Engraved on the Eye by Saladin Ahmed

One of the most unique new voices in the genre belongs to Saladin Ahmed. His debut novel Throne of the Crescent Moon was the very first debut novel I reviewed. So when I heard that Ridan Publishing was releasing a collection of Ahmed's short fiction, I was understandably excited. With a low price and an immediate release date, I snatched it up and blocked out some quality time with the e-reader.

Fans of Throne of the Crescent Moon will be pleased to know that Ahmed chooses to open this collection with another story of Dr. Adoulla Mahkslood and Raseed bas Raseed. Where Virtue Lives tells the tale of the venerable ghul hunter's first meeting and subsequent adventure with the young dervish. Ahmed does an excellent job of showcasing the vastly different world views of these two signature characters while demonstrating the wisdom of their partnership. Fans of the series will be right at home, but Ahmed also provides just enough background detail to reveal the rich setting that is Dhamsawaat. As always, Ahmed has a moral in mind. Raseed's revelation that the virtue he prizes so highly might come from unexpected sources is the heart of this glimpse into the early days of our heroes.

The collection continues with two more stories set in the world of The Throne of the Crescent Moon. The first, Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela tells the story of a court physiker who is temporarily exiled from the Caliph's court to the backwaters of the kingdom because of his own impertinence. While in Beit Zujaaj, he hears of a hermit of questionable parentage who lives on the outskirts of the village and is the subject of all manner of small town suspicion and gossip. When he is called upon to help the hermit's ailing wife he is faced with something out of nightmare that promises him his heart's desire and a return to court besides. This entry reads like a fairy tale, and is rich with Ahmed's signature style. He definitely adds a new layer to the flavor of his most famous setting. 

The final tale in a familiar setting is the excellent Judgement of Swords and Souls. Set in the Lodge of God, home of the blue garbed Dervishes, this story tells the tale of Layla bas Layla. She has come into conflict with many of the Shaykhs due to her choice to wear a red scarf handed down by her deceased mother against the traditions of her adopted family. Layla is caught in a power struggle between the current head of the order and those who would weaken his position, but chooses to stick by her oath to wear the scarf despite the objections of those who would persecute her for breaking an unwritten and obscure dictum. The clash that follows changes both the direction of the Lodge and the path of Layla's life and I, for one, hope that this character makes an appearance in the sequel to Throne of the Crescent Moon. Ahmed's choice to reveal more detail about the organization that shaped Raseed bas Raseed was inspired, giving us an insight into a beloved character while adding yet another layer of depth to the setting and hopefully another character as well. 

The rest of the collection are unconnected to the world that has brought Ahmed such critical acclaim, but were all published previously. Some were even contenders for both the Nebula and Campbell awards. These accolades are well earned. These stories, perhaps more than Throne of the Crescent Moon, reveal more about the author and his thoughts on his place as an Arab-American dealing with a society that preaches acceptance on one hand and yet is so full of judgement and prejudice on the other. In Doctor Diablo Goes Through The Motions, Ahmed tells the story of a super-powered criminal who's observations on his fellows and adversaries is full of equal parts razor-sharp sarcasm and astute commentary on racial stereotypes and the criminal justice system. While I doubt this character could support a longer story, I found myself loving his wit and weariness and was saddened by the necessary brevity of his tale. 

Given recent events on the global stage, I found General Akmed's Revenge? to be the most thought provoking tale in the collection. This story explores the dichotomy of an immigrant's love/hate relationship with his adopted home, shining a spotlight on the prejudices and stereotyping that is all too present in American society. As a Southerner, I'm all too familiar with the themes of this story. While I certainly don't share the reprehensible traits presented, the stark focus of this story made me more than a little uncomfortable. And that is the true strength of this story, which deftly balances commentary with unexpected humor. More than anything else contained in this volume, General Akmed's Revenge? begs to be read. 

My favorite story of the collection was the surprising mash-up of Arab flavor and the Old West, Mister Hadj's Sunset Ride. Reminiscent of the Charles Bronson flick, Red Sun, Ahmed tells the story of a bounty hunter from 'Araby' and his young partner who is on the trail of a trio of deadly outlaws who hide their villainy behind a thin facade of Jesus-loving clap-trap. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this story didn't inspire the adventures of Raseed and Abdoulla. And like its more famous cousin, this story is full of magic, menace, and monsters. I was left wanting much more of this setting. 

The final two stories in the collection, The Faithful Soldier, Prompted and Iron Eyes and the Watered Down World, center around devotion and importance of family. The Faithful Soldier, Prompted is the story of man who believes he is being led to a cure for his ailing lover by a long obsolete piece of in-bedded technology from his youth in the military. Besides being an interesting take on the 'ghost in the machine' concept, this story is at its heart a tale of the lengths one man will go to to protect the love of his life. Ahmed explores prejudice again here but takes a different tack, zeroing in on the bigotry that exists within racial bounds. This didn't impact me as much as the previous story, but is nonetheless right on the money. 

