Grippingly told, brilliantly paced, remarkably convincing in his historical depiction of a fateful relationship, it is a narrative for our time, haunted by distant events and characters who are closer to us than we dreamed. EDWARD W. SAID

Ali overturns demonising stereotypes of Salah-al-din, portraying instead the ‘barbarian’ Western invaders. Whether depicting erotically charged harem intrigue or siege warfare, it is an entertaining feat of revisionist storytelling. SIMON CARNELL, Sunday Times

Ali’s new historical novel… is told in a manner which combines the incantatory storytelling of the great Middle Eastern anthologies with the solidity of historical research. PHILIP HENSHER, Mail on Sunday

Fiercely lyrical. Weaving political intrigue, gay and straight love, betrayal, cross-dressing, rape, assassination and crimes of passion, Ali’s tale ripples with implicit parallels to our age. Publisher’s Weekly