The Black Khan

Part 2 The continuing saga of The Khorasan Archives. Book 1 was brilliant but book 2 The Black Khan was everything I look for in a fantasy. <br /><br />Arian, Sinnia, and The Silver Mage have all been saved from the Authoritan's clutches. Arian and Daniyar were helped by Lania, the sister Arian searched for for years. Although not unscaved. Daniyar has been bled in the blood rites to steal his magic, and forced to fight and kill to keep Arian safe. Sinnia was rescued by two sisters, who are also sisters of the claim. And now they are all returning to Ashfall which is preparing for a long siege by the Talisman. <br /><br />The Black Khan Prince of Khorasan has possession of the Bloodprint, and wishes to tap into its power with the help of Arian the First Companion of the Claim. He also wants to make her his Queen consort even knowing that she loves the Silver Mage ( Daniyar ). The Black Khan is a confusing character, sometimes he seems to be a good guy, but other times extremely bad. Ashfall is under attack, and seems bound to fall.<br /><br />This story is filled with bloody scenes, ritual magic, torture, assault, and rape. These are your trigger warnings, so if you are sensitive to happenings in books this may not be for you. However if you enjoy, gladiator fighting, deep dark characters, great adventure, and love in its purest and most devoted forms, you might love this as I did. The first book has a lot of world building, so it's a little slower paced at first, but once you it, you get lost in the pages. <br /><br /> I was given this book in exchange for a fair but honest review all opinions are solely my own and have no ill intent towards the author, publisher, or promoters of this book. To my surprise it only gets better. Sometimes second books can be a let down, but in this case it far out shined book 1. I will be gladly moving on to book 3 The Blue Eye. I would recommend this book to anyone age 14 and up. This is not a fantasy meant for young readers, but parents are the best judge of what their children, should or shouldn't read.

So often the second book in a series falls short of the first, but with The Black Khan, this is most certainly not the case. The Blooodprint was a 5-star read and so is The Black Khan. The writing, the characters, the complexity...it's all there, and it all works. More than anything it's the WOMEN that make this series. They are strong, capable, intelligent, flawed beings who will stop at nothing in their quest for justice. It's just the thing we need right now to inspire the woman in this world to keep fighting. The third installment cannot be published soon enough!!! <br /><br />Note: I received an ARC of this book from Harper Voyager in exchange for an unbiased review. (Thank you, Harper Voyager!)

Lots to love here. The world building is incredibly lush, with customs, costumes, landscapes and architecture really vividly portrayed. The themes of language, faith and loyalty are interestingly played out, posing moral and ethical dilemmas for many of the characters. There were a few scenes that forced me out of the world - the presence of too much beauty and some dodgy decision making in the time of crisis. But a very solid extension of the series and a great set up for book 3.

This is the sequel to The Bloodprint and I just loved it so much<br /><br />This book picks up right where the Bloodprint ends and it is a dark book and so painful to read at times but I loved it so much. We see what happens to each of the characters after the ending of the Bloodprint and what they suffer through as they were betrayed by the Black Khan and left as prisoners. Arian and Sinnia have been separated and are unable to help each other. Daniyar is also a prisoner with Arian and is forced to fight to the death every night while Arian is forced to watch. Sinnia has been taken and is being tortured and honestly the first half of the book was incredibly difficult to read at times. But it shows how far people will go to show their dominance and control. Even twisting holy words which advocate for justice to suit their needs.<br /><br />I did love seeing that Daniyar and Arian really care for each other and that they are willing to endure so much for each. We see that they truly love each other even though Arian will always choose the companions and her responsibilities she still does love Daniyar. It’s such a bittersweet relationship because they have such immense responsibilities that means they can’t be together truly but they are also drawn to each other no matter what happens to them.<br /><br />Sinnia and Arian’s friendship and sisterhood is such a beautiful thing to see in books, I love seeing wonderful female friendships. There is no jealousy or resentment between them, they love each other and support each other through everything. I also loved seeing Sinnia with the two sisters who saved her when she was being tortured. I hope we get to see more of them in the next book.<br /><br />The Black Khan has the Bloodprint and has taken it to Ashfall to help with the siege by the Talisman. He is a complex and confusing character, I’m still not sure how I feel about him. At times it seems that he is trying to do what is right and other times it seems as though he has ulterior motives and will sacrifice anyone and everything to gain what he desires. He pursues Arian even though she makes it clear that she is not interested and in love with Daniyar. He refuses to allow his sister to go and study and fulfil her dreams of joining the companions and studying. He is very misogynistic but also allows women in positions of power and is very contradictory. I think he does only what will keep him in power.<br /><br />This story is as enthralling as The Bloodprint. I loved seeing the characters again and seeing how they interact after everything they have been through. I also liked seeing the new characters and particularly loved the Black Khan’s sister. The ending of this book is devastating and left me wrecked me. I am actually terrified of reading the next book. But also looking forward to seeing what will happen next.

