Novels by Peyman Golkar

Historical epic · Rome & Parthia

Lost in
the Wind Saga

A Parthian commander. A Roman noblewoman. A bond that puts freedom and loyalty at odds.

Enter Peyman Golkar’s saga of captivity, forbidden love, and the cost of finding a way home.

Begin with Book I  → Explore the books

Two novels available in English and Persian

The Captive Commander by Peyman Golkar The Crimson Return by Peyman Golkar

ONE CONTINUING STORY · BEGIN WITH BOOK I

The published novels

From captivity
to a crimson return.

One man’s struggle to return home grows into a conflict between love, loyalty, and the demands of power.

The Captive Commander cover

Book I · Begin here

The Captive Commander

He can command an army. In Rome, even his name is no longer his own.

Defeated and sold into Constantia’s household, Surena must conceal his identity and survive the will of a woman accustomed to obedience. A fellow slave becomes an unlikely friend. His mistress becomes something far more dangerous. As desire unsettles the order between them and unrest spreads beyond the palace, Surena must decide what freedom is worth.

English edition ↗ Persian edition ↗

View editions on Amazon

Explore Book I

Book I · Reader excerpt

“I have always enjoyed reading novels of ancient Rome, and this ended up being one of my favorites. It was written from an interesting viewpoint of the slave.”
Ronda L Noel Amazon · June 23, 2026
The Crimson Return cover

Book II · Continue the story

The Crimson Return

He has returned to Parthia. His heart remains in Rome.

Surena comes home to a besieged frontier and a royal court divided by ambition. Command brings new duties, bitter rivalries, and alliances that demand more than victory in battle. Each obligation carries him further from Constantia. To reach her again, he must confront the power of Rome, where a promise can be as dangerous as a sword.

English edition ↗ Persian edition ↗

View editions on Amazon

Explore Book II

Book II · Reader excerpt

Powerful

“I loved it. […] All interwoven with the determination of regaining his hidden love.”
Kindle Customer Amazon · August 4, 2026

Further reading · Ancient worlds

Explore the history. Find your next read.

A reader’s guide

Historical Fiction Set in Ancient Persia

Explore novels of Persian courts, Alexander’s world, and Rome’s eastern frontier, with a guide to the historical periods behind their stories.

Explore the reading guide

History behind the fiction

Rome and Parthia

Discover the cavalry, campaigns, disputed crowns, and commercial connections that shaped the relationship between two ancient powers.

Read about Rome and Parthia
An imagined view of ancient Rome

Inside the world of the saga

Two empires.
A deeply personal war.

From Roman households to the courts of Parthia, power follows Surena in different forms. Freedom from one master does not mean freedom from every obligation.

Illustration of the Red Palace

The Red Palace

A household ruled by obedience, where defiance makes every encounter a test of power.

Illustration of the eastern lands

Parthia & the East

A homeland of rival heirs, uneasy alliances, and loyalties that command alone cannot secure.

History & imagination

The novels draw on ancient Rome and Parthia to tell an imagined story and take liberties with historical events. Surena is a fictional character, rather than a retelling of the historical general’s life. The illustrations depict the world of the novels.

Characters & chronicles

Behind every allegiance,
a private desire.

Meet the people whose choices change Surena’s world. Their loyalties are rarely simple.

Character illustration of Constantia

Roman noblewoman

Constantia

She commands his obedience. His trust is another matter.

About Constantia

Surena’s defiance challenges the authority Constantia has always taken for granted.

Character illustration of Amphilica

Keeper of the household

Amphilica

She knows the rules of the palace, and the cost of breaking them.

About Amphilica

Concern for Surena draws her beyond the familiar boundaries of household duty.

Character illustration of Gannicus

Thracian companion

Gannicus

A quick wit. A wary eye. A friend when rank means nothing.

About Gannicus

Gannicus understands the daily work of survival and holds on to hopes of his own.

Character illustration of Galia

The emperor’s daughter

Galia

Every favor can become a debt. She knows how to collect.

About Galia

Her interest in Surena draws him closer to imperial power and its dangerous bargains.

Character illustration of Atusa

Parthian princess

Atusa

A childhood bond meets the demands of a royal court.

About Atusa

Surena’s return brings private hopes into a world where marriage carries political weight.

Character illustration of Marduk

Heir to the throne

Marduk

Born to inherit power. Unwilling to see another man earn it.

About Marduk

Surena’s standing at court unsettles Marduk’s certainty about his own future.

The Hidden Chronicles: longer character stories are planned.

Hear when new stories arrive →

Book I · Reader excerpt

“I was extremely pleased and hooked after the first chapter. His style is simple yet very effective to grab you and keep you in the story.”
Julien L’HermetGoodreads ·

Book I · Reader excerpt

“The action kept things exciting, the characters felt really engaging, and the setting was just beautifully described.”
HamidAmazon ·

Selected excerpts from reader reviews of The Captive Commander.

Peyman Golkar, author of the Lost in the Wind Saga

The author

Peyman Golkar

An Iranian novelist, journalist, and editor based in Vilnius, Lithuania, Peyman Golkar is the author of the Lost in the Wind Saga and founder of the technology publication ITResan.

He writes his fiction in Persian. His novels follow a Parthian commander through captivity, love, and the difficult journey home. The first two volumes are available in English and Persian; he is currently writing the third.

Write to Peyman ↗

The reader list

The story continues.

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