The Steel Seraglio
The sultan Bokhari Al-Bokhari of Bessa has 365 concubines — until a violent coup puts the city in the hands of the religious zealot Hakkim Mehdad. Hakkim has no use for the pleasures of the flesh: he condemns the women first to exile and then to death.
Cast into the desert, the concubines must rely on themselves and each other to escape from the new sultan’s fanatical pursuit. But their goals go beyond mere survival: with the aid of the champions who emerge from among them, they intend to topple the usurper and retake Bessa from the repressive power that now controls it.
The assassin, Zuleika, whose hands are weapons.
The seer, Rem, whose tears are ink.
The wise Gursoon, who was the dead sultan’s canniest advisor.
The camel-thief, Anwar Das, who offers his lying tongue to the concubines’ cause.
Together, they must forge the women of the harem into an army, a seraglio of steel, and use it to conquer a city. But even if they succeed, their troubles will just be beginning — because their most dangerous enemy is within their own number...
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M.R. Carey
M.R. Carey has a knack for blending the uncanny with the deeply human, crafting stories that haunt, resonate, and provoke thought long after the last page is turned. A master of tension and emotional complexity, Carey’s works often explore the fragility of humanity, the consequences of survival, and the resilience of the spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.
Best known for The Girl with All the Gifts, Carey redefined the post-apocalyptic genre, creating a chilling yet moving tale of a young girl who holds the key to humanity’s future in a world ravaged by a devastating fungal infection. With a premise that blends horror, science fiction, and the profound innocence of childhood, the book resonated deeply with readers and critics alike, leading to a film adaptation and securing Carey’s place in the literary spotlight.
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