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The Blasphemy Law
The Blasphemy Law is set in modern-day Pakistan, a South Asian country astride the geopolitical and ideological fault-line of Asia.
With the world’s 13th most powerful military, the 6th largest nuclear arsenal, a population of 207 million, high illiteracy, grinding poverty, and burgeoning support for Islamic fundamentalism, it is a nuclear-charged powder keg waiting to explode.
Terrorist groups vie for supremacy, trying to create conditions to topple the corrupt and fractured administration.
An Australian engineer, Jane Kelly, has completed installing solar panels to electrify a remote village in Central Punjab. She unwittingly runs afoul of a powerful and ruthless feudal landowner. He uses an emerging terrorist group to frame her for blasphemy, an offence with a mandatory death penalty.
Not satisfied with Jane’s incarceration and almost certain execution, her enemies plot to kill her family and her.
Jane’s only hope lies with her two loves, Sergei and Razane, but Razane is fighting the demons from her troubled past as a Peshmerga fighter. With the feared Pakistani Intelligence breathing down their necks, they’re running out of time, options, and hope.
This unpredictable, fast-paced thriller and erotically charged love story will have you on the edge of your seat and reading late into the night.
With the world’s 13th most powerful military, the 6th largest nuclear arsenal, a population of 207 million, high illiteracy, grinding poverty, and burgeoning support for Islamic fundamentalism, it is a nuclear-charged powder keg waiting to explode.
Terrorist groups vie for supremacy, trying to create conditions to topple the corrupt and fractured administration.
An Australian engineer, Jane Kelly, has completed installing solar panels to electrify a remote village in Central Punjab. She unwittingly runs afoul of a powerful and ruthless feudal landowner. He uses an emerging terrorist group to frame her for blasphemy, an offence with a mandatory death penalty.
Not satisfied with Jane’s incarceration and almost certain execution, her enemies plot to kill her family and her.
Jane’s only hope lies with her two loves, Sergei and Razane, but Razane is fighting the demons from her troubled past as a Peshmerga fighter. With the feared Pakistani Intelligence breathing down their necks, they’re running out of time, options, and hope.
This unpredictable, fast-paced thriller and erotically charged love story will have you on the edge of your seat and reading late into the night.
- GenresFiction
532 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 13, 2017
10 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Salman Shami
2 books7 followers"Salman is an emerging name in the field of literature..." SBS Australia
Salman Shami was born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1966 to a Pakistani Father and a Swiss Mother. He has written since an early age as a means of entertaining himself, family, and friends. Later he wrote junior fiction to have something to read to his own children at bedtime.
Salman has two Masters Degrees and is an Engineer by profession. A busy professional career meant little time to complete the arduous task of writing and publishing a book.
That all changed after he was physically attacked for talking about the injustices caused by blasphemy laws in Pakistan. Shaken by the incident and determined to do something about it Salman decided to go to war with unreasonable people with the only weapon he believes in, the proverbial pen. He hopes to contribute to pushing back the tide of intolerance and hate that threatens to engulf humankind. His cross-cultural background and his experiences in Pakistan shape his unique viewpoint.
Salman has been an outspoken critic of religious fanatics all his life. This has brought him many enemies, some of them powerful. To get an engineering degree in Pakistan students were required to enrol in Islamic Studies. His lecturer for that subject was the same person who co-founded Lashkar-e-Taiba with Osama Bin Laden. Salman used to confront him with questions about of the contradictions in Islam such as why it permitted slavery or why women were not allowed four husbands. His lecturer banned him from his classes. As a young and rebellious teenager, Salman did not realise just how dangerous the man was or how close he had come to being on a kill-list.
During his university years, Salman publicly backed a secular student union against a radical right-wing youth party, Jamaat Islami. In the course of elections, which the secular group won, he escaped being glassed, shot at, and was nearly kidnapped.
Salman lives in Australia with his family. When he is not writing, he travels, plays the guitar, and tinkers with his classic cars.
