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A Time to Tour Ghost City
A young woman on vacation with her parents discovers she can see ghosts in the Stone City of the Crescent Valley. When her parents are taken hostage by a rogue tour guide, she must mediate with one of the ghosts to get them back. But ghosts are the least of her problems in this perilous adventure that takes her back thousands of years, to a time when the Valley flourished with life and a legendary Brotherhood roamed its sands.
48 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 23, 2016
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About the author
Anjum Noor Choudhury
8 books8 followersAnjum N. Choudhury is a Bangladeshi author of fantasy fiction. She became a policy researcher after earning a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Mount Holyoke College. Currently based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, she is getting her M.Sc. in Global Public Policy with a special focus on Climate Policy from SOAS University of London.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 15, 2017
Leela and her parents were on a three-day holiday. They decided to hire a tour guide for the duration of their stay, smooth talking Altaf.
Leela didn’t trust, nor like Altaf, especially after he took a fondness towards her. One morning Altaf took the family to Crescent Valley, to the Stone City. Whilst there, Leela started noticing strange events, including strange people up on the cliffs, but no-one else seemed to be able to see them. In the end she blamed the heat from the sun, which had given her a headache for the visions.
Later that night Altaf kidnapped her, telling her he knew that she had seen the people in the city, and that legend had it that there was treasure buried there, and only those who can see the people from years gone by, can find it.
A Time to Tour Ghost City, is a very short book, at only 48 pages long. The blurb had me eager to read it, and hoping it was something that I could read in under an hour, and really sink my teeth into.
However the book lacked what all short stories/novellas need; fast pace. The book was slow throughout. There is no time in a short story to have that build up, the slow-paced middle, and then the fast-paced ending. Yet this book was just one slow pace throughout. There was no real action, no heart-racing scenes, and there was nothing scary about it, which I was hoping to be a little shocked, seeing as we were dealing with ghosts.
The book mainly consisted of Leela and Altaf, with a few minor scenes with others. Unfortunately both of them lacked character, and I didn’t feel any connection to them, nor were interested in their plight. I also couldn’t tell you where this book is set, as it isn’t mentioned, either that or I completely missed it. I did re-read chapter one, and it certainly isn’t stated there. I can only presume it is set in India, due to the mention of Indian motifs in the valley, but I’m not certain.
The story was filled with descriptions, whether that was of the scenery, or of the the characters. This is partly to blame for the slow pace. Yes these were written wonderfully, and you could get a real picture of what the place, and the people looked like. There was just too much of it, and often it felt like padding. Remove a lot of what I feel was unnecessary descriptions, and you cut probably cut this book down to around 44 pages, instead of 48.
A prime example of this is right at the start when we meet Altaf. 'He was very handsome, and he knew it. His dark face was precisely rectangular with high cheekbones, a strong jaw and a resolute cleft chin. He had a head full of luscious black curls he kept trimmed just below his ears, and he had a wide devilish smile that unabashedly showed off a tiny gap between his upper incisors. The most lethal of his traits, however had nothing to do with his boyish rugged good looks. It was his indomitable charm'.
For a short book, I found it hard to read, and it took me a while to get through it, as I lost interest once the family had returned from the Stone City. But I made sure that persevered, as it wouldn’t be fair to judge a book until I had read all of it. This just isn’t a book for me, I’m afraid.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Leela didn’t trust, nor like Altaf, especially after he took a fondness towards her. One morning Altaf took the family to Crescent Valley, to the Stone City. Whilst there, Leela started noticing strange events, including strange people up on the cliffs, but no-one else seemed to be able to see them. In the end she blamed the heat from the sun, which had given her a headache for the visions.
Later that night Altaf kidnapped her, telling her he knew that she had seen the people in the city, and that legend had it that there was treasure buried there, and only those who can see the people from years gone by, can find it.
A Time to Tour Ghost City, is a very short book, at only 48 pages long. The blurb had me eager to read it, and hoping it was something that I could read in under an hour, and really sink my teeth into.
