Retellings

Before Shaherazade became the legendary storyteller who captivated a king for a thousand and one nights, she was a young woman whose words set an empire ablaze. In twelfth-century Persia, Shaherazade discovers a dangerous secret about the king’s wife, Fataneh. When she reveals the truth, the king’s fury unleashes a wave of executions, as he begins marrying and beheading a new bride each night. Haunted by the consequences of her actions, Shaherazade volunteers to become his next wife, determined to stop the bloodshed. Armed with her intelligence, political instincts, and extraordinary gift for storytelling, she begins weaving tales that keep the king listening until dawn. But survival demands more than captivating stories: as courtly intrigues intensify and the Crusades threaten the region, Shaherazade must navigate a world of shifting alliances, dangerous desires, and ruthless power. Reimagining one of literature’s most enduring legends, Every Rising Sun celebrates the power of storytelling, the resilience of women, and the courage to challenge a fate that seems inevitable.