Salman Shami was born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1966 to a Pakistani Father and a Swiss Mother. He has written since an early age as a means of entertaining himself, family, and friends. Later he wrote junior fiction to have something to read to his own children at bedtime.
Salman has two Masters Degrees and is an Engineer by profession. A busy professional career meant little time to complete the arduous task of writing and publishing a book.
That all changed after he was physically attacked for talking about the injustices caused by blasphemy laws in Pakistan. Shaken by the incident and determined to do something about it Salman decided to go to war with unreasonable people with the only weapon he believes in, the proverbial pen. He hopes to contribute to pushing back the tide of intolerance and hate that threatens to engulf humankind. His cross-cultural background and his experiences in Pakistan shape his unique viewpoint.
Salman has been an outspoken critic of religious fanatics all his life. This has brought him many enemies, some of them powerful. To get an engineering degree in Pakistan students were required to enrol in Islamic Studies. His lecturer for that subject was the same person who co-founded Lashkar-e-Taiba with Osama Bin Laden. Salman used to confront him with questions about of the contradictions in Islam such as why it permitted slavery or why women were not allowed four husbands. His lecturer banned him from his classes. As a young and rebellious teenager, Salman did not realise just how dangerous the man was or how close he had come to being on a kill-list.
During his university years, Salman publicly backed a secular student union against a radical right-wing youth party, Jamaat Islami. In the course of elections, which the secular group won, he escaped being glassed, shot at, and was nearly kidnapped.
Salman lives in Australia with his family. When he is not writing, he travels, plays the guitar, and tinkers with his classic cars.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 15, 2018
I'm unsure why I put off reading The Blasphemy Law for so long. But when I did... wow!
It's a great piece of work, a great read, and it kept me reading - probably when I should have been doing other things.
It's topical and written very much with the times and current political climate. But for Jane, the protagonist who is thrust head-long into a predicament by corrupt individuals who would use the Blasphemy Law for evil, this is also very uncomfortable.
Some people won't like this story, for any one of a number of reasons, but Salman has created a masterpiece that shows many different facets of human behaviour. Some of us, even if we dare not admit it, may recognise ourselves or even people we know and love in it.
The Blasphemy Law kept me turning "electronic pages" ... and panting at the end from the rollercoaster ride.
It's a great piece of work, a great read, and it kept me reading - probably when I should have been doing other things.
It's topical and written very much with the times and current political climate. But for Jane, the protagonist who is thrust head-long into a predicament by corrupt individuals who would use the Blasphemy Law for evil, this is also very uncomfortable.
Some people won't like this story, for any one of a number of reasons, but Salman has created a masterpiece that shows many different facets of human behaviour. Some of us, even if we dare not admit it, may recognise ourselves or even people we know and love in it.
The Blasphemy Law kept me turning "electronic pages" ... and panting at the end from the rollercoaster ride.
February 24, 2018
The weaving of a thriller is an art and not many have mastered it. To find that thrill for a reader in a book that promises such an element is hard to find but Salman Shami's The Blasphemy Law is an addition to the genre.
The plot is set in modern Pakistan, a country charged with political corruption in name of religion does already create a thrill in itself. An Australian engineer, Jane Kelly, is on a verge of providing electricity in remote villages of central Punjab through installing solar panels. A ruthless landowner uses terrorism to frame her for blasphemy in the Islamic country, an offense that comes with a death penalty. He plots her execution and along with that of her family and close friends. With partial success Jane is now relying her hopes on her two lovers, Sergei and Razane, to save herself and her family. With an exploration of everyone's demons from past this book is going to have on the edge of your seat.
This political thriller covers many realistic elements as to what the people of the country endure in their daily lives. With all elements of greed, money, power, and controversial laws, this novel sets a benchmark in its genre for Asian writers to look forward too. The novel starts at the present day lives of current characters and the development of plot takes from there. Salman has a unique way of covering every aspect of developing a story, a learning if you are an aspiring writer and a pleasure for a reader. This is being said, in terms of writing a political thriller and organizing a good amount of characters in a manner that the reader doesn't feel left out at any point.
