The Horseman

By Kristina O'Donnelly

Book Overview

The Horseman - Award-winning lead novel of the Lands of the Morning Series. An explosive, controversial, ethnically diverse, unforgettable epic novel that is timely and very much alive. Winner of JadaPress Grand Prize, 2004, and POW Award, 2005, 1st Place, Multicultural Fiction. Written with a you-are-there immediacy. Revolving around a dynamic American heroine, The Horseman is a gripping, epic tale of intense passion, politics, spirituality, esoterica, as well as the roots of the current clashes between the Turks and the Kurds. Complete with magnificent and diverse settings from Turkey and Mecca to Ireland and the United States of America, THE HORSEMAN presents an intense, multi-cultural love triangle with indomitable characters united in their quest for social justice. As Ariadne, the American, Burhan, the Turk, and Mehmet Ali, the Kurd, emerge from the mists of 8,000 BC and reunite in 20th Century Turkey, they play out their star-crossed destinies upon an explosive stage of upheavals and changes. Acclaim for THE HORSEMAN: 1st Place, Multicultural Fiction, 2005, POW Awards, FL; Grand Prize, 2004, Jada Press, FL (The Horseman was highlighted by Romantic Times Magazine, Nov. 2001 issue, as Recommended Read in the Reincarnation Genre; selected Reviewers' Choice by Angelfire.com/Midnight Enchantment New Age Books. "...There is a lot here, immense detail on Turkish history, culture, and politics merged with a hard-hitting story ... a substantial novel." Piers Anthony, Sci-Fi/Fantasy author, Florida, USA. "... a gem among the myriad of pebbles, THE HORSEMAN is as literate as it is engrossing " Dr. Martin Abend, New York, USA "O'Donnelly writes like Wilbur Smith in a skirt... just so very colorful and descriptive...the characters sprang to life in about three lines. Brilliant " Mike Subritzky-Kusza, New Zealand War Poet and Author of the Vietnam Scrapbook "The Second Anzac Adventure," New Zealand THE HORSEMAN is the lead novel of the international, multi-cultural series "Lands of the Morning." Poison or dynamite to some and manna to others, THE HORSEMAN elicits deep emotional responses from every reader. Prof. Karen-Claire Voss (Istanbul University) in her Introduction to this novel, writes, "Also interesting and at least as compelling is the brilliant, knowledgeable, and courageous way in which Kristina O Donnelly sheds light on the complex and controversial topic of the difficult relations between Kurds and Turks, an extremely sensitive issue, something which has been rarely discussed openly, still less has been made part of a love story. This book is precious. I do not use this word lightly and say it not only because this is the story of a truly incredible woman and a genuinely fabulous romance. I say it because unlike so many other romances, this one is not meant to allow us to escape the complexities of real life; rather, it is intended to lead us deeper into them. It also enables us to develop an empathetic understanding of the complexities of real life as it is lived in contemporary Turkey."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1516966279
• ISBN13: 9781516966271
• Release Date: August 2015
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 616 Pages
• Weight: 1.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Sexy and exciting romantic thriller--and launch to powerful series

Ariadne, a blond American teen living with her parents in Turkey, suffers a prophetic vision while on her way to an archeological dig. Sometimes the vision is of an ancient past, and sometimes of a cruel future. In every case, though, she is caught in a love triangle. When she's rescued from a kidnapping by a handsome Kurdish nobleman, Ariadne believes she may have found her great love--and certainly Mehmet Ali falls for the beautiful and energetic teenager. Although she does love Mehmet Ali, though, Ariadne is obsessed with the crusading journalist Burhan Kayhanoly--who falls for her the moments she walks into his office to interview for an internship at the newspaper where he writes a regular column. Burhan exposes Ariadne to the poverty and ignorance that, he believes, are holding his beloved nation down. Ariadne is especially sympathetic with the poor conditions for women--a sympathy made much stronger when Mehmet Ali's sister weds a much older man--and then commits suicide. She dreams of a life with Burhan, together stomping out the corruption that is such a blight on Turkish society and politics. Award-winning author Kristina O'Donnelly mixes past-life regression, tarot, and traditional Turkish magic with sensual passion and with adventure as Mehmet Ali, Ariadne, and Burhan sometimes cooperate and sometimes battle over the path to be taken by their nation (or even whether there should be a nation of Turkey rather than an independent Kurdistan). O'Donnelly blends in the past-lives over which these three have carried out their eternal triangle of love and dispair. If you're looking for a sexy romantic thriller with a fascinating setting, plenty of action, and a touch of magic, you won't go wrong with THE HORSEMAN.

