The Thracian Sun - Tuncel Murat

'The Thracian Sun' is the first book in the six part series

titled 'The Ottomans'. Orhan I, one of the founders of the

Ottoman State, appoints Suleiman Pasha as the army

general during his reign. The prince came to be called

the Thracian Sun due to his victorious conquests at a

young age and enabling passage into Thracian lands. In

the meanwhile, the fight between and for the Byzantine

throne had weakened the state. Constantinople realised

the magnitude of the approaching danger and attempted

to quash its internal struggles in preparation for attack.

However, as it was surrounded and had no room to

manoeuvre, it found itself in dire straits. Suleiman

Pasha, who left no Byzantine castle unconquered in

Rumelia, died in an unfortunate hunting accident and

his brother Murad I ascended to the throne. All the

historical characters in this novel are represented in

their individual worlds through Murat Tuncel's words.

He tells the story of the passage of the last great empire

from Anatolia to Thrace and the Balkans. Through his

masterly use of epic language, Tuncel sometimes gives

voice to a mountain, sometimes to the sun, the clouds

and also to the fears and hopes of those both inside and

outside a beleaguered castle.

"Upon receiving the news, the feeling that his mansion

had crumbled on top of him overcame Orhan I as he

gasped for breath. He struggled out to the gardens as he

realised that his body couldn't bear the pain he felt

between the four walls of his room. Once outside he let

out such a yell that even Mount Olympus, leaning her

shadow over Bursa, would take two steps back in fear at

the extent of this pain. As soon as she overcame her fear

and saw that this painful scream was none other than

the outcry of a helpless father she approached warily to

console him with her shadow."