The Thracian Sun

'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."