and takes us through a series of treacheries and ambushes till the death of Jahangir and the final deciding battles between his sons for the throne. The book concludes as Mehrunissa gradually disappears into history, and as Shah Jahan becomes the fifth emperor of the Mughal dynasty.
The book has a gripping and fast paced narrative style with a vast canvas of interesting characters. Although this historical novel is primarily based on the life of Emperor Jahangir, it is the fascinating Nur Jahan who is the most memorable character of the book. There are few deviations from historical accuracy that are mostly acknowledged in the Additional Notes section but as a reader I believe this is how historical fiction should be written.
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The Tainted Throne is an absolute page turner. I had received the copy from MySmartPrice. Thank you Ranjan for giving me this opportunity. You can buy this book at amazon or at flipkart in case you live in India.
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Wow ! I want to start out by saying this book is amazing. Not only that but the style of writing, the grammar, and narrative just pulls you in. Ever page you turn is something unexpected, it really puts you an exult mood. Alex Rutherford really put his all in this one I give a 5-star rate on this, and I'll be reading more of his books as well.
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