Against a Crescent Storm

The Balkan Legends, Book 3

By: A.L. Sowards

Narrated by: Theo Polo

The Balkans, 1389

Three years ago, Danilo’s people won their freedom from the hated Ottoman Empire, but with enemies on every side, the Serbs’ hard-earned peace remains fragile. Knowing the sultan will soon come for revenge, Danilo sets out to gain key allies for the coming war—and to escape the haunting grief of personal loss.

War has orphaned Maja and her brother, but they’ve moved forward from the turbulent aftermath of battle by crafting religious mosaics. Yet after being cheated and robbed, they are desperate for help. Rescue comes from Danilo, the man who once saved them from slavery to the Turks. What begins as an offer for safe escort is soon complicated by threats from a Hungarian noble who suspects them of conspiracy and from Iskandar, an Ottoman spy consumed by a vendetta against Danilo and a dangerous obsession with Maja.

As their journey grows more perilous, Danilo and Maja are drawn together by shared grief and affection. Yet upon returning home, Danilo finds that his župan, unaware of Danilo’s growing emotional entanglement with Maja, plans to use Danilo’s hand in marriage as a tool to forge a crucial alliance. Danilo is soon torn between love for Maja and loyalty to his family and people.

As tensions escalate, sabotage and vicious rumors weaken Christian unity, and hope of victory in the Balkans grows dim. Allies and enemies converge on the fields of Kosovo, where an epic battle will shape the destiny of nations for centuries to come.

©2025 A.L. Sowards (P)2025 Shadow Mountain Publishing

Epic Series!

This series is EPIC, there is no other word for it! The amount of research that went into writing this series must have been immense and it shows on every page.

Full of history, adventure, faith, healing, and love, this book will have you feeling all of the emotions. If you love historical fiction, do yourself a favor and start reading this series, you won't regret it!

The narration is fantastic. The emotive narration makes for an immersive listening experience.

This is Book 3 in the Balkan legends series and I would highly recommend reading the books in order as the story builds through each successive book.

Loved this one!

Against a crescent storm is #3 in the Balkans Legend series. This book follows Danilo, a Serb warrior, and Maja, an orphaned mosaicist.

Danilo seems to be fighting for freedom his entire life. As soon as he is free, he is fighting another battle to remain so. His valor in war somehow doesn’t harden him to the goodness in life and people. His heart is healed from some of the pains of life when he meets Maja.

Maja was saved by Danilo, during the battle that took the lives of her parents. Forever a hero in her mind, she is surprised when he happens upon her when she needs saving a second time. I loved their relationship!

This book was action packed. Nonstop. I feel like my husband would love it for that reason. Hahaha. It also had humanity, deep relationships, and the hope of a people that kept me invested in the story.

I loved the resilience of the characters. I loved the power goodness. I loved that when things got rough I knew I could count on this author to leave the story in a place that would make me content. No need to check on the characters at the end for me.

This book was beautifully written and such a great addition to this series.

I listened to the audio version of this book. At first I wasn’t so sure the voice matched the character, but then it grew on me. I enjoyed the way words were pronounced (I never would have gotten it right on my own) and the accents used. I eventually became so immersed in the story that I didn’t notice the voice at all. I think that’s the point of a narrator- to simply share the story well enough that the listener becomes so caught up in the story that they aren’t thinking about anything else.

Content: lots of violence as you would expect in a war book. If you have specific questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.

A must read series!

A.L. Sowards is a historical fiction master!! The meticulous research, history, and heart she weaves into her narratives always shine through, and this novel is proof!

Danilo and Maja’s journey is a beautiful, raw emotional experience, set against the powerful backdrop of the Battle of Kosovo.

This is a definite must-read. While it works as a standalone, reading the previous books in the series will give you a deeper connection to the characters and a fuller appreciation of the story.

The audiobook is excellent; the narrator's seamless handling of various accents and character voices made it a delight to listen to.