About this title: Falconer breathes life into a world of intrigue, sensuality, and violence, where an empire--the Ottoman Empire--can be controlled not by the great sultan, but by the women hidden behind his harem walls.
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Description: Very Good. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Edition: First Edition, First Printing
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Crown Publishers
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780609610305ISBN:0609610309
Description: As New in As New jacket. Stated First US Edition, Full number line present, Book is as new with no flaws, DJ is as new with no flaws and is not price clipped. read more
Description: Good. Book shows minor use. Cover and Binding have minimal wear and the pages have only minimal creases. A tradition of southern quality and service. All books guaranteed at the Atlanta Book Company. read more
Description: Good. Book shows minor use. Cover and Binding have minimal wear and the pages have only minimal creases. A tradition of southern quality and service. All books guaranteed at the Atlanta Book Company. read more
Description: Good. Only lightly used. Book has minimal wear to cover and binding. A few pages may have small creases and minimal underlining. Book selection as BIG as Texas. read more
Description: Satisfaction Guaranteed. Shipped quickly. 2004. Hardcover. Used, very good. Very good overall with light to moderate wear. Includes dust jacket. read more
Edition: First American Edition, First Printing
Binding: Hardcover with Dust Jacket
Publisher: Crown Publishing, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780609610305ISBN:0609610309
Description: Fine in Brand New jacket. FINE NEW: First American Edition, First Printing. Hardcover with Dust Jacket. B60. Crown Publishing. ISTANBUL TURKEY FICTION HISTORICAL. DJ perfect and new. Small spot on edge of pages from bookstore. Book never used. Thousands of titles to choose from. Touchstone Books Ltd. is your source for the best prices and broadest selection. read more
Description: Very Good. 0609610309 First Print. NO INFLATED SHIPPING, Dusty Old Books is your best online source for used books from any Author, Genre or Subject With more than 130, 00 Quality Used Books In Stock. Our books are listed as GOOD when the cover and all pages are intact and they are in good reading condition. Satisfaction Gauranteed! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Crown
Date Published: 2004-07-13
ISBN-13:9780609610305ISBN:0609610309
Description: Like New. Never Owned Or Read! Some May Have A Publishers Remainder Mark or Light Shelf Wear. NEW CONDITION OTHER THAN PUBLISHERS REMAINDER MARK! read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Crown Publishers, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780609610305ISBN:0609610309
Description: As New in As New jacket. Octavo. New hardcover in unclipped dustjacket. Bright, clean, tight. An unread copy. read more
"Good flow in this story...multiple palace intrigues portrayed the "tooth & claw" politics of a Turkish harem. Thoroughly enjoyed this read and I recommend it to other women (don't think it would interest male readers)."
"This is really the story of three women. Gülbehar, the sultan's favored concubine and mother of his son, the next in line for the throne, Julia, a kidnapped Italian noblewoman who finds herself in the sultan's harem and soon in mortal danger, and finally Hürrem, a ruthless, red-headed Russian who hoodwinks and deceives the sultan to turn him away from Gulbehar and over to her side.
Insanely jealous, deceptive, cunning, and irresistibly beautiful Hurrem soon has no trouble convincing the sultan to break numerous traditions on her behalf and schemes to make her son the next sultan. As Hurrem's victims mount and the sultan's power grows fainter and fainter it soon becomes apparent that Hurrem is in over her head and has made more enemies than friends.
In all honesty, I couldn't get through this book all the way. It really peeved me because I was more than halfway through it too. I picked up this book thinking it would be incredibly sexy and romantic. It was nothing like that. Basically it boiled down to a court battle set in the Middle East.
Soon there were too many characters to keep track of. I never knew who knew what, who was planning what and how some of the characters were interrelated. I got the connection of Hurrem to Gulbehar, but to me Julia was a complete mystery. Her existence did not further the plot at all and this irked me as Julia was one of the few characters I felt had any depth or warmth to her.
"The Sultan's Harem" wasn't awful, it was full of intrigue, color, and historical references that made the general story seem decently real. On the flip side, the novel lacked true excitement, understandable plots, and relatable characters. The reading was slow going and frustrating. Towards the end my patience waned and finally left me completely. I can see why some would like or even love this book...I just wasn't one of them."
"I enjoyed the book's setting and range of characters (there wasn't much to love about most of them, but that was okay). And I'm always happy when a little GOG action pops up in a decent story.
But I can't think of anyone I know who I would recommend it to. It's a bit long for casual historical fiction readers. Yet it's not quite good enough to rec to serious fans, or someone who might read it for the sake of reading."
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