Anne Burnside

Wow. When can I start again?

This is fast paced, fun and you will cry, but not who for you might think.

I questioned my own loyalty to Erik for a few moments, something I may never be able to forgive myself for.

Be familiar with Phantom and the interactions between, especially between Phantom and Christine, but also his interaction with Raoul. If you catch the undercurrent from Phantom then you will really enjoy their interactions {which are not much, but what there is I loved}.

Its very adult in nature, but if you can handle that, then you must read this one. For any Phan who has ever entertained an adult desert Phantasy.… (meer)

The Sultan's Favorite by Anne Burnside is only the third or fourth work of fiction I have read that is based on Gaston Leroux's original Phantom of the Opera and is a continuation of the storyline. Compared to other works I have read in this genre (including the Madrigals trilogy by Jennifer Linforth and Susan Kay's Phantom) I found this novel to be a little disappointing.

First, let me start off with some of the positives - for there WERE plenty of good things about this book too. I enjoyed the setting of Persia, especially as a departure from traditional storylines that usually feature Erik (The Phantom) at the Opera Garnier or a variation of it. The setting also ties in nicely with a piece of information we are furnished with in the original novel - namely that Erik's past involved Persia and he was occupied as an architect.

Second, the plot was well-thought out and engaging. The author clearly made every effort to tie up loose ends and keep everything connected in logical sequence.

For the most part I also liked the rich cast of characters. As in other Phantom spin-offs we are reunited with Christine and Raoul, although this takes place for plot reasons more than halfway through the book. We also meet the enigmatic Persian or Daroga as he is called (again, true to the original book). We also meet a vast array of characters from the Middle East and Persia itself, including the Sultan and his three wives - the third Alexandria is the title "favorite," and also becomes Erik's love interest.

Here are some of the problems I had with the book. First (and this is my biggest issue) although the setting is a nice departure from other Phantom tales, this is also its weak point because as most Leroux purists will tell you it is made clear in the original novel by the Persian that Erik was forbidden to return to Persia after fleeing under penalty of death. He was told not to return by the Sultan himself who wanted Erik put to death because of the knowledge he had of the secrets surrounding the Sultan's new palace.
So this of course begs the question, why would Erik return to Persia (as indicated by Burnside) after his heartbreaking experiences with Christine Daae and the Paris Opera? Maybe a new Sultan was in charge at this point? If so, this should be made clear.

Secondly, although I like themes that feature inequalities between men and women and between slave and owner for the sake of pointing out societal wrongs, I dislike sermonizing. At times the constant reminders of the inequalities between the sexes in Persia was overbearing. For example, just the mere fact that Alexandria cannot choose whom to marry or that she cannot read would have been enough. There didn't seem to be a need to include some terrible scenes involving the "second" wife being raped and brutalized because she fell into disfavor with the Sultan or for that matter involving Alexandria being chained like a dog to the seat of the throne when a secret bookcase is revealed.

The examples above provide a nice segue into my third issue with The Sultan's Favorite. Yes, it is authentic to let the reader know about the brutality of the Persian empire at this time in history but the violent scenes (particularly the sexually violent) were so numerous they became more gratuitous than meaningful. In short, I don't mind a little brutality to make things seem authentic but it was overdone here.
Also, the portrayal of just the violence and cruelty of Persia seemed one-sided. If this is all it can be noted for, I am sure Erik would not have wanted to come back (or for that matter, go there to begin with).

If there is a sequel to Sultan, I am not sure I will read it unless some of these discrepancies are amended.… (meer)

The Sultan's Favorite by Anne Burnside is the single best Phantom of the Opera "sequel" I have read. Much the way Susan Kay's Phantom retold the original story in fabulous detail; Anne Burnside has opened a window into what happened to Erik after the curtain dropped in the original as well as fleshing out the character's background and giving us an insight into his thoughts.

The story opens with Erik as the architect in charge of building a fantastic palace for the sultan of the Ottoman Empire. The sultan soon acquires a third wife who quickly becomes his favorite. Erik is drawn to Alexandria for her beauty as well as her intelligence and in the process of working with her on her portion of the palace, he finds himself losing his heart again. Is history destined to repeat itself or is this a woman who can finally see the true man behind the mask? Even then, how can they ever be free to be together?

The writing was riveting and I was sucked into the story from the very beginning. It had everything you could want in a book including romance, action, intrigue, mystery and suspense. The re-emergence of characters from the original Phantom of the Opera merged seamlessly with the new characters. The only fault I could find with this book is that it eventually had to end. Rarely do I read a book that once finished, makes me want to immediately reread it but The Sultan's Favorite is such a one.

There is even a glimmer at the end (at least to my mind) that a sequel to this book could be possible. If that were true, I would snatch it up in an instant (and perhaps even do a little happy dance). Regardless, this is Anne Burnside’s debut novel and I look forward to reading anything else she comes out with.… (meer)

The Sultan’s Favorite
BY: Anne Burnside
PUBLISHED BY: iUniverse
PUBLISHED IN: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4401-1907-1
Pages: 435
Ages: Adult
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

In this sequel to Gaton Leroux’s “The Phantom of the Opera,” the phantom, Erik, is living in the Ottoman Empire. He’s working as the sultan’s personal architect. He’s still mourning the rejection of his love, Christine.

The sultan takes a third wife, Alexandria - the widow of the ruler of Constantinople, and demands Erik to make changes in the designs for the new palace. The sultan wants his new wife to have her own court.

Erik hates Ottoman Empire and the way the women and slaves are treated. He remains there to finish the palace because he believes it will be his greatest achievement. With one look at Alexandria, he knew she was unlike the sultan‘s other wives. She was smart, beautiful and independent. Erik begins spending time with her. Alexandria wants to get closer to this masked man.

Erik tries to control his ongoing feelings for her. He never thought he could ever feel this way about another woman after Christine’s rejection. Soon, he can no longer hold back his feelings. He starts a passionate affair with Alexandria.

Being a fan of the original novel, I was intrigued in reading “The Sultan’s Favorite.” After reading the first few pages, I was hooked. Author Anne Burnside has done a wonderful job in continuing Erik’s journey into this violent world of the Ottoman Empire. I was surprised to find two other characters from Gaton Leroux’s “The Phantom of the Opera” pop into the latter half of the book. I recommend reading this book if your fan of the original or for anyone who wants to read a good romance.… (meer)