Blood Tax Book Reviews

Blood Tax by Richard Puz Book Summary

The objective of the Muslim Turkish attack in the 16th Century on the Christian Fiefdom of Kostel, located on the Balkan Peninsula, is straight-forward—kidnap pre-puberty children and return with them to Istanbul. There, these five-to-ten-year-old young ones convert forcibly to Islam and are taught to become unwaveringly loyal to the Sultan. They are educated to fulfill elitist roles as white slaves in the Ottoman Empire as warriors, administrators, clergy in the Greek Church, housemaids or instruments for sexual pursuits.
Christian serfs, land-bound slaves, are defenseless as the raiders pillage, burn farms and assault villagers. Azim, the commander, rapes Maria. Irrationally convinced that the union has conceived a baby boy, he vows to return in five years to collect his son. He threatens crucifixion for Maria and destruction of the entire fiefdom if any harm befalls his child. Serfs use the intervening years to recover from the attack and prepare their defenses, led my Helena, the village matriarch. When Azim and his men return from fighting battles on the shores of the Caspian Sea, Kostel’s serfs are ready.
Blood Tax is the first of three novels, drawing on authentic historical events involving feudal peasants and lords living in the frontier zone that divided the Balkan Peninsula between Christian followers under the Hapsburg Monarchy and Ottoman Empire Muslims.
Like the four previous books dealing with the American westward migration in the 19th century, the author’s novels are well researched and historically reflect the times.

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