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Ilauris
Al-Kabar
Without a Sultan, corrupt Fire Dancers and their pompous Caliphs abuse power and wage fruitless wars across the parched sands of Serescine.
Fakhira wishes her family could afford to solve their problems with magic. Sometimes, wishes come true. In the worst possible way. A simple peasant, she'll have to find the strength to survive and shoulder her fate before the desert is bathed in the blood of innocents.
The Fires blaze in dozens of wild, capricious Dancers.
The Waters anoint only one champion, one Al-Kabar to serve--and save--the people of the desert.
Fakhira wishes her family could afford to solve their problems with magic. Sometimes, wishes come true. In the worst possible way. A simple peasant, she'll have to find the strength to survive and shoulder her fate before the desert is bathed in the blood of innocents.
The Fires blaze in dozens of wild, capricious Dancers.
The Waters anoint only one champion, one Al-Kabar to serve--and save--the people of the desert.
- GenresFantasy
356 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2015
3 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 29, 2019
I enjoyed this book. I found the setting very interesting and refreshing. The concept was good too and I liked the characters. However, at times, I found the pace a bit disjointed. Lots of build up to a fight scene and then it ends anti-climactically. Or weak dialogue/writing at times. So i felt pulled in and pulled out. I feel like it needed more editing/reworking at times. But i'm glad i read it.
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March 11, 2023A tale with an interesting setting and many good moments, but I'm loath to recommend it because of how the ending is handled. It builds up to a big confrontation and then... nothing, skip to epilogue, like a whole chapter went missing. Very jarring.
October 12, 2023
2.5 stars. Pacing was a little weird at times... would start to build up for a big scene and then just... move on to the next one. The love quadrilateral was just silly. The excessive use of rape as the main driving plotline was also a bit much.
February 22, 2019
The story was a little slow and hard to follow in spots. The heroine was definitely kick ass once she stopped pretending to be a man.
September 17, 2015
Fakhira’s home and almost all the people she knew were slaughtered in the middle of a war for power between two power-hungry men. Fakhira is devastated, but when she is chosen as the Champion of the Waters, she will rise to the challenge and the call to help those who can’t help themselves. What begins as hope for revenge will only end when Fakhira learns who she is and how she can lead a people to peace.
This story sucked me in from the very first page. There was such great detail and the tone and environment of a culturally inspired Arabia in the 900’s was eloquently developed from the very beginning. The first page and then first chapter and then rest of the book were so very excellent. The time period and culture and writing style reminded me of the Women of Genesis series by Orson Scott Card. French did an amazing job of putting me exactly where her setting was and making me feel like I was there in the middle of the action.
The story was more about Fakhira then about the time or the place. Fakhira is one of the role models for females. She is able to take things as they come. She is a strong character even in situations where she cannot do anything but control her impulses and not let herself get caught. I love how clever, thoughtful, and logical she is. Ultimately Fakhira was strong, yet still human.
French featured the most interesting and twisted love triangle I’ve ever encountered in a book. French plays with gender fluidity and sexual preferences. Though, due to the time and place of the book, a woman would most likely never be a leader, French also shows us Jannat, a strong woman warrior. French shows us the possibilities in a society where there are few chances and few possibilities for females to be their true selves if that true self is a leader or fighter with Al-Kabbar, Fakhira and Jannat.
This story sucked me in from the very first page. There was such great detail and the tone and environment of a culturally inspired Arabia in the 900’s was eloquently developed from the very beginning. The first page and then first chapter and then rest of the book were so very excellent. The time period and culture and writing style reminded me of the Women of Genesis series by Orson Scott Card. French did an amazing job of putting me exactly where her setting was and making me feel like I was there in the middle of the action.
The story was more about Fakhira then about the time or the place. Fakhira is one of the role models for females. She is able to take things as they come. She is a strong character even in situations where she cannot do anything but control her impulses and not let herself get caught. I love how clever, thoughtful, and logical she is. Ultimately Fakhira was strong, yet still human.
French featured the most interesting and twisted love triangle I’ve ever encountered in a book. French plays with gender fluidity and sexual preferences. Though, due to the time and place of the book, a woman would most likely never be a leader, French also shows us Jannat, a strong woman warrior. French shows us the possibilities in a society where there are few chances and few possibilities for females to be their true selves if that true self is a leader or fighter with Al-Kabbar, Fakhira and Jannat.
September 29, 2015
I haven't read a straight fantasy novel for what feels like the longest time ever. And, when I get the opportunity to read a novel such as Al-Kabar, I really question why I don't read a lot more in this genre!
