5 stars. THWACK!
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Jebel Rum is a thin kid. Even if he eats like me, he still remains thin and small and weak.
His father, Rashed Rum, is the EXECUTIONER! And that's not a fact to sneer at. Executioners are only second to the Ruler of the Abu Aineh.
Rashed is the best Executioner they ever had ir ever would have. Only one chop and heads roll. In Abu Aineh, Every crime, whether it was murder of a king or stealing a piece of moldy rotten bread, was punished in one way and one way only- EXECUTION.
Thwack!
"Next!"
So..Rashed had three sons, J'An, J'Al and Jebel. Rashed was old, so he needed a succesor. The successor was to be decided by a contest and people knew that the 2 Muscular J'An or J'Al would win. Rashed spoke...he said that he would feel AWESOME if his successor was J'An or J'Al... He did not even mention Jebel.
THAT WAS A DISGRACE. Jebel felt horrible. He could not live in shame. He had to show them that he could do stuff. But how?
By a girl named Bastina, the servant of BOOT-i-Ful Debbat Alg, he indirectly got an idea. He could quest north to the mountains to petition Sabbah Eid, The God of fire, who granys invincibility to those who are successful. But a slave must be sacrificed. Who?
Tel Hesani, an Um Keshabah, agrees. In return he asks his wife and children be set free.
AGREED. SIGNED. SEALED.
So they journey. They could reach their destination easily by waters. But that was the challenge of the quest, they must not use waterways.
Land is filled with different kind of people- the Snake worshippers from Abu Nekhele to the Deadly Warriors of Abu Siq.
The story is in a third person narrative. So it lets us know the feelings of both the quester and his slave.
Jebel, is a spolit son of A-B, bloody brat. He thinks of slaves as shit. Arrogant beyond measure. Hates all who differs from his belief of gods. Despices all who take kindly to slaves. All in all, he is thick headed because of his royal family.
Tel Hesani, a wise man, A slave yet so brave, protects Jebel like a father, tries to talk sense into him and stuff. Above all, he is ready to sacrifice himself for his family.
One thing is for sure, Darren Shan surely crafted the protagonist in such a way that everyone must ABSOLUTELY HATE HIM. I did the same, I'd have sent him for execution straight away. He treats Tel Hesani like Scum. But Tel Hesani's faith doesn't waver.
Along the travel they meet all kind of deadly creatures. Tel expertly helps Jebel even though Jebel is not thankful. They get acquainted with two traders called Master Bush and Blair, who bring them fortune and its antonym.
They meet deadly warriors, wonderful artista, Bat-lovers
aaaand
even CANNIBALS.
I can say no more...You must read it. This is a tale on life. How people regard others and how they actually should. The transformation of a spoiler brat into a noble man, how he changed. Why he changed. What made him change.
BRILLIANT!