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Sarim
Mishal was ten years old when he first met demons.
Now, five years later, the jinni still lives in his head, terrifying both Mishal and his parents. At times, Mishal's hands burst into bright yellow flames. However, one day an old man called Shayib Ghalib arrives with his white cane and helps Mishal with the jinni. When he invites Mishal to join the Public Authority for Anti-Jinn Operation, Sarim, the teenager is thrust into a world of magic, jinn, and prophecy. He becomes one of Sarim's agents, fighting alongside his teammates to protect humans from Jinn.
Will Mishal be able to save the country? More importantly, will he be able to fight off his self-loathing? Find out in this all-new Omani urban fantasy novel!
Now, five years later, the jinni still lives in his head, terrifying both Mishal and his parents. At times, Mishal's hands burst into bright yellow flames. However, one day an old man called Shayib Ghalib arrives with his white cane and helps Mishal with the jinni. When he invites Mishal to join the Public Authority for Anti-Jinn Operation, Sarim, the teenager is thrust into a world of magic, jinn, and prophecy. He becomes one of Sarim's agents, fighting alongside his teammates to protect humans from Jinn.
Will Mishal be able to save the country? More importantly, will he be able to fight off his self-loathing? Find out in this all-new Omani urban fantasy novel!
352 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
10 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Ammar Al Naaimi
5 books77 followersAmmar Al Naaimi is trapped in a void in the middle of space, which devours most of his time without him even knowing where the time had gone.
When not struggling valiantly against the void, Ammar writes Fantasy stories about Arabs doing magical things. He also has a daytime job as an editor.
When not struggling valiantly against the void, Ammar writes Fantasy stories about Arabs doing magical things. He also has a daytime job as an editor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 19, 2022
Get ready, Sarim comes out during 2021. Locally printed, locally available, and FULL of magic. Recommended for Omanis who liked Harry Potter and wanna fall in love with something new!
Cover reveal coming soon. Real soon.
- reread (2022)
I think I can still be a little proud of this book. I can re-write it better if I go today, but it's a fun book. Now I'm ready to re-edit Hazim!
Cover reveal coming soon. Real soon.
- reread (2022)
I think I can still be a little proud of this book. I can re-write it better if I go today, but it's a fun book. Now I'm ready to re-edit Hazim!
June 20, 2021
3.5 stars
I received an e-book from Ammar in exchange for an honest review, so here comes.
It’s a great feeling to know that we have such an aspiring author among us. Ammar Al Naaimi is brilliant and his imagination works magically. I mean, a Public Authority for Anti-Jinn Operation! How cool is that?
I enjoyed reading Sarim to some extent. Coming across familiar places and names as I read the book felt nice. My imagination was working along the lines as I was reading. However, there were a few details here and there that I felt were unnecessary for me as a reader. Moreover, I can’t pinpoint what it is, but something made it difficult for me to feel for the characters (I usually get hooked and very emotional).
I liked how the book hints at or mentions a few of the issues we have in our Omani society, like having to go through your parents to choose your partner, and them getting to approve or disapprove based on who they think is eligible to mix with their family. I also liked how the females were portrayed and how they were an essential part of Sarim.
All in all, it was an enjoyable novel that I would recommend to anyone who’s into fantasy and whoever would like to support young Omani writers.
I received an e-book from Ammar in exchange for an honest review, so here comes.
It’s a great feeling to know that we have such an aspiring author among us. Ammar Al Naaimi is brilliant and his imagination works magically. I mean, a Public Authority for Anti-Jinn Operation! How cool is that?
I enjoyed reading Sarim to some extent. Coming across familiar places and names as I read the book felt nice. My imagination was working along the lines as I was reading. However, there were a few details here and there that I felt were unnecessary for me as a reader. Moreover, I can’t pinpoint what it is, but something made it difficult for me to feel for the characters (I usually get hooked and very emotional).
I liked how the book hints at or mentions a few of the issues we have in our Omani society, like having to go through your parents to choose your partner, and them getting to approve or disapprove based on who they think is eligible to mix with their family. I also liked how the females were portrayed and how they were an essential part of Sarim.
All in all, it was an enjoyable novel that I would recommend to anyone who’s into fantasy and whoever would like to support young Omani writers.
June 9, 2021
I picked up this book for the sole purpose of supporting young Omani writers, but I enjoyed the journey more than I expected to. I was thrilled by the simple notion of reading familiar names and picturing familiar places.
Though Ammar takes us through daring events, I found myself comforted most of the time by the familial atmosphere surrounding the story.