Al-Kabar is what I would consider Middle Eastern Fantasy. There is deserts and magic and mages galore. I really love the feel of this novel, the author draws you in immediately and sets the scene nicely with the main character meeting a potential suitor. Her family is introduced and the everyday sense of the setting is engaging.
Then, stuff happens. And since I am not a spoiler heavy reviewer, let's just say that things go down and the main character discovers she is actually Al-Kabar, a water dancer (or mage) that is set to seek revenge.
Overall, the pace of this story was great. There were a few moments where I felt the story lag and get bogged down with the fine details of what was going on, but these moments were few and far between.
My main gripe with this novel is the fact that when the main character (who is female) becomes Al-Kabar, she transforms into, for all intents and purposes, a male character. While I loved the conflict that occurs after this transformation, when it first occurred, there was some confusion as the character was suddenly being referred to as a male when a chapter ago they were being referred to as a woman. However, this hiccup has been amended between the ARC and the published copy, so all readers have to do is sit back and enjoy the show!
Over all, I am giving Al-Kabar by Lee French, 4 out of 5 stars. I really, REALLY enjoyed this book!
Al-Kabar is what I would consider Middle Eastern Fantasy. There is deserts and magic and mages galore. I really love the feel of this novel, the author draws you in immediately and sets the scene nicely with the main character meeting a potential suitor. Her family is introduced and the everyday sense of the setting is engaging.
Then, stuff happens. And since I am not a spoiler heavy reviewer, let's just say that things go down and the main character discovers she is actually Al-Kabar, a water dancer (or mage) that is set to seek revenge.
Overall, the pace of this story was great. There were a few moments where I felt the story lag and get bogged down with the fine details of what was going on, but these moments were few and far between.
My main gripe with this novel is the fact that when the main character (who is female) becomes Al-Kabar, she transforms into, for all intents and purposes, a male character. While I loved the conflict that occurs after this transformation, when it first occurred, there was some confusion as the character was suddenly being referred to as a male when a chapter ago they were being referred to as a woman. However, this hiccup has been amended between the ARC and the published copy, so all readers have to do is sit back and enjoy the show!
Over all, I am giving Al-Kabar by Lee French, 4 out of 5 stars. I really, REALLY enjoyed this book!
October 2, 2015
I have to say, Al-Kabar by indie author, Lee French has one of the best covers I've ever seen.
The Blurb:
Without a Sultan, corrupt Fire Dancers and their pompous Caliphs abuse power and wage fruitless wars across the parched sands of Serescine.
Fakhira wishes her family could afford to solve their problems with magic. Sometimes, wishes come true. In the worst possible way. A simple peasant, she'll have to find the strength to survive and shoulder her fate before the desert is bathed in the blood of innocents.
The Fires blaze in dozens of wild, capricious Dancers.
The Waters anoint only one champion, one Al-Kabar to serve--and save--the people of the desert.
My Review:
This is a complex tale about complex characters. Fakhiri has many layers, and is made of stronger stuff than she imagined. Al Kabar teeters on the brink of becoming that which he fights to over throw, and Tahjis the Rat tries to hold everything together. Korval becomes what he always believed he was, but not without a struggle.
The setting is vivid, and the action is pretty much non-stop. There are several places where twists I hadn't seen coming made their appearance, which made it a real reading adventure.
This is a good, immersive, stand-alone fantasy novel. I give it 5 stars and look forward to reading more novels by Lee French.
The Blurb:
Without a Sultan, corrupt Fire Dancers and their pompous Caliphs abuse power and wage fruitless wars across the parched sands of Serescine.
Fakhira wishes her family could afford to solve their problems with magic. Sometimes, wishes come true. In the worst possible way. A simple peasant, she'll have to find the strength to survive and shoulder her fate before the desert is bathed in the blood of innocents.
The Fires blaze in dozens of wild, capricious Dancers.
The Waters anoint only one champion, one Al-Kabar to serve--and save--the people of the desert.
My Review:
This is a complex tale about complex characters. Fakhiri has many layers, and is made of stronger stuff than she imagined. Al Kabar teeters on the brink of becoming that which he fights to over throw, and Tahjis the Rat tries to hold everything together. Korval becomes what he always believed he was, but not without a struggle.
The setting is vivid, and the action is pretty much non-stop. There are several places where twists I hadn't seen coming made their appearance, which made it a real reading adventure.
This is a good, immersive, stand-alone fantasy novel. I give it 5 stars and look forward to reading more novels by Lee French.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews