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.
PRAISE FOR Brotherhood of the Mamluks: Book 1: Chains of Nobility
* Chains of Nobility was a Finalist for the Colby Award, which recognizes "a first work of fiction or non-fiction that has made a major contribution to the understanding of military history, intelligence operations, or international affairs."
"An exacting, dramatic and absorbing look at a world most readers have never encountered, not in books, movies or history class: military slavery in the Middle East in the 13th Century." -Mardi Link, award-winning author and journalist
"In Chains of Nobility, Graft displays an exceptional writing style that captures the emotions, and often the harsh environment, in which the action is occurring. An enjoyable read." - Ron Christmas, Lieutenant General, U.S. Marine Corps and past President/CEO Marine Corps Heritage Foundation
"Graft's historical novel follows a young, kidnapped nomad in the Middle East. The text abounds with evocative portrayals. . . Excitingly illuminates an ancient class of warriors." -Kirkus Reviews
"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
