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quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, home to djenn and ghuls, holy warriors and heretics, are at the boiling point of a power struggle between the iron-fisted Khalif and the mysterious master thief known as the Falcon Prince. In the midst of this brewing rebellion a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. But these killings are only the earliest signs of a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn the great city of Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin.
Dr Abdoulla Makhslood is the last ghul hunter in the city of Dhamsawaat. Aided by the devout Raseed, an 18-year-old Dervish warrior whose faith is tested by the realities of city life, Abdoulla’s strength is fading and he’s worried about what will happen if he dies. When his former lover, Miri Almoussa seeks his help after her niece and nephew are killed by ghuls, his investigation leads him to the only survivor of a murdered desert tribe – 15 year old Zamia, a shapeshifter able to turn into a lion.
Their investigation reveals a sinister plot to destabilise Dhamsawaat, a city already caught in a battle between the cruel Khalif and self-style Falcon Prince for the soul of its people. Abdoulla and his friends will have to choose sides if they’re to avoid seeing their world turned into a blood-soaked ruin …
Saladin Ahmed’s debut novel, the first in a trilogy, is an okay fantasy read but despite its refreshing use of Arabian themes and settings in its world building, its female characters are a depressing mix of wives, whores and virgins, the villains are underdeveloped ciphers and the plot turns on contrivance to propel it. Although I liked the cynical and world-weary Abdoulla enough to check out the remaining books, I won’t be hurrying to do so.
Abdoulla is a great character – cynical and world weary, he’s torn between his desire for a peaceful retirement and the knowledge that doing so will leave the world defenceless against evil. I enjoyed his teasing of the devout but naïve Raseed and his affection for the boy but wished that Raseed had been developed a little more beyond the stock religious ingénue who finds his worldview challenged.
By contrast the female characters are underdeveloped. Zamia is a rude, virginal girl seeking revenge for her tribe, Miri is a whore who wants Abdoulla to marry her and alchemist Litaz a wife desperate to return to her homeland. The villains fare even worse – little more than ciphers whose motivation is never explained and the plot is heavily reliant on contrivance to keep moving. This is a shame because I really enjoyed the world building here as Ahmed uses Arabian themes and styles to draw his world to refreshing effect.
All in all, I will keep reading this trilogy but the lack of good female characters means I won’t be in a hurry to do so.
The Verdict:
Saladin Ahmed’s debut novel, the first in a trilogy, is an okay fantasy read but despite its refreshing use of Arabian themes and settings in its world building, its female characters are a depressing mix of wives, whores and virgins, the villains are underdeveloped ciphers and the plot turns on contrivance to propel it. Although I liked the cynical and world-weary Abdoulla enough to check out the remaining books, I won’t be hurrying to do so.
The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, home to djenn and ghuls, holy warriors and heretics, are at the boiling point of a power struggle between the iron-fisted Khalif and the mysterious master thief known as the Falcon Prince. In the midst of this brewing rebellion a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. But these killings are only the earliest signs of a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn the great city of Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin.
Dr Abdoulla Makhslood is the last ghul hunter in the city of Dhamsawaat. Aided by the devout Raseed, an 18-year-old Dervish warrior whose faith is tested by the realities of city life, Abdoulla’s strength is fading and he’s worried about what will happen if he dies. When his former lover, Miri Almoussa seeks his help after her niece and nephew are killed by ghuls, his investigation leads him to the only survivor of a murdered desert tribe – 15 year old Zamia, a shapeshifter able to turn into a lion.
Their investigation reveals a sinister plot to destabilise Dhamsawaat, a city already caught in a battle between the cruel Khalif and self-style Falcon Prince for the soul of its people. Abdoulla and his friends will have to choose sides if they’re to avoid seeing their world turned into a blood-soaked ruin …
Saladin Ahmed’s debut novel, the first in a trilogy, is an okay fantasy read but despite its refreshing use of Arabian themes and settings in its world building, its female characters are a depressing mix of wives, whores and virgins, the villains are underdeveloped ciphers and the plot turns on contrivance to propel it. Although I liked the cynical and world-weary Abdoulla enough to check out the remaining books, I won’t be hurrying to do so.
Abdoulla is a great character – cynical and world weary, he’s torn between his desire for a peaceful retirement and the knowledge that doing so will leave the world defenceless against evil. I enjoyed his teasing of the devout but naïve Raseed and his affection for the boy but wished that Raseed had been developed a little more beyond the stock religious ingénue who finds his worldview challenged.
By contrast the female characters are underdeveloped. Zamia is a rude, virginal girl seeking revenge for her tribe, Miri is a whore who wants Abdoulla to marry her and alchemist Litaz a wife desperate to return to her homeland. The villains fare even worse – little more than ciphers whose motivation is never explained and the plot is heavily reliant on contrivance to keep moving. This is a shame because I really enjoyed the world building here as Ahmed uses Arabian themes and styles to draw his world to refreshing effect.
All in all, I will keep reading this trilogy but the lack of good female characters means I won’t be in a hurry to do so.
The Verdict:
Saladin Ahmed’s debut novel, the first in a trilogy, is an okay fantasy read but despite its refreshing use of Arabian themes and settings in its world building, its female characters are a depressing mix of wives, whores and virgins, the villains are underdeveloped ciphers and the plot turns on contrivance to propel it. Although I liked the cynical and world-weary Abdoulla enough to check out the remaining books, I won’t be hurrying to do so.
