The Sultan’s Eyes

The Sultan’s Eyes is the sequel to Act of Faith.

It will be published by HarperCollins in August 2013.

Aya Sofia in Istanbul   Photo: Kelly Gardiner

Where Act of Faith took place in a strife-torn Europe of the seventeenth century, in The Sultan’s Eyes, the action moves from Venice to Istanbul, to an empire ruled by a seven-year old Sultan and the women of his royal household.

It’s 1648, and Isabella has made a home for herself in Venice, safe from the clutches of the Inquisition. She, her friend Willem, and their mentor, the irascible Signora Contarini, work together as printers and publishers. Their publishing house is famous throughout Europe for one title: The Sum of All Knowledge, a revolutionary book of history and philosophy that has brought them – yet again – to the attention of the authorities.

Then Isabella’s nemesis, Fra Clement, is appointed Inquisitor in Venice, and vows to stamp out heretical printing. Isabella knows she will no longer be safe in the city, and, guided by their learned cartographer Al-Qasim, the three friends make their escape to the one place they feel sure Fra Clement will never follow: the fabled city of Constantinople.

 

You can follow progress on the research log (on tumblr)

And here’s an image sourcebook (on Pinterest).