Brotherhood of the Mamluks

Duyal, a teenage nomad living on the vast Russian steppe, is captured during a Mongol invasion and forced on a long, deadly journey into the war-torn Middle East. Purchased by a Kurdish prince in eastern Turkey, his destination is an Islamic citadel, filled with similarly enslaved strangers and one merciless instructor-a man determined to purge the weaklings from his ranks and forge the survivors into Mamluks, Islamic Knights unmatched in wielding sword, arrows, and lance from atop Arabian steeds.When Duyal becomes entangled in his instructor's schemes and his mates witness another comrade's unjust execution, the recruits can take it no longer. Their wrath is unleashed.Chains of Nobility is the first book in the Brotherhood of the Mamluks trilogy. Set during the 13th century, the book is an immersive dive into the world of military slavery-a Muslim institution largely unheard of in the West, whose ranks ousted the Crusaders and Mongols from the Levant, preserving Islam.Graft, a former U.S. Marine officer who served in Somalia, conveys to his characters an authentic understanding of combat and the hearts of fighting men. He brings to life the intriguing story behind the Mamluk Sword, the saber worn traditionally by Marines as part of the dress uniform. Based on exhaustive research that took the author to Mongolia and the Middle East, the book is filled with vivid cultural details, battle accounts, and realistic characters. In all, the Brotherhood of the Mamluks trilogy reveals the fascinating and little-known story of the Mamluks.*One hundred percent of the author's income from the sales of this book will be donated to screened charities that support wounded veterans and families of the fallen."Graft nimbly inserts the reader into the world and mindset of the medieval jihadi. From the Russian steppe to inside the citadel walls, he takes us where Mamluks are made and loyalty between comrades is sealed.- Steven Pressfield. bestselling author of The Legend of Bagger Vance, The Warrior Ethos and Gates of Fire"Chains of Nobility is a harrowing tale of comradeship and combat, providing an in-the-saddle look at the process of creating Mamluks-early Islam's military elite. A great piece of work."- Nathaniel Fick, former Marine officer and New York Times bestselling author of One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer"A gripping saga of brotherhood and devotion, Chains of Nobility is a must-read for military history buffs. Author Brad Graft enlightens us on the little-known reason behind Medieval Islam's triumphs during the Middle Ages: nomadic youth enslaved by the descendants of Saladin and sharpened into the spear tip of Muslim armies."- Michael Franzak, former Marine pilot and author of A Nightmare's Prayer, winner of the 2012 Colby Award.

A Lion's Share is the second book in the Brotherhood of the Mamluks trilogy. The story is set in the 13th Century Middle East, during the Seventh Crusade. Told from the Egyptian perspective, it is a rare view of life among the Mamluks-elite Muslim warriors largely unheralded in the West-whose ranks ousted the Crusaders and Mongols from the Levant, preserving Islam.On the eve of a historic battle, Leander, a disenchanted Crusader, surrenders to Muslim amirs with the intent of joining the revered Bahri Mamluks. His move seems fated. The young Frenchman avoids the mass slaughter suffered by the Christian alliance and earns himself a place with the elite cavalry regiment, serving the Sultan of Egypt. Yet once King Louis IX of France seeks vengeance and sets Cairo as the objective of his campaign, Leander is faced with warfare against his native people as he defends his new home, comrades, and religion.When the Bahri's adored sultan dies and Leander becomes tangled in forbidden love with an Egyptian woman, his world unravels further. As the Mamluks seize rule for themselves, a rivalry between opposing regiments turns bloody and the newly-formed Mamluk Sultanate tumbles into chaos, with Leander and his mates scrambling not only for position within the realigned empire, but also for their lives.Graft, a former U.S. Marine Officer who served in Somalia, reveals the fascinating story of the Mamluks and the intriguing history of the Mamluk Sword, the saber worn by Marines as part of their traditional dress uniform. Based on exhaustive research that took the author to Mongolia and the Middle East, the book is filled with vivid cultural details, battle accounts, and authentic characters.

Set during the 13th century, Edge of Armageddon is the stirring climax in the Brotherhood of the Mamluks trilogy. The story brings together characters from Books 1 and 2: Duyal, the enslaved nomad boy who rose to command a reconnaissance unit; Leander, the French soldier who abandoned the Crusades to join the devout Islamic warriors he admired; and Baybars, a Kipchak from the Eurasian steppe who is now the charismatic leader of the elite Bahri Mamluks of Egypt.The novel introduces us to Esel, a respected bowmaker in her nomadic tribe who is seized, enslaved, and sold to a wealthy arms merchant in Syria. Overhearing her master plotting against Baybars, a nephew she has not seen since his adolescence, Esel risks her life to flee Damascus and warn Baybars of the coming betrayal.Embraced in Baybars' camp, Esel plunges into the hazard and intrigue surrounding her ambitious nephew. Soon, she is aiding Baybars in his quest to win the sultanate and countering the efforts of a female spy who stalks the roving Bahri.Tension builds as the Mongol army slashes a bloody path through Mesopotamia and northern Syria, eyeing Cairo as its prize. In a fateful battle on the wide plain just east of the biblical site of Armageddon, Egypt's Mamluks come face-to-face with the seemingly unconquerable Mongols, who sacked their Kipchak tribes twenty-four years prior. At stake for Esel and the Mamluks is the survival of their people, preservation of their fledgling empire, and the continuance of Islam itself.A gripping tale of betrayal and love, retribution, mercy, abandonment, and redemption, Edge of Armageddon is also a compelling account of the historical Battle of Ayn Julut-an unheralded clash whose outcome leaves crucial repercussions still felt today.Author Graft, a former U.S. Marine officer, conveys to his characters an authentic understanding of combat and fighting men. His inspiration for the book started with the history of the Mamluk Sword, the saber worn traditionally by Marines as part of the dress uniform. Based on exhaustive research that took the author to Mongolia and the Middle East, the book is filled with vivid cultural details and battle accounts.