The evolution of characters is great and as a reader, I could clearly estimate that what a strong background each one of them has. The relationship between the main cast is displayed in a very authentic and an uncompromisable manner with usual twists and turns from the start. If that is not enough, the writing style will hook you up since it is fast-paced and I managed to finish it in less time than I expected after giving a glimpse on the length of the book.
The use of intertwining of multiple protagonists even after the story has a locus in its development is a plus point of this novel. The climax of the novel, I feel might have appeared before than it does in the book but that is just my opinion. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I look forward to Salman's next novel in this series as I got a sense of the next novel in the end.
4 out of 5!
The plot is set in modern Pakistan, a country charged with political corruption in name of religion does already create a thrill in itself. An Australian engineer, Jane Kelly, is on a verge of providing electricity in remote villages of central Punjab through installing solar panels. A ruthless landowner uses terrorism to frame her for blasphemy in the Islamic country, an offense that comes with a death penalty. He plots her execution and along with that of her family and close friends. With partial success Jane is now relying her hopes on her two lovers, Sergei and Razane, to save herself and her family. With an exploration of everyone's demons from past this book is going to have on the edge of your seat.
This political thriller covers many realistic elements as to what the people of the country endure in their daily lives. With all elements of greed, money, power, and controversial laws, this novel sets a benchmark in its genre for Asian writers to look forward too. The novel starts at the present day lives of current characters and the development of plot takes from there. Salman has a unique way of covering every aspect of developing a story, a learning if you are an aspiring writer and a pleasure for a reader. This is being said, in terms of writing a political thriller and organizing a good amount of characters in a manner that the reader doesn't feel left out at any point.
The evolution of characters is great and as a reader, I could clearly estimate that what a strong background each one of them has. The relationship between the main cast is displayed in a very authentic and an uncompromisable manner with usual twists and turns from the start. If that is not enough, the writing style will hook you up since it is fast-paced and I managed to finish it in less time than I expected after giving a glimpse on the length of the book.
The use of intertwining of multiple protagonists even after the story has a locus in its development is a plus point of this novel. The climax of the novel, I feel might have appeared before than it does in the book but that is just my opinion. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I look forward to Salman's next novel in this series as I got a sense of the next novel in the end.
4 out of 5!
September 30, 2018
Excellent read plenty of action to keep the pages turning, plenty of background painted to match the intrigue the buildup of tension keeps the pages turning.
July 1, 2020
I just finished reading the book, and I have to say that I am disappointed as I had a different view along with high expectations from the book, judging from the name of the book.
The name suggests a deep look into the Blasphemy law, it's possible implication, background and how different people in the country world view it, as the story would progress, and I expected that would be the main idea.
However, as one reads the book, one finds out that is not the case, and one doesn't really learn anything about the law, other than the mention that it is being misused, and even that is mentioned only to set the stage for the story.
Having lived in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad (cities of Pakistan) myself, and now in Melbourne for some time now, I felt the writer presented rather reinforced the western and biased view of the Pakistan, by only focusing on the negatives of different characters as the story unfolds. The characters explained to be from Pakistan were portrayed as heartless with only vested interest without really developing the character. The only reasonable guy who was from Pakistan and helped the family in getting out of trouble was established to be someone who spent a lot of time outside of Pakistan in the company of his western friends.
On the other hand, the characters from Melbourne, were shown to be soft, but were still able to fight the bad guys despite not having done so in years which also unfolded like scenes from a superficial action movie, where everyone knows who the hero is, who the villain is, and it can be easily predicted that no harm will come to the hero, while the main villain character will only be captured in the end, that too very dramatically.
Sadly the story has many flaws and unnecessary drama apparently intended, which makes it uninteresting, like the lack of involvement of international community in the high profile case, lack of media coverage of woman escaping the police station whereas on the other hand media was quick to cover deaths at Airbnb in minutes, the minister dealing with the assassination personally with making phone calls from his phone and no one was smart enough to track his calls, and many more. There were unnecessary additions of affection and sex where it was not required, and it appeared that during the intense violence, the characters did't forget to use the words darling, my love, or the chance to kiss or make love, or maintained the humor, which is a very unlikely in reality.
However, the reason I still gave it 2 stars and not 1, is that the stage and motive for conflict in the story was deep, and unfolded in a nice manner. I would not be surprised if in most cases of Blasphemy, such would be the real dark motives behind the cases far greater from apparent real motive.
The name suggests a deep look into the Blasphemy law, it's possible implication, background and how different people in the country world view it, as the story would progress, and I expected that would be the main idea.
However, as one reads the book, one finds out that is not the case, and one doesn't really learn anything about the law, other than the mention that it is being misused, and even that is mentioned only to set the stage for the story.
Having lived in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad (cities of Pakistan) myself, and now in Melbourne for some time now, I felt the writer presented rather reinforced the western and biased view of the Pakistan, by only focusing on the negatives of different characters as the story unfolds. The characters explained to be from Pakistan were portrayed as heartless with only vested interest without really developing the character. The only reasonable guy who was from Pakistan and helped the family in getting out of trouble was established to be someone who spent a lot of time outside of Pakistan in the company of his western friends.
On the other hand, the characters from Melbourne, were shown to be soft, but were still able to fight the bad guys despite not having done so in years which also unfolded like scenes from a superficial action movie, where everyone knows who the hero is, who the villain is, and it can be easily predicted that no harm will come to the hero, while the main villain character will only be captured in the end, that too very dramatically.
Sadly the story has many flaws and unnecessary drama apparently intended, which makes it uninteresting, like the lack of involvement of international community in the high profile case, lack of media coverage of woman escaping the police station whereas on the other hand media was quick to cover deaths at Airbnb in minutes, the minister dealing with the assassination personally with making phone calls from his phone and no one was smart enough to track his calls, and many more. There were unnecessary additions of affection and sex where it was not required, and it appeared that during the intense violence, the characters did't forget to use the words darling, my love, or the chance to kiss or make love, or maintained the humor, which is a very unlikely in reality.
However, the reason I still gave it 2 stars and not 1, is that the stage and motive for conflict in the story was deep, and unfolded in a nice manner. I would not be surprised if in most cases of Blasphemy, such would be the real dark motives behind the cases far greater from apparent real motive.
January 13, 2024
Well intentioned expat Jane is in deep trouble. She’s accused of defiling the prophet’s image which is blasphemy and a capital offence in Pakistan.
It’s a frame up, but Jane’s whisked off to gaol to await trial.
She faces an unfathomably obtuse, complex and corrupt justice system with little prospect of defending herself successfully.
Those are the good bits — now throw in an evil tycoon who wants to sabotage Jane’s good work and rabid jihadist hit-men at every turn and things become complicated.
The tension builds with every frustrating set-back in Jane’s path, not to mention periodic assassination attempts.
Jane’s family rally to the rescue, but what can they do? Maybe take the law into their own hands, but how..?
‘The Blasphemy Law’ provides enough intrigue, skulduggery, suspense and action to satisfy everyone. Enjoy.
It’s a frame up, but Jane’s whisked off to gaol to await trial.
She faces an unfathomably obtuse, complex and corrupt justice system with little prospect of defending herself successfully.
Those are the good bits — now throw in an evil tycoon who wants to sabotage Jane’s good work and rabid jihadist hit-men at every turn and things become complicated.
The tension builds with every frustrating set-back in Jane’s path, not to mention periodic assassination attempts.
Jane’s family rally to the rescue, but what can they do? Maybe take the law into their own hands, but how..?
‘The Blasphemy Law’ provides enough intrigue, skulduggery, suspense and action to satisfy everyone. Enjoy.
July 3, 2022
The weaving of a thriller is an art and not many have mastered it. To find that thrill for a reader in a book that promises such an element is hard to find but Salman Shami's The Blasphemy Law is an addition to the genre.
