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."