Ahmed ends with a ghost story wrapped in an intriguing fantasy setting in Iron Eyes and the Watered Down World. This story follows a trio of adventurers as they try to recover a stolen memento from the world weary widower who is the wounded heart of their band. While the intensity of the protagonist's need to recover his cherished possession is all too understandable, the motivation for the theft seems arbitrary until the very end, where Ahmed wraps it all up nicely with a life changing revelation. After the hard-edged, thought provoking subject matter of the proceeding stories, it was a welcome relief.  

All in all, I have rarely read a collection of shorts that was as well polished and satisfying as Engraved on the Eye. Both fans of Throne of the Crescent Moon and those unfamiliar with Saladin Ahmed would be doing themselves a disservice in passing up on this engaging and thought-provoking collection from one of the rising stars of the genre. 

Fantastic Firsts: Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed

I love discovering new authors and finding new worlds to explore. This year has been a good year for discovery with stand out debuts from Myke Cole, Erin Morgenstern, and Douglas Hulick to name a few. I've decided to do a series of posts on debut authors in addition to the regular reviews and other features on the blog. Deciding who to start with was quite the challenge but I decided to start with an author that may not have gotten as wide reaching attention as some of the others, due to the fact that his novel doesn't have the immediate appeal that some of the others may enjoy. Saladin Ahmed's novel The Throne of the Crescent Moon falls into a category I hadn't heard of until recently. Silk road fantasy is a departure from the usual faux-European settings of the majority of the books on the fantasy shelves. Ahmed's heritage gives him a fantastic springboard from which to launch into this exciting and engaging novel.

Sorry for the small size but enlarging blurs the image.

Throne of the Crescent Moon tells the story of aging ghul hunter Dr. Adoulla Makhslood and his protegee the young holy warrior Raseed bad Raseed as they investigate a series of brutal murders in the sprawling city of Dhamsawaat. Dhamsawaat is a city on the verge of open revolt as the charismatic Falcon Prince stirs up dissent against the unpopular and cruel Khalif and the tensions between these two factions is underscored in the world view of the story's twin protagonists.

In many ways it is the contrast between Adoulla and Raseed that makes Throne of the Crescent Moon such a pleasure to read. While both men are heroes fighting to protect the people of Dhamsawaat from the forces of Traitorous Angel, Adoulla with his knowledge of magic and Raseed with the steel and martial prowess gained from his time with a militant religious order they two men couldn't be more different in their world view and personality. Ahmed deftly juxtaposes the readers expectations by making the older ghul hunter more brash, cynical and quick tempered in contrast to the milder mannered, idealistic Raseed. This is a welcome change of pace that frames the heart of the book.

This is a story of idealism versus cynicism, the weariness of age versus the exuberance of youth, extremism versus tolerance. The dialogue between the Doctor and his protege are richly steeped in these themes and lends both personality and context to the actions taken by both. Ahmed manages to weave these thematic elements into the narrative smoothly making sure that they always serve the story first and foremost.

There are many other characters that play important roles as well. All are equally well conceived and serve as far more than window dressing or extra hands on deck for action sequences or sources of information necessary for advancing the plot. Some would likely say that they are protagonists on par with Adoulla and Raseed, and in at least one case they are probably correct. I'm sure the shape shifting tribeswoman Zamia will appear in later books in an even more prominent role. The important thing is that Ahmed manages to make even tertiary characters matter. Case in point, when a minor character dies late in the story I was genuinely sad. Not because that character was important to the story or to me as a reader, but because I understood through just a few brief interactions with one of our heroes the whys and hows of his importance to that hero.

Many fantasy readers will tell you that the most important character in any other world fantasy is the setting itself. The Throne of the Crescent Moon shines here as well. Ahmed's Dhamsawaat and its surrounding environs are described in lush detail. This is not a typical fantasy story dressing in flowing silks and replacing its longsword with a scimitar. The descriptions of foods, furnishings, architecture, and even the particulars of dialect feel authentic and after just a few chapters even the most myopic reader of Euro-fantasy will feel right at home. Compared to other fantasy novels steeped in unfamiliar real world cultures that I've read in the past, Ahmed makes it look easy.

The action sequences were well scripted with some high tension moments complete with excellent use of psychology that made even these scenes reflect the character of the participants. The magic system used was flavorful if not intricately explained. There is a real feeling of sword and sorcery novels, where magic systems and world building fade into the background and it is all about the characters and their journey. I'm certain all of those details are there, but they stay respectfully behind the curtain so as not to distract us. Ahmed's light touch makes it easy to forget you are reading at all.

The pacing is brisk, except for a slow section in the middle while injuries are allowed to heal and information is gathered, but it gave me room to breathe for a minute. The book is short, but the story is complete, engaging, and most of all fun. I eagerly await more tales from Dhamsawaat.