A.L. Sowards is one of the best historical novelists I’ve read. Her work is scrupulously researched, and she doesn’t shy away from tough topics. I love that she takes on some lesser-known eras and events.
The Balkan Legends series is one example of that, focusing on the late 14th century conflicts between Serbians and the invading Ottoman empire, a piece of history that very few of us know much about. The Muslim Ottomans spread over the are we know as “the Balkans”, pillaging and forcing local leaders into a form of servitude. Once subjugated, local leaders were left to do more or less as they pleased, but they had to pay tribute, in money and goods, and provide men to fight on behalf of their Ottoman rulers as they continued their quest to dominate that part of the world.
That is the society Sowards brings us into, mixing true history with her own storyline to teach us about life in that time and place. She combines war, faith, and romance and presents us with well-rounded characters whom we learn to love over the course of the series.
Before you continue, please be aware that the descriptions of later books may contain spoilers, though none of them spoil anything crucial.
After the Crescent Strike
Balkan Legends .5
By A. L. Sowards
ASIN: B0CVC7WHGB
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Publication date: March 5, 2024
Print length: 182 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1649332882
Publisher’s Blurb:
The Balkans, 1371
After conquering the Serbian army in battle, bands of Ottoman warriors terrorize the land, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake. As one of the few survivors of a deadly attack on her village, Magdalena is determined to protect her newly orphaned niece. When a group of battle-weary Serb warriors offers to lead Magdalena and her charge to safety, a flame of hope flickers to life for the desperate woman, burning brighter when she spots a familiar face among the group: Miladin, the man she once loved—and lost.
Following a devastating defeat on the battlefield, Miladin resolves to return home to Rivak and pledge his loyalty to the new župan, Konstantin, the young son of the slain leader who led Miladin to war. As Miladin travels back from the Maritsa River Valley to offer aid and allegiance to the inexperienced youth, he expects the way will be fraught with danger, but he never dreams that the journey will reunite him with his first love.
Even as Magdalena and Miladin rekindle a romance once doomed by youth and circumstance, hidden threats draw ever closer. Before they can truly be safe, they must face a ruthless enemy who will stop at nothing to seize power.
My Thoughts:
This prequel novella sets up the series by explaining how Rivak comes under Ottoman rule and how Konstantin becomes zupan. Miladin is a classic example of the dutiful, loyal soldier who becomes a mentor to his young leader. Watching him be reunited with his childhood love is satisfying, particularly as he helps her to overcome the trauma of her marriage and the Ottoman attack on her village.
Beneath a Crescent Shadow
Balkan Legends 1
By A. L. Sowards
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Publication date: June 4, 2024
Print length: 368 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1639932467
Book 1 of 3: The Balkan Legends
Publisher’s Blurb:
The Balkans, 1373
A devastating battle claimed the lives of Konstantin's father, uncle, and most of their Serb army, leaving him to rule as a vassal of the Ottoman sultan, a role he is wholly unprepared for. Between war, famine, and a persistent band of brigands, Konstantin is nearly bankrupt. He will need to find a wealthy bride to marry if he is to have any hope of saving his lands and securing his future.
A betrothal to Suzana, the daughter of a prosperous merchant, is soon arranged, and upon meeting her, Konstantin immediately feels hope that their marriage could someday grow into love. Yet, from the moment of Konstantin and Suzana's betrothal, enemies threaten their lives, outlaws prey on their lands, and the terrors of Suzana's abusive past haunt their fragile new relationship. As this onslaught of threats closes in, the two face challenges that will test their love, their faith, and their hope to save their people and win their freedom from the heavy weight of Ottoman oppression.
My Thoughts:
A couple of years have passed, and Rivak is struggling to pay its tribute to the sultan. His grandfather arranges a marriage with Suzana, daughter of a wealthy merchant, and, fortunately for Konstantin, the two find themselves compatible.
Their road together is not easy, as Rivak continues to struggle, and they discover a traitor within the town. Suzana also has a secret that she fears will make Konstantin hate her.
As with the prequel, the growing love between the two is not the primary focus of the story, though it is definitely part of the plot. We see the return of characters that we got to know in the novella, as well as gaining a deeper knowledge of Konstantin’s family—which, since his brother and cousin are the protagonists of the remain books—is a good thing.
Sowards' narrative style is clear and descriptive, without leaning on sensationalism. She does not sugar-coat life in 14th Serbia. Even without war, life was hard. Sowards helps us to see a group of people who do the best they can every day. They are not without flaws. They have crises of faith—in themselves, in other, and in God.