I can see the touch of Japanese anime storytelling in his writing which drove me even further to the smallest details. Asaad is the Zoro/ Goju/ Levi of Sarim. We surely would love to see more of him in the future.
(p.s. I love how the female characters were portrayed; fearless and savage)
Though Ammar takes us through daring events, I found myself comforted most of the time by the familial atmosphere surrounding the story.
I can see the touch of Japanese anime storytelling in his writing which drove me even further to the smallest details. Asaad is the Zoro/ Goju/ Levi of Sarim. We surely would love to see more of him in the future.
(p.s. I love how the female characters were portrayed; fearless and savage)
July 28, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
What I admire most about Mr. Ammar Al Naimi's writing is his writing style. His style is buttery smooth. There's an ebb and flow to it. You keep turning the pages and next thing you know it's midnight and you need to go to bed.
The other point I'd like to address is how well-rounded his stories are. As in, there's a purpose for every scene (or chapter) and it eventually pays off as the story progresses. Everything comes full-circle, is what I mean (this is also true of his previous book, UNORIGINAL TALES, and that one had the same vibe).
For a debut full-length novel, this was good. A stepping stone into the greater realms of the book world.
I did knock back a star for a reason and that is the spelling and punctuation mistakes. The grammar was fine but there were many little faults in the book that kind of pulled me out of the experience and I wish for them to be resolved in the future. I'm not nit-picking; this is a mistake and it needed to be addressed.
Great book. Go read it.
What I admire most about Mr. Ammar Al Naimi's writing is his writing style. His style is buttery smooth. There's an ebb and flow to it. You keep turning the pages and next thing you know it's midnight and you need to go to bed.
The other point I'd like to address is how well-rounded his stories are. As in, there's a purpose for every scene (or chapter) and it eventually pays off as the story progresses. Everything comes full-circle, is what I mean (this is also true of his previous book, UNORIGINAL TALES, and that one had the same vibe).
For a debut full-length novel, this was good. A stepping stone into the greater realms of the book world.
I did knock back a star for a reason and that is the spelling and punctuation mistakes. The grammar was fine but there were many little faults in the book that kind of pulled me out of the experience and I wish for them to be resolved in the future. I'm not nit-picking; this is a mistake and it needed to be addressed.
Great book. Go read it.
Read
June 21, 2021May Contain Spoilers!
The majority of us living in Oman have heard so many Jinn stories while growing up. And It occupied must of our time, far much less as grown ups - in my case at least - but this one is unique the narrative is not as every other story. The writer stepped in an uncharted territory, reframing definition of exorcism and deviating it from the religious aspect, into more of a supernatural power fighting against the evil with the consent of the mighty Establishment.
The use of the English language is truly remarkable, the creativity I pretty much appreciate. Kudos for the writer on that. But unfortunately it only took me around 40 pages to realise this book is really not for me, this genre just doesn’t suit me. This is mainly due to my limited imagination,The teams and technology bit was a bit off for me, I couldn’t fathom the idea as all I can relate to is Shyab using the most conventional methods, my limited imagination just didn’t help on the ample deviation from reality that I am familiar with.
A half British half Omani teenager fighting Jinn in Oman, wearing Guns N Roses t-shirt and recruited officially by the government. That is too much too swallow for me. I repeat that is possibly due to my limited & dull imagination, and quite simply because I haven’t read anything similar so I was not sure about it.
But overall really good and it’s quite rare to read something that’s the scenes is somehow related to your daily life and where your live, I just wish I have read this book few years younger I would have enjoyed it much more.
The majority of us living in Oman have heard so many Jinn stories while growing up. And It occupied must of our time, far much less as grown ups - in my case at least - but this one is unique the narrative is not as every other story. The writer stepped in an uncharted territory, reframing definition of exorcism and deviating it from the religious aspect, into more of a supernatural power fighting against the evil with the consent of the mighty Establishment.
The use of the English language is truly remarkable, the creativity I pretty much appreciate. Kudos for the writer on that. But unfortunately it only took me around 40 pages to realise this book is really not for me, this genre just doesn’t suit me. This is mainly due to my limited imagination,The teams and technology bit was a bit off for me, I couldn’t fathom the idea as all I can relate to is Shyab using the most conventional methods, my limited imagination just didn’t help on the ample deviation from reality that I am familiar with.
A half British half Omani teenager fighting Jinn in Oman, wearing Guns N Roses t-shirt and recruited officially by the government. That is too much too swallow for me. I repeat that is possibly due to my limited & dull imagination, and quite simply because I haven’t read anything similar so I was not sure about it.
But overall really good and it’s quite rare to read something that’s the scenes is somehow related to your daily life and where your live, I just wish I have read this book few years younger I would have enjoyed it much more.
August 26, 2024
I've finally got to read Sarim, it's a fast-paced fantastical novel based in Oman written by the talented writer, Ammar.
It was refreshing to read English novels that explore themes unique to Omani/ muslim culture, getting to read about places & legends you recognize and have heard about.
It was a page-turner and did not feel boring at all, however, i could not understand how the magic system worked. Like how do people gain such magical abilities or what's the difference between each ability and another.
I also felt the plot was very loose and only took shape midway through the novel, and some buildup to some scenes were missing, like we knew about Nasr & Bani Al Safi's existence only when they attacked.
I also didn't like how throughout the novel, Mishal was made ignorant the whole time. Like he's always the last person to know about where they're going and what's going on, even when he was promoted to a team leader!
I have so many questions about Sarim and hopefully the sequel answers some, like why is it called Sarim? How does that name tie in with the Authority's operations?
Overall, It was enjoyable and I think it's awesome of Ammar to write such a novel and getting it published! Looking forward to reading the sequel.
It was refreshing to read English novels that explore themes unique to Omani/ muslim culture, getting to read about places & legends you recognize and have heard about.
It was a page-turner and did not feel boring at all, however, i could not understand how the magic system worked. Like how do people gain such magical abilities or what's the difference between each ability and another.
I also felt the plot was very loose and only took shape midway through the novel, and some buildup to some scenes were missing, like we knew about Nasr & Bani Al Safi's existence only when they attacked.
I also didn't like how throughout the novel, Mishal was made ignorant the whole time. Like he's always the last person to know about where they're going and what's going on, even when he was promoted to a team leader!
I have so many questions about Sarim and hopefully the sequel answers some, like why is it called Sarim? How does that name tie in with the Authority's operations?
Overall, It was enjoyable and I think it's awesome of Ammar to write such a novel and getting it published! Looking forward to reading the sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2021
?! *? *? ##?? #? #? #! #? #
قاد ذا كان جداً جداً ممتع ومرضي ! ! ! ورغم إنه أولردي كان عندي توقعات عالية له بس ستل هالقصة تعدت كل توقعاتي؟؟؟؟ ؟ أظن إني ما كنت أعرف إني بحس بسعادة كذيه وأنا أقرا كتاب فانتزي أحداثه تصير فالخوض >< ! ! ! حتى إنه مشعل راح قريات - أعتقد إني صرخت لما قريت كلمة قريات فالكتاب- علشان يتدرب؟؟ سمكششككش الشخصيات كلهم كللهممم عيبوونيي (رغم إني فالبداية كرهت أسعد والشايب غالب وايد لأنه أثنينهم وقحين أحياناً ومزعجين :/ الحين أحبهم ذو... أحب كلحد اع) والأحداث كانت سلسلة وممتعة - أحس بقول إنه الأحداث أحياناً كانت تمشي بسرعة بس يمكن ذا لأني قريت بسرعة ؟؟؟ أو يمكن - يييمممكككننن - لأنه ذا الكتاب هو الكتاب الأول من سلسلة والعقدة الكبيرة ستل ما ظهرت؟؟؟؟ ؟) متأكد أساساً لأنه أسعد وأمه - عندي كرش لها من الحين - وراهم سساالفةةةة >< متحمسس ! ! ! الكتابة مرضية جداً ! صحت فالمشاهد الحزينة وضحكت فكل مرة شخصية تقول نكتة وكنت تلى أعصابي فكل ضرابة مسكشكشكشكش إيش أبا من رواية فانتزي غير إنها تخليني انترستد لين آخر صفحة بالضبط؟؟؟؟
! ! ! أقروها >:( مارح تندموا >:( ! ! !
قاد ذا كان جداً جداً ممتع ومرضي ! ! ! ورغم إنه أولردي كان عندي توقعات عالية له بس ستل هالقصة تعدت كل توقعاتي؟؟؟؟ ؟ أظن إني ما كنت أعرف إني بحس بسعادة كذيه وأنا أقرا كتاب فانتزي أحداثه تصير فالخوض >< ! ! ! حتى إنه مشعل راح قريات - أعتقد إني صرخت لما قريت كلمة قريات فالكتاب- علشان يتدرب؟؟ سمكششككش الشخصيات كلهم كللهممم عيبوونيي (رغم إني فالبداية كرهت أسعد والشايب غالب وايد لأنه أثنينهم وقحين أحياناً ومزعجين :/ الحين أحبهم ذو... أحب كلحد اع) والأحداث كانت سلسلة وممتعة - أحس بقول إنه الأحداث أحياناً كانت تمشي بسرعة بس يمكن ذا لأني قريت بسرعة ؟؟؟ أو يمكن - يييمممكككننن - لأنه ذا الكتاب هو الكتاب الأول من سلسلة والعقدة الكبيرة ستل ما ظهرت؟؟؟؟ ؟) متأكد أساساً لأنه أسعد وأمه - عندي كرش لها من الحين - وراهم سساالفةةةة >< متحمسس ! ! ! الكتابة مرضية جداً ! صحت فالمشاهد الحزينة وضحكت فكل مرة شخصية تقول نكتة وكنت تلى أعصابي فكل ضرابة مسكشكشكشكش إيش أبا من رواية فانتزي غير إنها تخليني انترستد لين آخر صفحة بالضبط؟؟؟؟
! ! ! أقروها >:( مارح تندموا >:( ! ! !
February 26, 2024
"...felt his anger seethe, but he treated it like a spark. Instead of unleashing it...cupped both of his hands over it to protect it from the wind and nurture it. Soon, it would become a flame to burn him clean."
Sarim is a coming of age tale that blends traditional folklore and culture without clashing with the change of time.
The line above(my favourite!)summarises my favourite aspect of this fantasy tale that can be described as the Middle East's answer to 'the boy who lived'.
I picked this book to support local authors and because of the writer's enthusiasm for writing, although it is not my usual genre; I enjoyed the perilous journey of the protagonist but found it a little difficult to connect with the characters. This could possibly be because of the difference in language style used by the young characters when read by an older reader.
But the writer's skill in weaving a tale about Jinns to bring them out into the modern world of order and solutions has me intrigued enough to want to read the follow-up book, Hazim!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fresh new read and especially to people who have lived or live in Oman as it is delightful to come across familiar references.
Sarim is a coming of age tale that blends traditional folklore and culture without clashing with the change of time.
The line above(my favourite!)summarises my favourite aspect of this fantasy tale that can be described as the Middle East's answer to 'the boy who lived'.
I picked this book to support local authors and because of the writer's enthusiasm for writing, although it is not my usual genre; I enjoyed the perilous journey of the protagonist but found it a little difficult to connect with the characters. This could possibly be because of the difference in language style used by the young characters when read by an older reader.
But the writer's skill in weaving a tale about Jinns to bring them out into the modern world of order and solutions has me intrigued enough to want to read the follow-up book, Hazim!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fresh new read and especially to people who have lived or live in Oman as it is delightful to come across familiar references.
April 17, 2022
An excellent first book and hopefully the start of a new series. While the story echoes with familiar motifs like prophecies and elderly mentors, the plot itself is fresh and extremely captivating. A boy plagued by a demon is now a teenager who fights for good in today's Muscat.
The glimpses of Muscat are endearing and I spent a whole figuring which place is where. I guess it also makes the reader wonder about the secret doors and gateways behind popular spots of the city.
The pace of the books is quick and action sequences well described. The episodic nature of the story also gives one hope for a screen adaptation.
Proofing and editing are perhaps the only Achilles's heel of the book and that is a solvable issue which shouldn't deter any reader.
The glimpses of Muscat are endearing and I spent a whole figuring which place is where. I guess it also makes the reader wonder about the secret doors and gateways behind popular spots of the city.
The pace of the books is quick and action sequences well described. The episodic nature of the story also gives one hope for a screen adaptation.
Proofing and editing are perhaps the only Achilles's heel of the book and that is a solvable issue which shouldn't deter any reader.
May 28, 2021
I took my sweet sweet time reading Sarim. I loved the story, the crazy and sad plot twists which caught me totally off guard, TWICE! The fight scenes are well-written and it was easy imagining it.
I love that the book included the Omani culture and I've found myself relating to the parts the writer mentioned throughout the book like places around Oman and traditional rituals and others
I couldn't relate to the main character, Mishal, but I found myself liking Asaad more and I hoped to see more of Eman tbh and Ahlam is a badass!
Hopefully, there's a second book 🌚 (?).
I love that the book included the Omani culture and I've found myself relating to the parts the writer mentioned throughout the book like places around Oman and traditional rituals and others
I couldn't relate to the main character, Mishal, but I found myself liking Asaad more and I hoped to see more of Eman tbh and Ahlam is a badass!
Hopefully, there's a second book 🌚 (?).
August 12, 2024
10/10 can’t wait to read part two (Hazim). I was fascinated by the connection it had to Omani culture and I love that each characters had a different background of real omani groups. I was in an emotional roller coaster with this book. From tears to joy all these feelings got me attached to the book, the characters and the world of Sarim. If you think of getting this book definitely do you will get immersed in it by the 5th chapter, at least I was. Definitely will reread it when I have the time to. Masterpiece!
