I am so late to the party that is Tales of Khayaal, but alhumdulillah everything has a time, and I have been thoroughly swept away just in time for Book 2 to come out soon inshaAllah. At 366 pages, this YA fantasy, sci-fi, adventure story is suitable for YA readers/listeners 13 and up with plot appropriate instances of violence, the end of the world, killing, torture, powers, drugs, politics, corruption, prejudice, and hints of romance. Islam is not named, but it is more than just Muslim-coded, the world and the characters are heavily steeped in religious concepts, ideology, sunnahs, spirituality, morality, and culture. I started reading the book and immediately loved that there is a map at the start and robust backmatter in the end that aids in the world building, fictional structures, power constructs, terminology, and that there is even a character list. There is also a fully produced audio book that comes with the supplemental pdfs. So even if you are a fantasy newbie, whether you listen or read the book, you will have resources to make slipping into the third epoch on Ikleel smooth. A bit of a heads up, initially the book feels a little simplistic and familiar in its world building, I reached out to more seasoned fantasy readers, and was told it has a term, derivative fantasy, it subsides well before the halfway point, when the action picks up, but it gave me a little pause early on, that maybe this book wouldn’t have the layered plot lines and character arcs that I was hoping for. If you feel it too, keep going, I couldn’t stop reading/listening to the second half of the book and regret nothing.
SYNOPSIS: (FROM PUBLISHER)
Set in the third epoch of the planet Ikleel, the arrival of a comet signifies the approach of the Final Standing, an apocalyptic end time when an ancient enemy of humanity, Mörtan, is set to return.
Zorar and his apprentice Alifa, both Grand Conduits of Nur, urgently prepare for the coming time along with other Nurani Conduits. Meanwhile, Arön, their home, has fallen under the control of the Syndicate, a sinister organisation seeking to plunder centuries of imperial wealth.
Cataclysymic events, a fracturing of society, a loss of what was sacred, will all beg the question – what does it mean to be human in a time of relentless techno-scientific change?
WHY I LOVE IT:
I loved all the hadith, not attributed, and ayats worked into the advice from smiling as an act of charity, to finding peace in the remembrance of the One creator. I want to have a non Muslim read it and get their feedback, Muslims will love the terms, concepts and Islamic framing and structures. The writing style is easy, I’m still not completely sure how I feel about the scroll lights feeling like Harry Potter’s wand selection and the Isthmus giving vibes of the Ways from Wheel of Time, but I can think of other books that also take from those structures, and I don’t read enough fantasy to know what came first, so I’ll just suffice it to say that between the Islam and some key world building machinations, on top of the backmatter, and the book feels intuitive and familiar.
FLAGS:
mentioned above, but in addition there are assassins, and theft, and ensuring that a female prisoner has not been touched, nothing is detailed or sensationalized. I am tempted to do the audio again with my 11 year old, I think anything “flag worthy” would be taken in the context intended and anything implying something more would fly under his radar, but even if it didn’t it would be a teachable moment, and the way it is presented would not be too mature for him.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION
I would love to read this with a diverse group (ages, faith, gender, familiarity with the genre) and discuss.
