[On May 10, 2021 Strange Horizons officially expressed its political support for Palestinian solidarity. The views of Tangent Online reviewers are not necessarily those of Strange Horizons. Fiction critiqued at Tangent Online is, as much as is humanly possible, without prejudice and based solely on artistic merit.]

Strange Horizons, July 14, 2025

“Thirteen Swords That Made A Prince: Highlights from the Arms & Armory Collection” by Sharang Biswas

Reviewed by Francine Taylor

When I started reading “Thirteen Swords That Made A Prince” by Sharang Biswas, my first thought was “Wait, this isn’t a story. Did I get a bad link?” But once I had acclimated to the unconventional format, the story began to emerge.

In the Intro, and each of thirteen sections, readers are taken on a tour through a museum collection, a tribute to one of the princes who ruled the Alamgir Dynasty and to thirteen swords that he had reputedly owned in his lifetime. Each sword in the collection is described, along with the lore which may be connected to the item. The narrator’s voice is very authentically the voice of a historian who values each small connection to history, and who is trying to share his passion with those who view the collection. There is a wealth of detail about the culture; the prince’s parents, servants and friends, as well as the political and religious forces that were part of the culture. Though all the names are fictional, they obviously have an Eastern Indian flavor to them.

There is a mystery hidden in the items and their significance. Elusive possibilities that tease, but are not directly spoken of. Who was Prince Nizar? Who were the people who shaped his life, and what were they to Nizar? What forces were brought to bear on him? The narrator hints at things he is obviously not allowed to bring out into the open. I had to re-read the story multiple times to see the picture that was drawn, but the truth that I came to in the end brought tears to my eyes. I’m not sure if it’s the same truth that others reading the story would come to, but the ambiguity is part of the charm of this story.