The Tainted Throne

April 15, 2013
This is the fourth entry in the Empire of the Moghul historical-adventure series set during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by Alex Rutherford (pseudonym for the husband-and-wife writing team of Michael and Diana Preston). The Moghul emperors claimed to be direct descendants of Genghis Khan and ruled over most of the Indian subcontinent. In this installment, Janhangir (Seizer of the World), the newly proclaimed fourth Moghul emperor after the death of his father, Akbar, is not on the throne six months when his 18-year-old son raises up an army to overthrow him. Turnabout is fair play in this situation, since Janhangir had betrayed his own father in the same way. Janhangir's four ambitious sons have learned much from their father's cunning and ferocious nature, and are each determined to sit on his precarious throne. Adding to the backstabbing family feud are the machinations of Mehrunissa, the Moghul emperor's last wife and the holy terror of his harem. She is determined to exert control over the empire by keeping her husband pliant with wine and opium. This is truly a family that rivals the Borgias, Medicis, and Ewings for ruthlessness and intrigue, but combined with bloody combat and conquest. The publisher is marketing this to fans of the Game of Thrones series, so not only readers of traditional historical epics will be interested but also those fantasy fans who would enjoy a multibook, convoluted sword (but no sorcery) extravaganza.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)