The Black Khan is the sequel to The Bloodprint, which was released last year. It picks up right where the first book left off and starts with absolutely gut-wrenching action scenes. I spent much of my time reading with my fist between my teeth to keep from gasping or crying or yelling. The plot is dark and twisty and you're never sure who to trust. <br /><br />The major players from The Bloodprint are here, along with a large cast of new characters. The new characters are well-developed, each with his or her own set of complex motivations. They feel real. That is, perhaps, the best compliment I can give - this feels like a living history. You can see, smell, and hear everything that occurs on the page because Khan breathes life into her world. She carefully crafts this world in such detail that it plays like a film in the reader's mind, but without getting so bogged down that it feels like a dry textbook. At the heart of The Black Khan is the magic of language, The Claim. Khan's own use of language in her storytelling is just as magical.<br /><br />While The Bloodprint introduces us to Khorasan and a world where women are subjugated by the Talisman, The Black Khan is even darker. Here we get an up close look inside the borders of the Authoritan's lands of North Khorasan, his prisons, and systems of torture. We see the machinations of the courtiers in Rukh's lands of West Khorasan, and get an even more detailed look at the inner workings of Hira. It's dark and violent, but we also meet the resistance groups. The ending promises hope, and that is what will keep me reading. I'm sure there is more death, pain, suffering, destruction, and heartbreak to come, but there is also a light that offers hope, a promise of salvation for the people, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.<br /><br />This is a planned four book series. I know there are a lot of people who don't like to start series until they are all finished, and I understand that. I do. I hate the wait between finishing a book and the publication of the next installment of the story of a year (or more). I have shed more than one tear over a press release stating a book's publication date has been delayed. But allow me to throw a plug out there for all authors - even if you don't want to start reading the series until all the books are written, buy the ones that are out now and buy the others as they are released. Authors are not guaranteed their subsequent novels will see the light of day, regardless of the plans they have for their fictional world, and publishers make those decisions based on sales of the previous  books. If everyone waited until the entire series was published, it would never happen. So, on behalf of one of my favorite authors and, in fact, on behalf of all authors, if you've read a blurb of a book that intrigues you and you are the kind of person who buys books, pick up a copy even if you don't crack the cover until the story is complete. Help ensure we all get to hear the ending.

This one just didn't click with me. With one exception there's nothing really wrong with it, it just didn't grab me at all. The story of political intrigue around various factions in a fantasy Middle Eastern setting is perfectly competent, but I wasn't interested.<br />The exception? Khan's choice of names is dreadful. She gives major characters names I found way too similar (Danya, Dariya, Darius). The army of the One-Eyed Preacher (another name that didn't work) is called the Talisman. An inner-city region is called the Hazing. It's very distracting to just stick words that have clear meanings onto something and redefine them. Even if I'd liked Black Khan, this would have been very annoying.<br />

I liked reading this better than the first book, but that could be because I have a hard copy of this book rather than reading the ebook version like the first. <br />The love/lust between groups of characters didn't fit well for me and distracted from the rest of the story. I couldn't see how it added anything except maybe to make me feel slightly uncomfortable and voyeuristic. I would also have liked more detail about the claim and how it works rather than just being vaguely religious. <br />For the most part I did enjoy the story and look forward to reading the next installment, but feel that the promise of the premise wasn't completely upheld.