The plot is set in modern Pakistan, a country charged with political corruption in name of religion does already create a thrill in itself. An Australian engineer, Jane Kelly, is on a verge of providing electricity in remote villages of central Punjab through installing solar panels. A ruthless landowner uses terrorism to frame her for blasphemy in the Islamic country, an offense that comes with a death penalty. He plots her execution and along with that of her family and close friends. With partial success Jane is now relying her hopes on her two lovers, Sergei and Razane, to save herself and her family. With an exploration of everyone's demons from past this book is going to have on the edge of your seat.
This political thriller covers many realistic elements as to what the people of the country endure in their daily lives. With all elements of greed, money, power, and controversial laws, this novel sets a benchmark in its genre for Asian writers to look forward too. The novel starts at the present day lives of current characters and the development of plot takes from there. Salman has a unique way of covering every aspect of developing a story, a learning if you are an aspiring writer and a pleasure for a reader. This is being said, in terms of writing a political thriller and organizing a good amount of characters in a manner that the reader doesn't feel left out at any point.
The evolution of characters is great and as a reader, I could clearly estimate that what a strong background each one of them has. The relationship between the main cast is displayed in a very authentic and an uncompromisable manner with usual twists and turns from the start. If that is not enough, the writing style will hook you up since it is fast-paced and I managed to finish it in less time than I expected after giving a glimpse on the length of the book.
The use of intertwining of multiple protagonists even after the story has a locus in its development is a plus point of this novel. The climax of the novel, I feel might have appeared before than it does in the book but that is just my opinion. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I look forward to Salman's next novel in this series as I got a sense of the next novel in the end.
4 out of 5!
The plot is set in modern Pakistan, a country charged with political corruption in name of religion does already create a thrill in itself. An Australian engineer, Jane Kelly, is on a verge of providing electricity in remote villages of central Punjab through installing solar panels. A ruthless landowner uses terrorism to frame her for blasphemy in the Islamic country, an offense that comes with a death penalty. He plots her execution and along with that of her family and close friends. With partial success Jane is now relying her hopes on her two lovers, Sergei and Razane, to save herself and her family. With an exploration of everyone's demons from past this book is going to have on the edge of your seat.
This political thriller covers many realistic elements as to what the people of the country endure in their daily lives. With all elements of greed, money, power, and controversial laws, this novel sets a benchmark in its genre for Asian writers to look forward too. The novel starts at the present day lives of current characters and the development of plot takes from there. Salman has a unique way of covering every aspect of developing a story, a learning if you are an aspiring writer and a pleasure for a reader. This is being said, in terms of writing a political thriller and organizing a good amount of characters in a manner that the reader doesn't feel left out at any point.
The evolution of characters is great and as a reader, I could clearly estimate that what a strong background each one of them has. The relationship between the main cast is displayed in a very authentic and an uncompromisable manner with usual twists and turns from the start. If that is not enough, the writing style will hook you up since it is fast-paced and I managed to finish it in less time than I expected after giving a glimpse on the length of the book.
The use of intertwining of multiple protagonists even after the story has a locus in its development is a plus point of this novel. The climax of the novel, I feel might have appeared before than it does in the book but that is just my opinion. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I look forward to Salman's next novel in this series as I got a sense of the next novel in the end.
4 out of 5!
August 5, 2018
Good writing, but the vibe is bad so I never finished. Here's why: the first vibe I got was that the westerners were saviors and the Pakistanis/those who were "against" the two white MCs are inferior and evil in some way. And things native or cultural to Pakistan (way of life) needed some sort of improvement that only our white, secularists could give. Jane, despite her supposed tolerance and love for being in Pakistan, clearly shows no tolerance for the political strife of it's people. Rather I see ignorance on her part. She's mad at her uneducated haters for being uneducated (not that many have access to the truth since her project is to bring electricity and internet to the town to begin with). The posters about dying children her haters post up is actually accurate specifically for Pakistan (Obama administration killed hundred of Pakistani civilians via drones) yet she ignores this fact because they're "religious zealots" and let's their hate for Americans fester by always meeting them with anger and indifference. And the Pakistani men always looked "ready for violence" (via Simon) or "war" (via Jane). The anti-Islamic vibe is also really evident, when Jane calls covering one's head "backward." And the only time local women were praised was if they were irreligious (tight fitted clothes, makeup, perfume). And anytime "Allah" or "Muhammad" was brought up it was always in the context of some evil (jibran and the poster). Reading the author's bio, I can almost understand why this book seems to be charged the way it is. But it doesn't make the plot or characters any more likable.
