The Desert of Souls

Jones, Howard Andrew. (2011). The Desert of Souls. New York, NY: Thomas Dunne Books.

ISBN: 9780312646745

Pages: 309

Genre: fantasy, adventure

Annotation: A scholar and a guard captain fight to save Baghdad.

Summary: The smooth lives of a brilliant scholar, Dabir, and guard captain, Asim, are interrupted when a Greek spy steals two ancient artifacts. Tasked by the magistrate with retrieving the items they find the Greek spy has joined forces with an evil sorcerer. This duo plans to use the artifacts to gain possession of an object which could leave their city cursed forever. The scholar and the captain must save Bagdad while also confronting forbidden love.

Evaluation: very good read

 The characters are excellently portrayed. The members of the heroic duo are equals: each is loyal, brave and possessing their own strengths (Dabir’s knowledge and Asim’s fighting skills). The sorcerer, who is the main villain, has turned to evil but the reason why makes the reader feel empathy for him while still wanting his defeat. The storyline is pretty good: believable and interesting, but it seems like the heroic duo encounter too many setbacks. The flow of events keeps the story flowing smoothly and is not too fast or too slow. The story does an excellent job of evoking the feel of its Baghdad: the control of those in power, the appreciation for marvels and descriptions of locale believably recreate an Arabian Nights like world. This book is for those who want an Arabian Night like tale of adventure, magic and love of different types (romantic, friendship, family).

What else to read:

Other books by Howard Andrew Jones .

The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights, translated with a preface and notes by Richard F. Burton and introduction by A.S. Byatt, for Arabian Nights tales.

Arabian Nights and Days by Naguib Mahfouz , translated by Denys Johnson-Davies, takes off where the Arabian Nights tales left off.

Throne of the Crescent Moon (The Crescent Moon Kingdoms #1) by Saladin Ahmed for another Arabian Nights like world.