I ADORE these books - the grandeur, the romance, the mystery and magic, but especially the female friendships, empowerment, and rebellion. Arian is not here for your misogynist crap and I love her so much. I really don't want to like Rukh but ... I sorta ... do. A lot. He needs to get his crap together, though. This series always makes me feel things, and that's probably the best compliment I can give a book. If I'm still frustrated with a character, mourning another, and swooning over a third some hours later, it's a darn good book. I need the next one NOW!

Trigger and content warnings are under spoiler tags.<br /><br /><input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="7c1d91f9-79d8-4006-943f-cf5633d6a089" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="7c1d91f9-79d8-4006-943f-cf5633d6a089"> <i><b>Trigger/Content Warnings:</b> This book features graphic descriptions of blood, consuming blood, violence against women, torture, forced drug use, threat of sexual violence, and homophobia.</i> </label><br /><br />I really enjoyed The Bloodprint, the first book in The Khorasan Archives series by Ausma Zehanat Khan, that I couldn't wait too long before picking up the second book, The Black Khan. For the most part, I was thoroughly impressed with The Bloodprint, but with the sequel, Khan really steps things up a notch. It was absolutely epic!<br /><br />The Black Khan picks up where The Bloodprint left off. Arian, Daniyar and Sinnia have all been captured in the lands ruled by the Authoritarian. As such, the first part of this book is very dark and disturbing. Each of them suffer at the hands of the Authoritarian and the Khounum, who turned out to be Arian's older sister, Lania. Arian is collared, unable to use the Claim, kept at her sister's side when not being tortured by the Authoritarian. Daniyar is also tortured, and forced to fight to the death for her with the Authoritarian's soldiers night after night. Sinniar is, unsurprisingly, tortured in her prison cell, and injected with drugs she soon finds herself addicted to. It really isn't easy reading at all.<br /><br />But with The Black Khan, the scope of the story becomes wider. The Bloodprint mainly focused on Arian's Audacy (mission) to find the sacred text of the title, a quest story, staying mainly with Arian, Sinnia and Daniyar as narrators. But with The Black Khan, we see what's going on elsewhere, particularly with the Black Khan himself, Rukh. After his betrayal of Arian and her companions to take the Bloodprint for himself, he returns to the city he rules, Ashfall, to find the Talisman army almost at the gates, and orders left by his commander, Arsalan - who accompanied him to Black Aura for the Bloodprint - neglected. There are no soldiers at the wall, no defences in place, and with war imminent, Ashfall is seriously unprepared and in incredible danger.<br /><br />Two of my favourite things about high fantasy are court politics and intrigue, and the strategising for war, and The Black Khan has both in spades! I bloody revelled in it! There is so much going on all at once for Rukh. He wanted the Bloodprint because he knew it would be the only thing to defend against the Talisman. As the Black Khan, he is also the Dark Mage, but in his pursuit of the Bloodprint, he's neglected to work on his powers, and is desperate to have his powers woken to defend his city. All the while, his enthusiastic and sweet-hearted younger sister, Darya, is continuing to get things wrong. Darya always seems to manage to talk out of turn, or behave in a way that isn't proper for the Black Khan's sister. She is constantly admonished and rebuked, but she only wants to help her brother, and has the best of intentions - even if Rukh forbids her from joining the Council of Hira, her deepest desire. Arsalan has a huge amount of work on his hands as he has to get the Zhayedan army ready to protect Ashfall from the imminent Talisman onslaught. At the same time, there are others at court who have their own agendas, their cataclysmic machinations taking place right under Rukh's nose.<br /><br />Honestly, there is so, so much going on in this book, and it's just so epic! There are quite a number of narrators, new characters introduced, and subplots to follow. I'm generally not a fan of more than three prominent narrators, as it tends to get confusing, and you end up having to wait for several chapters to find out what's happening in a certain place with certain characters until you're back with their narration. However, this isn't the case with The Black Khan. While it often switches between narrators, for the majority of the time, the story focuses on one location at a time, rather than jumping around all over the place. So, for example, when the story is focusing on Ashfall, the narration will switch between Rukh, Arsalan, and Darya, and a few other narrators we see less often, events playing out as they would but seen from someone else's perspective. I really, really appreciated this, as we're not left hanging with mini-cliffhangers throughout the story it will take pages and pages to see the outcome of. You're right there, in it continually.<br /><br />As such, I was constantly sitting on the edge of my seat. The tension in this book just builds and builds. Khan is such an incredible writer; this story is so well plotted, and incredibly gripping, and I just couldn't tear myself away. I absolutely love what Khan does with Rukh. He is not a good guy. He will absolutely use underhand tactics, betray trust, and use people as pawns, and I bloody can't stand him! But I understood him. Rukh has a duty to his people, and he will absolutely do whatever it takes, no matter the cost, to defend his city. I appreciated his sense of duty, and how smart he is to make the maneuvers he does. I don't like the guy, but I respect him, and I can't deny his narration was absolutely one of my favourites, despite how despicable he can be. I also adored Arsalan! He is a guy you want on your side in a fight, most definitely. Also incredibly smart, his strategising was just beautiful! But I also just loved him as a character, and really felt for him and the predicament he's put in. His subplot is heartbreaking. Mate, I just want to give the guy a hug.<br /><br />Honestly, I could just go on and on about this book, but I'm starting to worry about spoilers. The Black Khan is just bloody incredible and so exciting! Honestly, I loved it so much, I immediately bought the fourth book in the series, The Blue Eye, because I couldn't wait to see what happens next. Do not sit on this series! It's amazing!