The cover is also really misleading and I think it' trying to be a click-bait since none of the characters wear niqab (not to mention today, half of Pakistani women don't even wear hijab). Lastly, Clara and Jane worry about being jailed for burning of the poster that says "Prophet Muhammad" even though that's the correct way to destroy Islamic text...not sure if this is ironic to show Pakistan's ignorance of Islamic laws or simply the author's lack of knowledge of the religion in general. Do not recommend the book for any reason at all unless you want to see what it looks like to see someone publish professionally written rage-hate.
The cover is also really misleading and I think it' trying to be a click-bait since none of the characters wear niqab (not to mention today, half of Pakistani women don't even wear hijab). Lastly, Clara and Jane worry about being jailed for burning of the poster that says "Prophet Muhammad" even though that's the correct way to destroy Islamic text...not sure if this is ironic to show Pakistan's ignorance of Islamic laws or simply the author's lack of knowledge of the religion in general. Do not recommend the book for any reason at all unless you want to see what it looks like to see someone publish professionally written rage-hate.
November 2, 2018
Wow! What an horrendous journey! This was a mixture of Mad Max and Die Hard! I really enjoyed this although there was so much carnage I really shouldn't have. This is a journey of a well to do Australian woman, Jane, under the authority of the UN, who is doing a great humanitarian work in Pakistan. But when a rich and systematic land owner/politician wishes to get rid of this fantastic work, he has an expected 'dead Jane', in his sights! Only, she is not ready to lie down and die just yet and together, with her closest allies she needs to bust out of prison, after she has been framed and escape (in one piece) from Pakistan.
Religious bigotry in high places and a seemingly bottomless bank account are never a good combination. So much money and hatred are hurled at the, not so innocent protagonist Jane and her lovers that this is bound to be a massive ride.
Shami, knows his stuff with brilliant first hand knowledge and creativity. He can captivate his audience from go, to woe!
I don't recommend this book to everyone as there are lots of un-conventional themes which run through the story, but if you have an open mind and can handle some intense details, then this is a great (and long) book to pick up... to see just who survives (and who doesn't).
Religious bigotry in high places and a seemingly bottomless bank account are never a good combination. So much money and hatred are hurled at the, not so innocent protagonist Jane and her lovers that this is bound to be a massive ride.
Shami, knows his stuff with brilliant first hand knowledge and creativity. He can captivate his audience from go, to woe!
I don't recommend this book to everyone as there are lots of un-conventional themes which run through the story, but if you have an open mind and can handle some intense details, then this is a great (and long) book to pick up... to see just who survives (and who doesn't).
December 17, 2017
Creative writing is a special skill. Writing an engaging story that is able to capture the attention of the readers and keep them spellbound for over 500 pages is even more out-there. Salman’s first novel The Blasphemy Law does exactly that.
The novel’s backdrop is set around a controversial law, but soon becomes a story about greed, money and power. Intertwined with a unique relationship with its key characters, the plot is intriguing with twist and turns in each corner. The story’s character building is notable, and for those who are aware of viciousness of the feudal-religious fanaticism alliance quite realistic and comprehensible.
I was midway between reading another interesting historical fiction, when I brought this book but got so hooked to the story by browsing through the first few chapters that I had to set aside the other book in order to finish this one.
Written in conversational style, the book is fast paced; spell binding and exactly what one would expect from a fictional thriller. I would highly recommend it.
The novel’s backdrop is set around a controversial law, but soon becomes a story about greed, money and power. Intertwined with a unique relationship with its key characters, the plot is intriguing with twist and turns in each corner. The story’s character building is notable, and for those who are aware of viciousness of the feudal-religious fanaticism alliance quite realistic and comprehensible.
