Saladin Ahmed’s name regularly kept coming up on lists of fantasy authors to check out. Last Christmas I put “Throne of the Crescent Moon”, book one of The Crescent Moon Kingdoms series, on my wish list, in June it came with me on a family vacation. The vast majority of the fantasy I’ve read over the years has been in some way based on/inspired by feudal Europe. TotCM is written from a different perspective with roots in Middle Eastern culture and that made it quite refreshing.
Instead of a dashing, young man setting out on the adventure that shapes his life, we have Doctor Adoulla Makshlood. A man in his 60s facing the prospect of retirement, due to age, or death from the mystical ghuls he hunts, due to age. With no one trained in the magic arts necessary to destroy ghuls to continue after him, Adoulla feels a responsibility to keep going regardless of his own heart’s desires.
The narrative of the story is passed among several characters but in this volume Adoulla’s story is the main thread. Not as young as he used to be, Adoulla is accompanied by Raseed, a young warrior priest who serves as his protector and ghul hunting assistant. A favor for a friend sets in motion their eventual discovery of an evil plot, “that threatens to turn the great city of Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin”.
Early in their investigations their partnership is thrown off kilter when they meet the fierce, God-gifted Zamia, who can transform into a terrifying lioness. Different events set her on the same path as Adoulla and Raseed but common goals keep them working together. But what adventuring party is complete without a healer and a wizard? Fortunately, Adoulla has close friends whom he has worked with for many years with those skills, a necessity when you are fighting magical forces. Litaz is a skilled healer and alkhemist. Her husband, Dawoud, a masterful spell caster trading life energy for mystical powers.
The story that follows is fairly typical fantasy fair. The capital city of the Crescent Moon Kingdom, Dhamsawaat, is churning with a power struggle between the over zealous young Kalif (not as beloved as his father) and a mysterious figure called the Falcon Prince. The Falcon Prince has been playing Robin Hood much to the throne’s dismay. As rebellion starts stewing in the streets, grisly murders begin occurring and our heroes are set in motion unaware of how high the stakes actually are.
Saladin creates a rich world and characters that while magically blessed are very much human. Throne of the Crescent Moon was a delightful read and in future when my too read pile is smaller, I would be interested in seeing where the story goes from here in the second volume.
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