However the book lacked what all short stories/novellas need; fast pace. The book was slow throughout. There is no time in a short story to have that build up, the slow-paced middle, and then the fast-paced ending. Yet this book was just one slow pace throughout. There was no real action, no heart-racing scenes, and there was nothing scary about it, which I was hoping to be a little shocked, seeing as we were dealing with ghosts.
The book mainly consisted of Leela and Altaf, with a few minor scenes with others. Unfortunately both of them lacked character, and I didn’t feel any connection to them, nor were interested in their plight. I also couldn’t tell you where this book is set, as it isn’t mentioned, either that or I completely missed it. I did re-read chapter one, and it certainly isn’t stated there. I can only presume it is set in India, due to the mention of Indian motifs in the valley, but I’m not certain.
The story was filled with descriptions, whether that was of the scenery, or of the the characters. This is partly to blame for the slow pace. Yes these were written wonderfully, and you could get a real picture of what the place, and the people looked like. There was just too much of it, and often it felt like padding. Remove a lot of what I feel was unnecessary descriptions, and you cut probably cut this book down to around 44 pages, instead of 48.
A prime example of this is right at the start when we meet Altaf. 'He was very handsome, and he knew it. His dark face was precisely rectangular with high cheekbones, a strong jaw and a resolute cleft chin. He had a head full of luscious black curls he kept trimmed just below his ears, and he had a wide devilish smile that unabashedly showed off a tiny gap between his upper incisors. The most lethal of his traits, however had nothing to do with his boyish rugged good looks. It was his indomitable charm'.
For a short book, I found it hard to read, and it took me a while to get through it, as I lost interest once the family had returned from the Stone City. But I made sure that persevered, as it wouldn’t be fair to judge a book until I had read all of it. This just isn’t a book for me, I’m afraid.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
September 30, 2016
There were moments I liked A Time to Tour Ghost City a lot. It felt like reading a different take on early Indiana Jones movies. There was a little bit of action, romance, and treasure hunting in a foreign country packed into the story. I enjoyed the clear disconnect when dealing with people speaking other languages—that felt real. There was a fun scene where they escape from what might have been Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
During this short there were two major characters of note and the story is written from the point of view of a female protagonist. There were a lot of entertaining observations in how the main character viewed the male lead—mostly in the form of eye rolling inner commentary that made me snicker. The book itself was easy to read and felt well-polished from a technical standpoint.
There were two moments that confused the daylights out of me. First, there is a kiss that came out of nowhere. This made me rewind then try to understand where the turning point was. Those interested in the relationship aspect will see self-denial of attraction, a jarring moment where feelings burst through followed by a hot/cold relationship that is left open ended. Second, there was a leap where the main character suddenly accepts that she’s traveled through time to chase ghosts—after being captured by our potential Forty Thieves. Both moments left me flipping pages back and forth rereading to try and understand.
Readers looking for a short story that doesn’t ever disconnect them may not like this work. In the end, I gave the book a three because those moments jarred me excessively. However, taken for what it is, a short story with a pretty cover involving a dreamlike treasure hunt through the past—it has merit. I purchased a copy due to the current price and felt satisfied with the exchange. My final judgment is that this work would have been far more likable in a smoother novella instead of a short story—and could have easily come away with a higher rating.
https://frustratedego.com/
During this short there were two major characters of note and the story is written from the point of view of a female protagonist. There were a lot of entertaining observations in how the main character viewed the male lead—mostly in the form of eye rolling inner commentary that made me snicker. The book itself was easy to read and felt well-polished from a technical standpoint.
There were two moments that confused the daylights out of me. First, there is a kiss that came out of nowhere. This made me rewind then try to understand where the turning point was. Those interested in the relationship aspect will see self-denial of attraction, a jarring moment where feelings burst through followed by a hot/cold relationship that is left open ended. Second, there was a leap where the main character suddenly accepts that she’s traveled through time to chase ghosts—after being captured by our potential Forty Thieves. Both moments left me flipping pages back and forth rereading to try and understand.
