Fada and his wife have just experienced the joy of adding a son to their small family. Mere days after the birth of the boy, a dark sorcerer named Behas makes his way by night to the family with the goal of murdering the child. With the help a few of his powerful jinn, Behas completely destroys the fragile peace of humble Fada and his family. The baby ends up kidnapped and the wife appears to have been killed in the process. Forced to leave his home, Fada embarks on a journey to save his son. Along the way, he will meet with unexpected obstacles and receive unlikely support. In the end, the true Guardian of Erum will emerge.
If everything you know about the Arabian Peninsula has been colored by a narrow-waisted princess and a charismatic blue genie, then The Guardians of Erum and the Calamitous Child of Socotra will prove to be both entertaining and enlightening! More than all else, I enjoyed the exotic landscape that serves as the backdrop for the dramatic quest of brave Fada. The customs and religious mysticisms, along with traditional expressions, give A Ali Hasan Ali’s novel a flavor not commonly tasted in the western world. The fourth wall is broken at appropriate places and with just enough frequency along the journey making the reader feel intimately involved in the story. This plot-driven story is embellished with mystic daggers, shape-shifting jinn, powerful Guardians, and not a few surprises!
