Customer Reviews

The Mosaic of Shadows (A Byzantine Mystery)

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After the disaster at Manzikert, the great Byzantine Empire calls for help from the 'barbarian' west. Emperor Alexios Komnenos appeals for mercenaries to help him re-capture his Asian province (modern-day Turkey). Instead, the west responds with the First Crusade. The Crusaders are anxious to confront the Turks who occupy Jerusalem, but they have no interest in helping Alexios regain his lost province. When Alexios demands their oath that any conquests within his former territory be returned to him, they refuse. Political hardball? Perhaps. But when an assassin's bolt nearly kills the Emperor, the Emperor's eunuch hires ex-mercenary and now detective Demetrios Askiates to uncover the truth.

Pieces of the truth are easy enough to discover. The bolt could only have been fired from a western crossbow, the kind the Franks outside the city carry. And a monk who seems to follow the western rites is clearly responsible. But the eunuch knows that a foreign monk cannot be the center of the plot. Some 'Roman' must be involved--one with enough power that he would be in a position to have himself proclaimed Emperor if the current Emperor falls.

Author Tom Harper does a fine job describing the city of Constantinople under siege, the Greek intrigues that so frustrated the western Crusaders, and the various groups of mercenaries who defended the Empire while the mob often controlled its fate. Demetrios Askiates makes an intriguing sleuth, with his concern for his daughters and his ambivalent feelings toward the beautiful doctor, Anna. We can, perhaps, forgive 26-year-old author Harper for believing that a man in his mid-thirties is over the hill and unable to carry weapons effectively.

Fans of historical mystery will want to pick up MOSAIC OF SHADOWS--and hope that we soon see more by Tom Harper.

In 'Mosaic of Shadows', Tom Harper has drawn on meticulous research and all the latest scholarship to bring to life the magnificent city of Constantinople in all its eleventh-century splendour. Following the detective Demetrios as he unravels dark plots within the Empire, we are taken on an evocative tour through secret palace gardens, dense forests on the outskirts of the city, bustling markets and deep into the labrynthine sewers. Harper's plot is full of twists, and the mystery Demetrios unravels stretches all the way to the French cathedral city of Rheims and the English battlefield of Hastings, with a stark denouement during the Orthodox Good Friday liturgy. European publishers have already compared this medieval Greek sleuth with Peter Ellis' hugely successful Brother Cadfael.

Harper's first novel concerns the activities of one Demetrios Askiades, Constantinople's Didius Falco, to whom we receive no background introduction (until his conversation with Dr Anna a quarter way into the book) but are immediately plunged into his commission to locate a date-loving foreign mercenary who fired an arrow from an Genoese tzangra in an attempt to assassinate the Emperor Alexius.
After being commissioned by the imperial representative, Krysaphios, at a rate of three gold pieces per diem, he swiftly locates the method then the identity of the would be assassin. At his side is the zealously-loyal Vangrian captain, Sigurd, for whom tact and diplomacy are an alien concept, preferring the fist and the sword to obtain his information. At times it is remarkably effective. Skipping at some speed from scene to scene we first trace the details behind the attempt, meet Dr Anna at the monastery of Saint Andrew (with whom our sleuth immediately feels stirrings for and a jealousy of) and then unmask the youthful would-be killer.
Money earned, Askiades is promptly goaded into unveiling the greater mystery and finds himself in front of the emperor's odd colour boot wearing brother. The mysteries continue to deepen as Askiades relationship with the young Thomas and Dr Anna develops. In the meantime the ever-growing rumoured threat of an attacking Frankish army means that Constantinople must prepare itself for a siege. At this point the entire novel lifts as we deal the arrival of the Frankish army on the First Crusade, headed by Godwin and Baldwin. Askiades is instructed to focus his efforts there after a near miss in the sewers with the mysterious monk who is behind the assassination attempts. After getting trapped in the ever belligerent Frankish camp in Galata, Sigurd and Askiades learn of impending treachery to allow the crusaders into Constantinople and of the undoubted link between the assassin monk and Baldwin.
After they both escape the Frankish army attacks Constantinople and the denouement races towards its climax as Alexius is nearly assassinated for good and the true conspirator is unmasked by Askiades who saves not only his emperor but his city before retiring to a well earned evening with the ever present Anna.
Unfortunately, Tom Harper's opening novel reads like a first attempt. It does, at times, show immense promise, but, at others, shows technical weakness in characterisation. This is particularly evident in Askiates relationships with all personages imperial in Constantinople. From the outset his attitude is aggressive, inexplicably so, and he goes from informative to angry in the blink of an eye to such an extent that the prose does not flow during these scenes. In fact, most of the characters are two dimensional in their personalities, capable of only two emotions of which the second is always that of anger. It is as though the author has decided that we need one fierce character, one beset-upon character, one sarcastic character, one gentle character, one empathic character, one sympathetic character and so on. It's almost programmatic: if the single personality trait doesn't fit the scene then aggression is the only other emotional response - bizarrely so in some scenes. Another flaw is the sense of haste throughout the novel is as though Harper is keen to get to the next key scene, whereas more `fill' would actually serve to produce a better novel.
Nevertheless, whereas the characterisation needs considerable improvement, the plot does not and offers exciting sleuthing in late eleventh century Constantinople where the twists and turns as our hero unravels the intricacies of imperial politics are well executed. The action accelerates throughout out the novel and the complexities of plot are unraveled with effortless ease causing a roaring end to the first novel.
So, for a first effort from this oxford medieval scholar, it does show sufficient promise to mean the second Askiates mystery will be looked for by this reader and I have no doubt Harper will improve with each new offering.

It's about time someone used the Byzantine Empire for a GREAT mystery / historical fiction tale, this one, ranks a head above the other historical fiction tales set in the Byzantine Empire.
Don't get me wrong, you don't have to be a history buff to enjoy this story, it's just that Mr. Harper is able to bring the past alive in a way that very few can really do, he's able to keep it believable and entertaining at the same time.
If you have any interest in the Medieval period this book is a must have. Its a fun read, it captures the time period, and the attention to detail is just right, as a 20 year 'Byzantine History Buff' I felt like I was looking through a window directly into the past.
The story itself moves very well, the cast of characters are believable and I found the protagonist to be a hard working stiff that keeps his cool and tries to follow the leads just like we would, he's not super powered, a genius, or `inventor' of some new form of investigation, he's a man that 'sticks to his guns' and uses the a lot of common sense, sometimes it gets him in trouble, but it suits the story perfectly. Great book, I'm very glad to see that the story continues. I already put his next book on my wish list.

No spoilers.

I'll have to agree with another reviewer here who noted that the immediate flaw in this novel is that there is little introduction or background given about the protagonist, Demetrios, until about a quarter of the way into the book. Having said that (and overlooking it because you eventually find out about him), this is definitely a book I recommend.

Although I began to suspect who the Emperor's true enemy was before it was revealed, even that, which is something that I usually hate when reading a mystery, didn't take away from the quality of the story. Harper, with ease, immerses the reader into eleventh century Byzantine society to the point where you almost believe you are reading these events unfold in the present, right outside your window.

I fully recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and who wants to be transported into their story.

Harper who is an actual Historian has created a very good piece of Historical fiction. This first book in the trilogy is set to the backdrop of the early stages of the first Crusade when the Frankish armies were stopped at the gates of the great city of Constantinople the heart of the Byzantine Empire. They were not however stopped by war but by bargaining, the great Emperor wanted all his lands conquered by the Muslim hordes returned to him and the Frankish army thought what they conquered by sword and might should belong to them.

So a stand off ensued a stand off were not force of arms would prove their points but treachery, assassination and ultimately the power and strength of two men. This novel sees many interesting characters the foremost Demetrios Askiatres a former mercenary commander now a truth finder hired by the Emperor to find his would be assassin. We also see Sigurd the Head of the Imperial bodyguard a hulking Englishman who has been forced from his land by the Norman invasion and brutality and last but not least the mad Monk Odo who will stop at nothing to see the greatest city in the world burnt to the ground.

A great first for Harper, if you have a passion for well written historical fiction then you will enjoy Harper's vividly brought to life medieval world. You don't get much better than this!

A millennium has past since the west fell, but Byzantium still keeps alive the tradition of the Roman Empire. However, by 1096, corruption amongst the royal family and their retinue has weakened the leadership and subsequently the Byzantium Empire. Only the icon of the Emperor keeps the country from collapse. However, someone using a much more powerful arrow than ever seen before tried to assassinate the serene majesty Emperor Akexios and killed an armored guard with this weapon.

Concerned for his ruler and his empire, Chamberlain Krysaphios hires Demetrios, unveiler of mysteries, who found the Eparch's daughter when everyone thought she was dead. Adding to Krysaphios worries is the great army just in from the west to help battle the Turks resides outside the city with no one knowing where their loyalty lies. The Chamberlain wants Demetrios to uncover the identity of the assassin and who this killer works for before any other incident occurs. Demetrios makes inquiries inside the hedonistic palace, pleasure brothels, and the military camp, but at each point he finds a very complex seditious conspiracy that if successful could leave the Byzantium Empire flowing in a bloody civil war with Turkish invaders waiting to pick apart the remains.

THE MOSAIC OF SHADOWS is a an exciting historical mystery that uses late eleventh century Byzantium as the backdrop to the tale. The story line reflects a teetering society seemingly in trouble from its excessive indulgences at a time when threats are coming from the east for sure and probably the west too. Reminding readers of Saylor's Gordanius and Roberts' Decius, Demetrios is an interesting protagonist who escorts readers on a terrific tour during his dangerous investigation.

Harriet Klausner

I ordered Mosaic of Shadows, to be shipped from England, and it was delivered promptly, in great shape, and all is well! Although the book is not exactly what I expected, it is still a good one. I was seeking to learn more about the Crusades, and this book is about a detective of sorts during the crusades.

Tom Harper's entertaining literary debut, The Mosiac of Shadows, offers a glimpse into a world of swordplay, treachery, and deceit.

Demetrios Askiates, Byzantine 'detective' is summoned to the palace of the Emperor following an attempt on the man's life by an unknown assassin who wields a strange, unknown weapon to carry out his murderous task. The Emperor's chamberlain, a mysterious figure in his own right, engages the services of Demetrios to unveil the culprit and spare the Emperor from further attacks.

Using his skills at deductive reasoning, Demetrios begins to follow the path of the assassin, with surprising results. A young boy seduced into treachery, a shadowy Monk who eludes capture, and a sinister plot to unseat the Emporer are all unveiled.

Tom Harper has recreated a vivid, if not entirely historically accurate, portrait of life in such dark times, when rulers rarely knew who to trust with their lives. While this novel is not quite as lush in the recreation of the world of the past as other novels I have read, and while many anachronisms line the pages of the tale, it is nonetheless engaging and entertaining. Certain 'plot twists' are easy to deduce before the author reveals them, yet the story does not suffer from the thinly veiled 'twists' in the story.

Not for die-hard fans of historically accurate thrillers, yet more than enough to entertain readers of similar light fare.

Tom Harper is a pseudonym of Edwin Thomas who grew up in West Germany, Belgium and America before returning to England to study history at Oxford university. The mosaic of Shadows is about a period of history that I enjoy reading about very much, but even if I am slightly biased I believe that the book is a really good read for anyone interested in historical murder mysteries.

The book takes place in Byzantium, the year is 1096, 30 years after the bastard Norman, Duke William had captured the throne of England from the grasp of Harold at Hastings.

When an attempt is made on the life of the emperor by a mysterious assassin, whoever sent the killer to try to murder the emperor knows that it was not just a man who would have been killed by the assassin's arrow but an empire in decline. If the emperor should fall then the mightiest force in Christendom will be torn apart. Only too aware of his precarious position the emperor hire the unveiled of mysteries, Demetrios Askiates to catch the would-be-killer. But even for one such as Demetrios the task of finding the killer is all but impossible. An unknown world of prince's and paupers, slaves mercenaries, harems and eunuchs. From the slums to the golden palace, enemies are lurking in the shadows, but not all are within the wall of the city.

The first crusaders have arrived and are intent on making their fortunes. They hold no allegiance to an enemy they eye with suspicion. As they armies of the east and the west confront each other across a barren landscape, the assassin prepares to make another attempt upon the life of the emperor. Can Demetrios untangle the web of deceit and intrigue that surrounds the emperor and his city before it is too late and one of the greatest empires of all time crumbles into the dust . . .