Beyond the Crescent Sky
Balkan Legends 2
By A. L. Sowards
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Publication date: January 7, 2025
Print length: 368 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1639933006
Book 2 of 3: The Balkan Legends
Publisher’s Blurb:
The Balkans, 1383
A sudden conflict between Serbs and Greeks has forced Ivan to join his brother and fight with the Serbian army. On the battlefield, Ivan is wounded and captured by the hostile Greeks, and he soon becomes a hostage to be used as a pawn in a deadly bid for power.
Helena, a Greek midwife, is tasked to care for Ivan, a request that will not only test her healing abilities but also her loyalty. Though war has made her reluctant patient an enemy, she can’t help but forge a connection with him, yet falling in love with him could turn her world upside down and brand her a traitor.
As the Ottoman Empire extends its grip into the Balkans, events beyond their control force Ivan and Helena to choose between loyalty to their families and people or following the longings of their hearts.
Award-winning historical novelist A. L. Sowards creates an engaging world of overlords and spies, rebellions and battlefields, and forbidden love.
My Thoughts:
Ten years have passed, and we now turn to Konstantin’s younger brother Ivan. He is no longer a sickly child, but an able warrior. Through the treachery of an Ottoman spy, he ends up a near-dead prisoner in a Greek town, where he meets Helena, related by marriage to the local leader.
At first, Ivan does everything he can to escape—repeatedly. Eventually, as trust builds between him and Helena, who has nursed him back to health, he stops his attempts, despite continued abuse by some of the Greek soldiers.
This is my favorite of the books in this series. Ivan and Helena are kept apart by politics over and over, and they come close to losing faith more than once. Honestly, Sowards is really mean to her characters!
But they are refined by their suffering, and, as we expect in a series with strong romantic subplots, they are able to be together after years.
As in the other books, themes of faith and fighting against oppression are strong. We continue to enjoy characters we have met before, although we do lose some along the way.
Against a Crescent Storm
Balkan Legends 3
By A. L. Sowards
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Publication date: November 4, 2025
Print length: 368 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1639934539
Book 3 of 3: The Balkan Legends
Publisher’s Blurb:
The Balkans, 1389
Three years ago, Danilo’s people won their freedom from the hated Ottoman Empire, but with enemies on every side, the Serbs’ hard-earned peace remains fragile. Knowing the sultan will soon come for revenge, Danilo sets out to gain key allies for the coming war—and to escape the haunting grief of personal loss.
War has orphaned Maja and her brother, but they’ve moved forward from the turbulent aftermath of battle by crafting religious mosaics. Yet after being cheated and robbed, they are desperate for help. Rescue comes from Danilo, the man who once saved them from slavery to the Turks. What begins as an offer for safe escort is soon complicated by threats from a Hungarian noble who suspects them of conspiracy and from Iskandar, an Ottoman spy consumed by a vendetta against Danilo and a dangerous obsession with Maja.
As their journey grows more perilous, Danilo and Maja are drawn together by shared grief and affection. Yet upon returning home, Danilo finds that his župan, unaware of Danilo’s growing emotional entanglement with Maja, plans to use Danilo’s hand in marriage as a tool to forge a crucial alliance. Danilo is soon torn between love for Maja and loyalty to his family and people.
As tensions escalate, sabotage and vicious rumors weaken Christian unity, and hope of victory in the Balkans grows dim. Allies and enemies converge on the fields of Kosovo, where an epic battle will shape the destiny of nations for centuries to come.
My Thoughts:
We now turn to Danilo, the half-Turkish cousin to Konstantin and Ivan. As Ivan takes over his grandfather’s grad, Danilo is his right-hand man. Still grieving the loss of his wife and child, he throws himself into his work.
For Maja, trying to earn a living with her brother as a mosaicist for churches, meeting Danilo is a life-saver. And not for the first time! They become friends, then more.
Of course it can’t be that simple. An antagonist from the previous book is obsessed with two things: Making Maja his own, and revenge on Ivan and Danilo. And Konstantin, unaware of Danilo’s growing feelings for Maja, arranges a politically advantageous marriage for him.
Overcoming these obstacles is the focus of this final installment. As these struggles, and the larger struggle for independence and prosperity, are resolved, we are not left with a perfectly neat and tidy conclusion.
Our characters are happy in their lives, despite their hardships, but, again, life in this time and place is hard. We are left satisfied with their situation, and with hope that, although we won’t witness any more of their story, it will be a good one.
Possible Objectionable Material:
The violence of war and the killing of innocent people (and way too many horses). Sexual assault and attempted sexual assault (not described). Family disfunction, including abuse. Pregnancy loss. Non-graphic descriptions of battle wounds. Betrayal and obsession.
Who Might Like These Books:
Those who enjoy history, particularly of lesser-known times and places. And, of course, those who enjoy a little romance with their history.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing ARCs in exchange for my honest opinion.
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