Wednesday, June 25, 2025

The Palace of Sinners and Saints by Ammar Merchant Book Review

About the Book:


Irfan Mirza is the ultimate killing machine. Kidnapped as a child and forced to train to become an elite gun for hire at an orphanage, he is now a ruthless freelance mercenary.

In a wealthy Middle Eastern kingdom, despotic King Nimir is determined to quash all dissidents calling for free elections. Billionaires, clerics, influencers, and journalists who dared challenge King Nimir’s regime have vanished without a trace. The most recent person Nimir has had “disappeared” is Renata Bardales, a trained fighter raised alongside Mirza—his sister, of sorts.

Now things are personal, and Irfan Mirza doesn’t like it when things get personal.

Assembling a ragtag team of specialists, Mirza sets off on a wild rescue mission, determined to save his sister from a medieval fortress that has now been transformed into a heavily fortified blacksite. The prison is surrounded by endless stretches of uninhabited sand, making it difficult to approach and impossible to escape from.

My Review:

This novel starts out with action and does not let up. Since the novel takes place in a fictional foreign country, there is quite a bit of description and explaining. There is also some political commentary. But there is plenty of action too. The main character reminds me more of Orphan X than Jack Reacher. For readers who like serious action and a very capable hero and support group battling deadly villains.

My rating: 4/5 stars.


Simon & Schuster, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

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