Readers looking for a short story that doesn’t ever disconnect them may not like this work. In the end, I gave the book a three because those moments jarred me excessively. However, taken for what it is, a short story with a pretty cover involving a dreamlike treasure hunt through the past—it has merit. I purchased a copy due to the current price and felt satisfied with the exchange. My final judgment is that this work would have been far more likable in a smoother novella instead of a short story—and could have easily come away with a higher rating.
https://frustratedego.com/
September 11, 2016
I would like to thank the author, Anjum Noor Choudhury, for providing me a free copy of her novel in exchange of an honest review.
I have given this novel a 3.5 stars
The plot of the story was very interesting, and I wouldn't say I have read a lot of novels with which time travel is involved. It was fast paced and it did kind of reminded me of Aladdin.
The characters were not as wholesome as I had hoped they would be, although it might be expected as it is after all a short story - and is therefore limited. But I simply did not connect with neither of the two main. However, I did find some of their interactions to be quite amusing and found myself giggling.
Leela is able to see ghost, and Altaf is desperate to severe his link with the people he works for, and in this he kidnaps the parents of the girl he may or may not genuinely like in the hope to find the hidden treasure in the pyramids with the help of Leela's unusual gift. There was no real chemistry between these characters - it was more like pent up sexual frustration and desperation to escape from their situations, Altaf from his line of work and Leela from the predicament she is faced with being kidnapped and all. But nevertheless, I did enjoy their exchanges and found them quite amusing more often than not.
I think the best thing about this novel is the world building. Choundhury did a great job in allowing the reader to experience the setting of the story - and I really enjoyed this aspect of the novella!
Overall, I think the author did a good job in creating the setting and allowing the reader to experience Arabia in its present state and its former.
I have given this novel a 3.5 stars
The plot of the story was very interesting, and I wouldn't say I have read a lot of novels with which time travel is involved. It was fast paced and it did kind of reminded me of Aladdin.
The characters were not as wholesome as I had hoped they would be, although it might be expected as it is after all a short story - and is therefore limited. But I simply did not connect with neither of the two main. However, I did find some of their interactions to be quite amusing and found myself giggling.
Leela is able to see ghost, and Altaf is desperate to severe his link with the people he works for, and in this he kidnaps the parents of the girl he may or may not genuinely like in the hope to find the hidden treasure in the pyramids with the help of Leela's unusual gift. There was no real chemistry between these characters - it was more like pent up sexual frustration and desperation to escape from their situations, Altaf from his line of work and Leela from the predicament she is faced with being kidnapped and all. But nevertheless, I did enjoy their exchanges and found them quite amusing more often than not.
I think the best thing about this novel is the world building. Choundhury did a great job in allowing the reader to experience the setting of the story - and I really enjoyed this aspect of the novella!
Overall, I think the author did a good job in creating the setting and allowing the reader to experience Arabia in its present state and its former.
December 19, 2016
Now this is my kind of story! Give me a few ghosts; a brave heroine who doesn’t wait for some fellow to save her; a treasure hunt in an ancient city; and a crooked tour guide and I’m as happy as an oyster with a pearl. Which is a fitting description for A Time to Tour Ghost City. I cracked open this novella and was pleasantly surprised with characters that could easily have been real people, superb conflict between the two main characters—Leela (our feisty heroine) and Altaf (our thieving hero)—as well as high stakes for both characters, and a slip into the past via a time travel tunnel.
The story starts with our heroine, Leela, rebuffing the attentions of our hero, Altaf. After plying Leela with a hallucinatory drug, Altaf kidnaps Leela and drives her to Stone City in the Crescent Valley. There, he attempts to force her to help him find a treasure, one that is hidden in the valley and is large enough to get him out of debt to a mobster and with money left over to spend on a college education. Now who can be mad at a person who wants to better themself? Even if they are a thief. Leela can! She is angry for many reasons but mostly because her parents, with whom she is traveling, will be worried about her when she doesn’t show up for their departing flight the next day. Even after Altaf explains that she is the only one the ghosts present themselves to and the ghosts know where the treasure is hidden, she has no desire to help him. But eventually, driven by her own curiosity and need to know, Leela embarks on the adventure. She also considers that the sooner she can prove him wrong about the ghosts and the treasure, the sooner she can return to her parents. And here is where the story explodes with excitement. Altaf is right. The ghosts lead Leela right to the treasure and to danger…
If you want to know what happens next, all I’ll say is if you enjoyed movies like Romancing the Stone or Indiana Jones, you will enjoy this book. The ending is noble. The ending delivers, and from page one to the end, there’s great intrigue, beautiful descriptions and a fluid writing that is captivating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to keep an eye on this writer for her future releases. Great read!