I was midway between reading another interesting historical fiction, when I brought this book but got so hooked to the story by browsing through the first few chapters that I had to set aside the other book in order to finish this one.
Written in conversational style, the book is fast paced; spell binding and exactly what one would expect from a fictional thriller. I would highly recommend it.
January 5, 2018
Absolutley brilliant, unpredictable and intense!
But what I loved most about this book was how real the thoughts of both protagonists and antagonists were. I mean they gave me goosebumps. The misconceptions propagated in the name of Allah, the stiff belief that only bent according to their greed, a number of characters havng different beliefs and believing only theirs to be right. Amazing.
I want to commend Salman for the amount of research he must have done and detailing that he ensured the story had. Normally it is said that if you include a lot of characters in your story it get’s a bit difficult for the reader to track them and connect with them. But this was not the case here and each character played a significant role in making the thriller as intense it was..
A realistic story with so much light shed on what exactly happens on the inside where corruption and greed are at their peak and the problems tourists and non dwellers of such a place have to face- I loved everything about this book and I am sitting at the edge of my seat for it’s sequel.
But what I loved most about this book was how real the thoughts of both protagonists and antagonists were. I mean they gave me goosebumps. The misconceptions propagated in the name of Allah, the stiff belief that only bent according to their greed, a number of characters havng different beliefs and believing only theirs to be right. Amazing.
I want to commend Salman for the amount of research he must have done and detailing that he ensured the story had. Normally it is said that if you include a lot of characters in your story it get’s a bit difficult for the reader to track them and connect with them. But this was not the case here and each character played a significant role in making the thriller as intense it was..
A realistic story with so much light shed on what exactly happens on the inside where corruption and greed are at their peak and the problems tourists and non dwellers of such a place have to face- I loved everything about this book and I am sitting at the edge of my seat for it’s sequel.
November 25, 2017
When I first came across this book I was immediately drawn to it just from the cover and title! By the end of the first chapter I was totally hooked and could not put it down ! I was staying up until all hours of the morning just to be able to keep reading ! Unfortunately 5 stars is the maximum but if I could give a higher rating I would for sure. The book draws you in faster than any other book iv read and I couldn’t recommend it high enough. The author not only draws from current world events and shows what it is like inside of another country, but also brings in just the right amount of fictional/reality balance. I really hope there is a sequel and I look forward to reading more of Salman’s work.
January 13, 2018
Reading this book makes me want to be Jane, who is one of the characters in the book! I love books that are based on Middle Eastern stories and those that have elements of cultural diversity, and this book draws my interest as it has both aspects that I naturally enjoy.
The plots in the book is well thought-out and romance in the story adds sensation to the whole book!
On another note, Blasphemy and Muslims are two things that just don’t agree with each other. I love how the author daringly wrote this book which could fetch a lot of controversion. Being a feminist and someone who thinks out of the box, I wish to see more characters like the ones in this book in real life!
A 5-star for this book.
The plots in the book is well thought-out and romance in the story adds sensation to the whole book!
On another note, Blasphemy and Muslims are two things that just don’t agree with each other. I love how the author daringly wrote this book which could fetch a lot of controversion. Being a feminist and someone who thinks out of the box, I wish to see more characters like the ones in this book in real life!
A 5-star for this book.
November 19, 2017
The book is riveting, fast paced and realistic. It has the pace and excitement of a Jason Bourne or 24hours. Very edgy and thrilling. It keeps you riveted and you just have to keep turning the pages. The plot is unpredictable so you are never guessing what's going to happen. The romance and sex scenes are tasteful and sensual.
The context of blasphemy law is used to weave the story very well. The scenes are beautifully described which creates a great sense of atmosphere. Overall the book has the polish of a seasoned writer. Does not in any way read like this author's first book. I can so see it as a blockbuster movie.
The context of blasphemy law is used to weave the story very well. The scenes are beautifully described which creates a great sense of atmosphere. Overall the book has the polish of a seasoned writer. Does not in any way read like this author's first book. I can so see it as a blockbuster movie.
