Short Synopsis
From the author of the internationally bestselling The Blood of Flowers comes a compelling, gorgeously crafted tale of power, loyalty, intrigue, and love in the royal court of sixteenth-century Iran.

Full Synopsis
Iran in 1576 is a place of peace, wealth, and dazzling beauty. But when the Shah dies without having named an heir, the court is thrown into tumult. Princess Pari, the Shah's daughter and closest adviser, knows more about the inner workings of the state than almost anyone, but the princess's maneuvers to instill order after her father's sudden death incite resentment and dissent. Pari and her trusted servant, a eunuch able to navigate the harem as well as the world beyond the palace walls, are in possession of an incredible tapestry of secrets and information that reveals a power struggle of epic proportions.

Based loosely on the life of Princess Pari Khan Khanoom, Equal of the Sun is a riveting story of political intrigue and a moving portrait of an unlikely friendship between a princess and a eunuch. Anita Amirrezvani is a master storyteller, and in her lustrous prose this rich and labyrinthine world comes to vivid life with a stunning cast of characters, passionate and brave men and women who defy or embrace their destiny in a Machiavellian game played by those who lust for power and will do anything to attain it.

"Vance does an excellent job with this epic novel, employing a slight Middle Eastern accent for the dialogue and differentiating the women in slightly raised tones." ---Booklist Audio Review

"This heartfelt reading captures the vividness of life in the Shah's court and imagines the world of a real-life princess." ---AudioFile

"A dazzling historical novel of ancient Persia, a fairy tale of universal resonance." ---Gina Nahai, author of Caspian Rain

"Amirrezvani's sixteenth century Iran is a world as complex as Shakespeare's London." ---Jonis Agee, author of The River Wife