The story starts with our heroine, Leela, rebuffing the attentions of our hero, Altaf. After plying Leela with a hallucinatory drug, Altaf kidnaps Leela and drives her to Stone City in the Crescent Valley. There, he attempts to force her to help him find a treasure, one that is hidden in the valley and is large enough to get him out of debt to a mobster and with money left over to spend on a college education. Now who can be mad at a person who wants to better themself? Even if they are a thief. Leela can! She is angry for many reasons but mostly because her parents, with whom she is traveling, will be worried about her when she doesn’t show up for their departing flight the next day. Even after Altaf explains that she is the only one the ghosts present themselves to and the ghosts know where the treasure is hidden, she has no desire to help him. But eventually, driven by her own curiosity and need to know, Leela embarks on the adventure. She also considers that the sooner she can prove him wrong about the ghosts and the treasure, the sooner she can return to her parents. And here is where the story explodes with excitement. Altaf is right. The ghosts lead Leela right to the treasure and to danger…
If you want to know what happens next, all I’ll say is if you enjoyed movies like Romancing the Stone or Indiana Jones, you will enjoy this book. The ending is noble. The ending delivers, and from page one to the end, there’s great intrigue, beautiful descriptions and a fluid writing that is captivating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to keep an eye on this writer for her future releases. Great read!
September 8, 2016
This story will give make you want to re-watch Aladdin all over again. I really enjoyed this story. The premise is very interesting. A young girl alongside her annoying tour guide gets sucked into a ghostly time-travel adventure. The story is fast paced and the plot progression is really good. The story reads like a folktale yet is very different. I liked how it managed to create images in my head of Arabia. However personally for me the characters were a problem. I liked that they were of Indian and Arabian origin. It's difficult to find a story where the main protagonist is not white. I liked them enough however, I didn't connect to them as much as I wanted to. I felt like there were some inconsistency with their traits. I understand due to this being a short story, there wasn't enough room to fully flesh out the characters but they were the weak links in this story for me. In all a very good read.
December 24, 2016
A Time to Tour Ghost City was a quick and enjoyable read. It’s 48 pages, but feels much longer as you read it. And that’s not in a bad way. Choudhury was able to pull off great character and story development in that amount. There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes, but for the most part the writing was spot on.
There was one thing that bothered me and that was the kiss out of nowhere. It just felt forced and wasn’t, in my opinion organic for the character to do. Yes, later when they are pretending to be married, to protect themselves, but not when they were in the cave.
Overall it was a great, short read that kept me engaged.
There was one thing that bothered me and that was the kiss out of nowhere. It just felt forced and wasn’t, in my opinion organic for the character to do. Yes, later when they are pretending to be married, to protect themselves, but not when they were in the cave.
Overall it was a great, short read that kept me engaged.
September 11, 2016
Anjum's novella is a fun and quick read.
With interesting cultural references and beautiful scenery, her writing allows you to be with the characters. Visiting the places and times the character visits and sitting on edge as a common storyline, usually saturated with overuse, becomes an original idea. This novella is great for all ages and reads with a nice flow of plot development.
With interesting cultural references and beautiful scenery, her writing allows you to be with the characters. Visiting the places and times the character visits and sitting on edge as a common storyline, usually saturated with overuse, becomes an original idea. This novella is great for all ages and reads with a nice flow of plot development.
April 6, 2024
Beautifully Written Prose
A charming and descriptive short story that took me to a place I have never been, but now I feel it familiar.