The second book in the Khorasan Archives, THE BLACK KHAN picks up where THE BLOODPRINT left off, with the leads betrayed and in mortal peril. This was actually the most engaging part of the book for me, as there was a lot of emotional character development here as the leads were pushing to breaking point under the torture.<br /><br />The Ashfall sequences didn't engage me as much. Primarily, it was because the customs and arguments seemed to completely disregard the army at the gates, removing all the tension because they just plodded along with traditions and arguments that stymied the plot. With the raft of new characters introduced, I struggled to follow along because I was chaffing at them to do <em>something</em> about the danger, not bicker.<br /><br />The other issue I had was the supposed tension between Arian and the Black Khan. Given all he'd done, and Arian was in love with Daniyar, their exchanges just didn't work for me. I could tell there was supposed to be a tension between them, that there was supposed to be a charge between them, from the way it was written. So their interactions fell flat as it was incomprehensible <em>why</em> that was supposed to be there.<br /><br />The majority of the book avoids the massive head-hopping problem of the previous book. Most scenes kept to the same character's point of view (POV) throughout, which made it much easier than the first book to follow what was happening. There were also a lot of POV characters - 9 at my count - which meant the book was really broad, following lots of threads. I could generally juggle it all.<br /><br />The battle of Ashfall was engaging, but it did fall back into the head-hopping problem so prevalent in the first book. There was one particular chapter (alas, the most important for the battle) that jumped character so regularly that I read it three times and was still really confused.<br /><br />It also completely forgot two of the POV characters who were pretty important in the first half, because they were no longer in the same geographic region, nor working towards the same Ashfall goal. In fact, in the final 30 chapters (60 chapter book), those two POVs had one chapter. I had forgotten about them when that chapter arrived late.<br /><br />The ending also sat a bit... odd on me. I think it's because the different character tensions hadn't been sitting right on me, and had undermined the Arian-Daniyar relationship for me. While Arian's big yell at every was satisfying for her taking the Black Khan and Ilea to task, her go at Daniyar fell flat, because the info that tipped her over came at the end of all the head-hopping.<br /><br />The final chapter sets up at least three main plot threads for the third book, and I am intrigued enough to keep reading. There is an engrossing quality to the story, even if the writing style doesn't click with me.