Powerful novel - timely, richly multicultural and cosmic

Kristina O'Donnelly has written a powerful novel, and not surprisingly, she has won two awards for this. The Horseman is one of those stories that stay with you long after you have finished reading the book and placed it aside. As a native of Ireland, of course I enjoyed the parts in the Old Sod, after all the heroine's father Patrick O'Neill is a jolly Irishman, a loving father and husband, open-minded, and a fearless entrepreneur, whose work as an architect has taken him to Istanbul, Turkey. But of course what was most intriguing in this novel is the intimate look I gained about the heroine's triumph and tribulations in Turkey, and the various issues she grapples with. Ariadne, the heroine, has two loves, one of them is an idealist of Kurdish origin, whose name is Mehmet Ali Mesut, a Sociology Professor in Istanbul, a man who wants to bring land-reform to his fellow Kurds who are under the feudal yoke of his uncle (who is a Senator of a conservative political party). Later Mehmet Ali runs on the platform of the Labor Party, in his hometown, Tarsus. And Ariadne's other love, whom she marries, is Burhan Kayhanolu, of Turkish origin, liberal newspaper columnist, later Labor Senator. Ariadne (our heroine) is connected to these men through a past life, from a Neolithic town called Chatalhoyuk, in Central Anatolia, a town or call it a city, that thrived about eight-thousand years ago. Burhan and Mehmet Ali are two friends in contemporary Turkey, but used to be brothers eight-thousand years ago, who had loved and battled over the same woman, Treebranch, Daughter of Acorn. One of the brothers was a warlord used to getting everything he wants, and the other, a charmer, dreamer, with a special touch of handling animals. The evil brother kills the good brother to take his wife. Well, so here is a bit of a Cane and Abel situation, dating to 8,000 BC, showing we really have not changed in all this time. These two brothers, named Wolf and White Roebuck, have returned to slug it out in the 20th Century. The moral is: whatsover a man soweth, so shall he also reap. Another intriguing part of this novel is the neolithic settlement, Chatalhoyuk. Kristina O'Donnelly has written about life in this era, in the mists of pre-history, quite knowledgeably, I would call her the Mother of Chatalhoyuk :-). Ariadne is a Catholic, and she weds a Muslim, even ends up traveling to Mecca on a pilgrimage. Her husband is a liberal, secular Turk, but as it is shown while he thinks about God and mosques and churches (as he sits on a bench in the garden of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh, Ireland) he has known himself as a Muslim from the moment he has known his name is Burhan. But his beloved Ariadne's mother will not consent to this marriage unless he weds her in the Church. I am not a very good critique writer, I mean this is not my profession and I don't think I can do this novel justice. The best I can say is that buy it and read it, you will be intrigued as I was.

the ultimate epic

The Horseman is so elegantly and beautifully written! Its smart style and the richness of details will bring you right in the middle of the action, you'll become the protagonist herself. You'll ride with the flow of events and believe me the ride is a real roller coaster!It is the fascinating, ultimate epic that will immerse you through the midst of Love, Kharma and political intrigues. It will make you travel all around the world and will open windows of awareness in cultures that are more than often misunderstood.The author is a well of knowledge in an array of topics and she generously offers it to you in an unusual and entertaining way.I was so taken by the Horseman than when the enchantment was ending I had to read its following book "the Scorpion Child".

Kristina has an eye opener with "The Horseman"

"A gripping epic of passion, politics, spirituality and more." That is what the back cover promises. And this is precisely what this magnificent book delivered. From its mysterious beginning, it traces the journey of a young girl leaping toward womanhood, at a dizzy pace that is at times in it self, breath-taking. Set in Turkey in the turbulent 60's, I was immediately immersed in a kaleidoscope of rich culture and intrigue, that slowly started to burn inside me as if I were there as witness, until at last I was nearly consumed. The rich pageantry and insight of a little understood culture comes to life between the pages of The Horseman, taking you on a break-neck journey of romance, passion and self discovery, as well as the realization of past life experience. Fragile alliances, mysterious dreams of the past, action and adventure intertwine into an excellent tale both realistic in its scope, but powerful in impact. As the story travels full circle to the twist in the end, the hint of a greater twist to come inspired me to grab the next book of the series, "The Scorpion Child," And ride off into the sunset......

Dynamic Adventures

'The Horseman' is a gripping novel that will sweep you in to its characters' lives before you realize you've been caught. Highly descriptive in its imagery, the tale guides the reader through worlds both ancient and contemporary with compelling characters, intriguing story line, and cultural/political clashes too richly detailed to resist. Magnificently illuminative of the ongoing conflicts between Turks and Kurds, 'The Horseman' is as much a pleasurable geographical/historical journey through ancient lands as it is a tale of the strengths and weaknesses within the human condition. Romance, political intrigues, cultural bridges, betrayals, faith ... it is timely and very much alive. O'Donnelly reveals a great depth of knowledge on many levels including the traditions & mores within the Muslim world, the Irish Catholic experience, and even Celtic mythology. Highly recommended to any reader who craves a good tale enriched by trans-continental adventures, historical insights and skillfully applied literary gifts of the author.