A charming and descriptive short story that took me to a place I have never been, but now I feel it familiar.
September 11, 2016
I got pressured into reading it and albeit my initial disdain for everything about it, it was rather enjoyable once the initial few pages were behind. As a budding author, there is definitely much for Anjum Noor Choudhury to learn but there is promise in these little short stories of her.
The premise of the story revolves around a young girl and her paranormal misadventures in some desert archaeological dig site turned museum-ish hub city. The plot of the story is rather straightforward but with a nice play on how it spans out. The setting is pleasant and simple enough to follow through for the most part. But the characters playing through it all was where I had objections rising. The two main characters felt like check-list creations with one dimensional reactions that really didn't fit the situation. And it wasn't one of the good check-lists either.
Aside from that, the story didn't feel too rushed or too slow, which is one of the major reason I avoid tend to avoid new writers(the other one being characters). But A Time to Tour Ghost City did that pretty nicely and that made it worth going through till the end. If there was a second hand in the creative process, i.e. an editor of some sort, it probably could have been an absolute blast to read through.
The premise of the story revolves around a young girl and her paranormal misadventures in some desert archaeological dig site turned museum-ish hub city. The plot of the story is rather straightforward but with a nice play on how it spans out. The setting is pleasant and simple enough to follow through for the most part. But the characters playing through it all was where I had objections rising. The two main characters felt like check-list creations with one dimensional reactions that really didn't fit the situation. And it wasn't one of the good check-lists either.
Aside from that, the story didn't feel too rushed or too slow, which is one of the major reason I avoid tend to avoid new writers(the other one being characters). But A Time to Tour Ghost City did that pretty nicely and that made it worth going through till the end. If there was a second hand in the creative process, i.e. an editor of some sort, it probably could have been an absolute blast to read through.
December 6, 2016
A wonderful setting, ghosts, and a plucky heroine make A Time to Tour Ghost City an entertaining quick read.
Leela is on holiday in the Crescent Valley with her parents when their tour guide, Altaf, on realising Leela can see the ghosts of the Stone City, takes her parents hostage. In order to free her parents, Leela must help him find the hidden treasure of the Stone City.
As Leela has to negotiate the Stone City and the ghosts that live there in order to assist the guide, they are not prepared for what happens during their mission as it takes them to where they never thought it was possible to go. What ensues is a fast paced story.
Rich descriptions of the Stone City in the present and past conjured up images of Petra for me as Anjum leads us on an Arabian adventure with all the sights, sounds and heat of the setting. She has done a great job of setting the scene and immersing the reader in the surroundings.
I loved the fact that the main characters were Indian and Arabian. I did, however, find it a little difficult to connect with the two main characters which may in part be due to the length of the book as there was not much room for character development. The characters did not feel authentic to me and the relationship between Leela and Altaf was inconsistent at times.
On the whole A Time To Tour Ghost City is an enjoyable easy read reminiscent of Ali Baba but with a modern twist.
Thank you to Anjum Choudhury for the copy.
Leela is on holiday in the Crescent Valley with her parents when their tour guide, Altaf, on realising Leela can see the ghosts of the Stone City, takes her parents hostage. In order to free her parents, Leela must help him find the hidden treasure of the Stone City.
As Leela has to negotiate the Stone City and the ghosts that live there in order to assist the guide, they are not prepared for what happens during their mission as it takes them to where they never thought it was possible to go. What ensues is a fast paced story.
Rich descriptions of the Stone City in the present and past conjured up images of Petra for me as Anjum leads us on an Arabian adventure with all the sights, sounds and heat of the setting. She has done a great job of setting the scene and immersing the reader in the surroundings.
I loved the fact that the main characters were Indian and Arabian. I did, however, find it a little difficult to connect with the two main characters which may in part be due to the length of the book as there was not much room for character development. The characters did not feel authentic to me and the relationship between Leela and Altaf was inconsistent at times.
On the whole A Time To Tour Ghost City is an enjoyable easy read reminiscent of Ali Baba but with a modern twist.
Thank you to Anjum Choudhury for the copy.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews