Sign-In
Cart
The Queen of Cities: A Byzantine Epic of Intrigue, Survival, and the Fate of an Empire
Paperback
Series: The Tavastian Trilogy, Book 2
Mystery & ThrillerHistorical Fiction
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Jan 8 2026
Pages: 334
Weight: 0.89
Height: 0.83 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
The Queen of Cities continues the sweeping saga of Rotko, the Tavastian warrior first introduced in Kings Without Land. Torn from his northern homeland and driven ever south along the Eastern Route, Rotko now survives as a mercenary in the personal guard of the Roman emperor. The splendor of Constantinople surrounds him-yet his life feels hollow, shadowed by the vengeance of the Grand Prince of Rus and the memories he cannot escape.
Everything changes on a blood-soaked frontier battlefield. Rotko awakens alone, wounded, and stripped of his past, a jewel-bright war banner lying beside him like an omen. Fleeing hostile lands, he finds refuge on the estate of Maria Argyropoulina, a renowned trainer of racing chariots. In her household of speed, color, and fierce ambition, Rotko heals-body and spirit-and begins to dream again. But as he pieces together the truth of his lost memories, he uncovers whispers of a conspiracy rooted in the Queen of Cities itself... a plot capable of shaking the empire to its core.
An epic tale of identity, survival, and the price of destiny, The Queen of Cities is the second installment of the Tavastian Trilogy-an unforgettable journey from the icy North to the golden heart of Byzantium.
J. S. Halla, a Finnish author, brings the Viking Age to life with vivid detail, emotional depth, and the raw power of lived history.
Also from
Halla, J. S.
Heirs of the North: A Viking Age Epic of Return, Resolve, and the Northern Lands.
Halla, J. S.
Paperback
Also in
Historical Fiction
James Fenimore Cooper: The Leatherstocking Tales Vol. 1 (Loa #26): The Pioneers / The Last of the Mohicans / The Prairie
Cooper, James Fenimore
Hardcover
Anniversaries, Volume 2: From a Year in the Life of Gesine Cresspahl, April 1968-August 1968
Johnson, Uwe
Paperback
The Pirate Queen: A Novel from the New York Times Bestselling Author of the Frozen River
Lawhon, Ariel
Hardcover
The Moonlight Runner: A Gripping Historical Novel of Survival, Bravery, and Romance
Robards, Karen
Hardcover
The Amalfi Curse: A Bewitching Tale of Sunken Treasure, Forbidden Love, and Ancient Magic on the Amalfi Coast
Penner, Sarah
Paperback
A Pair of Aces: Reese's Book Club (Large Print Edition)
Benedict, Marie
Murray, Victoria Christopher
Paperback
The Pirate Queen: A Novel from the New York Times Bestselling Author of the Frozen River (Large Print Edition)
Lawhon, Ariel
Paperback
Murder on the Orient Express: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition
Christie, Agatha
Paperback