Set against the backdrop of imperial Britain’s zenith, The Lascar Mysteries: A Fate Unwritten is a riveting narrative that plunges into the depths of the 1856 maritime world, where the East India Company reigned with an iron fist over the azure expanses. This is a world where lascars—the backbone of the British maritime leviathan—are wrenched from their homes and compelled to fuel the perpetual engines of empire, enduring the relentless assault of the sea and the biting cold of foreign climes. In the thick of these toiling masses is Arun Varma, who seems to be but a humble cook aboard the HMS Bengal. Yet, his is a tale of a sharp-witted, educated man, pulled from a life of intellectual pursuit by tragedy. Dreams of scholarly achievements and poetic endeavours are dashed when he is catapulted into the role of sole provider for his bereaved family after his father’s sudden demise. It is this vulnerability that Kabir Khan exploits, luring Arun with the veneer of opportunity, only to shackle him to the grim reality of servitude under the East India Company. As the story unfolds, Arun’s ordinary existence is swept up into the sinister undercurrents of Victorian London, where he inadvertently becomes embroiled in a menacing conspiracy of murder and deception. His unexpected collaboration with a Scotland Yard Inspector takes the reader through a maze of intrigue, leading to the dark heart of the empire where justice is a rare commodity. It’s a journey that will test his mettle, his intellect, and his courage as he becomes an unwitting detective, navigating through the enigmatic and perilous lanes of the city, determined to untangle the mysteries that threaten not only his life but the very fabric of the society he has come to know. The Lascar Mysteries: A Fate Unwritten promises an exhilarating adventure of historical suspense, exploring the resilience of the human spirit against the vast and oppressive forces of colonial power.

King Louis is imprisoned. The Republican faction in Paris is growing stronger as the beat of the snare begins to ring in the ears of Europe. To quell the seething discontent of threats inside and outside of France, Napoleon is dragged into supporting a regime that has thrown away any pretence of Liberty in its quest to cover the globe. All the while Napoleon is forced to challenge his own traditions and overcome the pain of betrayal and exile from his home, to continually prove loyalty to a country that spurns him still. As the blade rasps down and the cruelty of those he serves becomes even more difficult to justify, Napoleon must strive to preserve his exiled family and navigate the unconscionable. As France struggles to survive the onslaught of foreign invasion, Napoleon must conquer an inner turmoil so raw and powerful that it drove him to the siege of Toulon and the beginning of greatness.

The first in an epic trilogy, Amitav Ghosh's Sea of Poppies is "a remarkably rich saga . . . which has plenty of action and adventure à la Dumas, but moments also of Tolstoyan penetration--and a drop or two of Dickensian sentiment" (The Observer [London]). At the heart of this vibrant saga is a vast ship, the Ibis. Her destiny is a tumultuous voyage across the Indian Ocean shortly before the outbreak of the Opium Wars in China. In a time of colonial upheaval, fate has thrown together a diverse cast of Indians and Westerners on board, from a bankrupt raja to a widowed tribeswoman, from a mulatto American freedman to a free-spirited French orphan. As their old family ties are washed away, they, like their historical counterparts, come to view themselves as jahaj-bhais, or ship-brothers. The vast sweep of this historical adventure spans the lush poppy fields of the Ganges, the rolling high seas, and the exotic backstreets of Canton. With a panorama of characters whose diaspora encapsulates the vexed colonial history of the East itself, Sea of Poppies is "a storm-tossed adventure worthy of Sir Walter Scott" (Vogue).

Set against the backdrop of imperial Britain's zenith, The Lascar Mysteries: A Fate Unwritten is a riveting narrative that plunges into the depths of the 1856 maritime world, where the East India Company reigned with an iron fist over the azure expanses. This is a world where lascars-the backbone of the British maritime leviathan-are wrenched from their homes and compelled to fuel the perpetual engines of empire, enduring the relentless assault of the sea and the biting cold of foreign climes. In the thick of these toiling masses is Arun Varma, who seems to be but a humble cook aboard the HMS Bengal. Yet, his is a tale of a sharp-witted, educated man, pulled from a life of intellectual pursuit by tragedy. Dreams of scholarly achievements and poetic endeavours are dashed when he is catapulted into the role of sole provider for his bereaved family after his father's sudden demise. It is this vulnerability that Kabir Khan exploits, luring Arun with the veneer of opportunity, only to shackle him to the grim reality of servitude under the East India Company. As the story unfolds, Arun's ordinary existence is swept up into the sinister undercurrents of Victorian London, where he inadvertently becomes embroiled in a menacing conspiracy of murder and deception. His unexpected collaboration with a Scotland Yard Inspector takes the reader through a maze of intrigue, leading to the dark heart of the empire where justice is a rare commodity. It's a journey that will test his mettle, his intellect, and his courage as he becomes an unwitting detective, navigating through the enigmatic and perilous lanes of the city, determined to untangle the mysteries that threaten not only his life but the very fabric of the society he has come to know. The Lascar Mysteries: A Fate Unwritten promises an exhilarating adventure of historical suspense, exploring the resilience of the human spirit against the vast and oppressive forces of colonial power.

The Robe of Lucifer by Fred M. White is a thrilling dive into the world of dark magic and forbidden knowledge. When a mysterious robe with ancient and malevolent powers surfaces, it ignites a chain of events that will test the boundaries of good and evil. As a group of daring adventurers seeks to uncover the robe's secrets, they find themselves entangled in a sinister plot that threatens their lives and the very fabric of reality. With each twist and turn, the stakes grow higher and the danger more imminent. Can they decipher the robe's cryptic past before its dark powers are unleashed? Immerse yourself in this spellbinding adventure where every revelation brings you closer to a chilling climax.

If you're a fan of action-adventure tales set in battle, don't miss Percy F. Westerman's The Wireless Officer. Having himself served as an officer in the Royal Navy, the author brings an unparalleled level of realism and detail to this thrilling account of one man's contribution to the war effort.

Reproduction of the original: The Wings of the Morning by Louis Tracy