"Breathtaking in scope, honest, and raw.”
“An epic novel that pulls back the veil on the tumultuous life and times of Genghis Khan, the Mongol leader who was intent upon becoming the ruler of the world. Breathtaking in scope, honest and raw, The Sky Worshipers reveals life in the orbit of the conquerors. But beneath the destruction and bloodshed, [it] tells of freedoms for women yet unknown in Europe; of the Mongols’ compassion for other faiths; and of love as fierce as the vast, unforgiving land that bore it.”
Advance Praise
The Sky Worshipers is a feat of imagination that gives a window on people and places we didn’t know, with a depth of character we didn’t realize was possible. Names we may recognize as a dot on a Silk Road map come alive with dramatic power.
– David Taylor, Author of Cork Wars & Ginseng and The Divine Root
In this stunning saga, F. M. Deemyad takes us on a thrilling journey as Genghis Khan and his sons sweep across Asia and Europe, worshiping the sky while they conquer one nation after another and capture women to enslave and marry. The story of this remarkable time in history is told by those captured women through a secret manuscript passed down from one to another. Princess Chaka, one of the first to be captured by Genghis, begins the writing. She passes the manuscript to Princess Reyhan, captured in Persia, who passes it to Krisztina of Kievan Rus. A hundred years later, the secret writings make their way to Lady Goharshad, [wife to King Shahrokh, the ruler of Persia and Transoxiana]. As the inheritor of wealth and privilege won through brutal conquest, she vows to set things right. The women’s stories, rich with architectural, historical and cultural detail, hold an important message for all of us who have inherited privileges as the result of our ancestor’s atrocities. A great read and a phenomenal debut!
– Raima Larter, Author of Fearless and Belle o' the Waters
The Sky Worshipers by F.M. Deemyad draws us into Genghis Khan's conquests through the eyes of three women ripped from their homes and thrust into royal service. This lyrical novel is a vivid imagining of hearts and minds of women who left their marks on history, despite history's failure to acknowledge their contributions. It allows us to connect with timeless striving for a world of compassion, equal opportunity, and celebration of diversity. A beautiful novel.
– Lisa L. Leibow, J.D., Co-Founder, Board President, Chief Operating Officer, The Scheherazade Project
The author's in-depth research is evident throughout The Sky Worshippers. For readers who enjoy a lush blend of historical fact and fiction, this novel details the smells, sights, sounds of a pivotal era in time, uniquely told through the eyes of three captive princesses.
– Gina Wilkinson author of When the Apricots Bloom
F.M. Deemyad immerses the reader into the 13th Century world of Genghis Khan. It's an unforgettable story of survival and strong women as we experience life through the eyes of the conquered-and the conquerors. In The Sky Worshipers, history comes vividly alive.
– John DeDakis, Novelist, Writing Coach, and former Senior Copy Editor for CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer", www.JohnDeDakis.com
An illuminating telling of Mongol conquest and the people who lived-and died-making decisions that shaped half the world. The broad strokes of time are revealed through the perspectives of single bristles of the brush. Cleverly imagined and carefully rendered, The Sky Worshipers is an engaging, personal look at one of history's momentous eras.
– Zach Powers, author of First Cosmic Velocity
About the Author
F.M. Deemyad was born in Kermanshah, Iran. She grew up in the capital, Tehran, attending bilingual schools run by Christian and Jewish minorities. Her father, born and raised in India, had come to Iran when he was in his late twenties. Being the son of a linguist who had taught English Literature in India for a number of years, he exposed the author in her preschool years to the English language, and she learned to love classic literature under her father’s instructions. She received her Master’s degree in Writing from Johns Hopkins University in 2016. She currently resides with her husband in Maryland.