November 25, 2017
Easy to read and engaging from the start. The characters are introduced with enough information about them to get you interested and more detail about who they are and their background is threaded throughout story.
The storyline is well paced, plausible and detailed. Although the book is long, it keeps your interest via the many characters and their perspective of events, as they unfold.
The end took a long time coming but this was due to the level of detail and again, the different perspectives of the characters.
All was tied up nicely with the clear expectation of another book to follow and I look forward to reading that and seeing where the author takes the characters next.
The storyline is well paced, plausible and detailed. Although the book is long, it keeps your interest via the many characters and their perspective of events, as they unfold.
The end took a long time coming but this was due to the level of detail and again, the different perspectives of the characters.
All was tied up nicely with the clear expectation of another book to follow and I look forward to reading that and seeing where the author takes the characters next.
December 8, 2017
This book had me hooked in the first few pages. And after the first few chapters I couldn’t put it down. I found this story to be incredibly engaging with plenty of action and excitement. I found the characters to be very relatable. I fell in love with them very quickly and continued to do so through developments in the book. I very much appreciate what Salmon has aimed to do with this book, and the perspective I gained through reading it. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good story. I normally wouldn’t find myself reading a book such as this but I am glad I did. I hope to see more from Salman.
December 12, 2017
When this popped up in Amazon while I was looking for my next book I was going to ignore it like usual. It was also priced very high for an unknown author but then I thought what the heck. Let's live dangerously. I am so glad I stumbled upon this title. The story starts pleasantly and then all of a sudden it snaps you up in a tidal wave of fast moving action and suspense. After a few pages I was hooked. If you do nothing else start reading it on Amazon. It has a LOOK INSIDE THE BOOK feature.
January 15, 2018
A gripping read. In my younger days I would not have put it down till the end. Fast paced story, a real thriller shedding some light on the misuse of the law in the country.
If Jack Reacher had turned up in the story I would not have been surprised.
Thoroughly enjoyed it and wish the Author will continue with his writting in the future too.
If Jack Reacher had turned up in the story I would not have been surprised.
Thoroughly enjoyed it and wish the Author will continue with his writting in the future too.
December 16, 2017
Enjoyed very bit of the book thoroughly. It keeps you engaged and wanting to find out more.
The details in the book are extensive and conclusive.
Highly recommend to anyone and everyone who enjoys a very well written thriller story.
The details in the book are extensive and conclusive.
Highly recommend to anyone and everyone who enjoys a very well written thriller story.
December 31, 2017
An original and thought provoking book that provided glimpses into cultural practices and norms of a non- Western nation.
Although some of the concepts seem far fetched, would definitely recommend to those after an interesting read - well done on your first novel, it was difficult to put down!!
Although some of the concepts seem far fetched, would definitely recommend to those after an interesting read - well done on your first novel, it was difficult to put down!!
January 8, 2018
A thriller
This book is a fast paced, jump right in thriller. It’s heroine, Jane, is likable and feisty in the way that draws readers of either gender to her. The price may be hefty ($7.00+ dollars USD) but the writing nearly meticulous. A thumbs up read.
This book is a fast paced, jump right in thriller. It’s heroine, Jane, is likable and feisty in the way that draws readers of either gender to her. The price may be hefty ($7.00+ dollars USD) but the writing nearly meticulous. A thumbs up read.
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June 15, 2018A brilliant book, fast paced and enagaging. Had a hard time putting it down.
The plot is true to the current scenarios in Pakistan.
Despite the name, there is no critic of the said law, just the misuse of it, which is rampant in that country.
If you are into fiction and are a fan of John Grisham, Lee Child etc you have found another wonderful writer.
5 Stars
The plot is true to the current scenarios in Pakistan.
Despite the name, there is no critic of the said law, just the misuse of it, which is rampant in that country.
If you are into fiction and are a fan of John Grisham, Lee Child etc you have found another wonderful writer.
5 Stars
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