This epic historical novel unfolds against the backdrop of the search for a powerful artifact, passed down from generation to generation, which can now save the threatened empire.
In "The Towers of Samarkand", Lucas Magoris, the leader of an elite group of soldiers, undertakes the mission to persuade Tamerlane, the mighty Mongol conqueror, to turn his forces towards the West to fight the Ottomans, who are preparing to capture Constantinople and thus destroy the remnants of the Byzantine Empire. Lucas, forced to leave behind everything he loves, is obliged to live with a remote nomadic tribe in the plains of Anatolia and train there as a warrior, acquiring such skill that he impresses the fearsome Tamerlane. On the long journey to Samarkand, Tamerlane's capital, he is accompanied not only by his companions, the Varangian guards, descendants of those who once fled from Constantinople with a treasure of vital importance, but also by a diverse group of merchants, clerics, healers, and priests. It is a journey full of dangers, none of which is as threatening as the man himself whom Lucas must now confront, persuade, and overcome - so that instead of turning towards the conquest of China, Tamerlane will attack the Ottomans. However, Lucas realizes that he is trapped between those who sent him and his own beliefs and instincts. He begins to wonder if his mission is not honorable and if he should question those who give him orders.