July 15, 2022
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Its a clear improvement from the short stories collection I read before by Mr. Ammar. I liked most of the characters (I'll get into this more in the spoilers section). The story is well-done and the world-building might be the best Arab-based fantasy world building I've seen yet. It's thought out well enough that I never had a question about the reality of it (which says a lot because "how realistic is this" is something I nearly always think about while reading). At the end of the book the conflict was resolved but it left some questions unanswered and I wanted more. This means that Sarim did its job as a series's first book perfectly.
OK now [[SPOILERS SECTION]]
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.
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I really didn't appreciate what happened to Ahlam. It's a Mary Jane - Spiderman situation, you essentially kill off the love interest so that the main character can torture himself about it and become stronger in the process. It's not really my favourite troupe (or maybe I'm just mad that she died while I was drawing a fanart of her hehe) but I don't mind it too much. What I mind is that it wasn't done right in my opinion. So here's the deal Mishaal spent a considerable amount of time in this book just hating himself and blaming his "weakness" for what happened, which I felt like is a survivor guilt response more than real actual deserved guilt. He keeps saying he was too weak to beat Julanda at the time but the fact is Ahlam was already gone when Mishaal was fighting Julanda for the first time. Ahlam already recieved a fatal blow when he noticed something was going on. I wish it was actually his fault that him feeling guilty and Asaad treating him with despise was deserved. Maybe make Ahlam recieve a not so fatal blow make it that him not being able to defeat the other guy wastes a lot of time that she loses too much blood to be saved, make the doctor say something like if she was brought sooner we could have saved her. Or anything else that would make me think yeah she's not here because he is weak which I believe sadly wasn't the case. If I'm going to read page after page of the guy saying it's his fault I want to believe it too.
Maybe it's clear but I really didn't like Mishaal much, he reminded me of Eren Yeager (and I hate Eren with passion). I think he was mostly acceptable when interacting with the more interesting characters. I really liked the first half with Ahlam and Eman dynamics and the last half with Julanda and Asaad. The part in between was hard to read to be honest, but that's my personal preference. I'm hoping now that "the strongest of your emotions is hate" is no longer a thing he will be more fun in future installments.
I'm not going to knock the book off for that, it's still a great story that I want more of. My favourite character was Asaad, mostly because I made up some headcanons about him that I really like lol. I hope we get to see shayeb Ghalib in action after retirement I'll miss the old man.
OK now [[SPOILERS SECTION]]
.
.
.
I really didn't appreciate what happened to Ahlam. It's a Mary Jane - Spiderman situation, you essentially kill off the love interest so that the main character can torture himself about it and become stronger in the process. It's not really my favourite troupe (or maybe I'm just mad that she died while I was drawing a fanart of her hehe) but I don't mind it too much. What I mind is that it wasn't done right in my opinion. So here's the deal Mishaal spent a considerable amount of time in this book just hating himself and blaming his "weakness" for what happened, which I felt like is a survivor guilt response more than real actual deserved guilt. He keeps saying he was too weak to beat Julanda at the time but the fact is Ahlam was already gone when Mishaal was fighting Julanda for the first time. Ahlam already recieved a fatal blow when he noticed something was going on. I wish it was actually his fault that him feeling guilty and Asaad treating him with despise was deserved. Maybe make Ahlam recieve a not so fatal blow make it that him not being able to defeat the other guy wastes a lot of time that she loses too much blood to be saved, make the doctor say something like if she was brought sooner we could have saved her. Or anything else that would make me think yeah she's not here because he is weak which I believe sadly wasn't the case. If I'm going to read page after page of the guy saying it's his fault I want to believe it too.
Maybe it's clear but I really didn't like Mishaal much, he reminded me of Eren Yeager (and I hate Eren with passion). I think he was mostly acceptable when interacting with the more interesting characters. I really liked the first half with Ahlam and Eman dynamics and the last half with Julanda and Asaad. The part in between was hard to read to be honest, but that's my personal preference. I'm hoping now that "the strongest of your emotions is hate" is no longer a thing he will be more fun in future installments.
I'm not going to knock the book off for that, it's still a great story that I want more of. My favourite character was Asaad, mostly because I made up some headcanons about him that I really like lol. I hope we get to see shayeb Ghalib in action after retirement I'll miss the old man.
Read
March 13, 2021The protagonist, Mishal, a 15-year-old finds himself mysteriously able to burst things into flames. He starts to question whether he is possessed by a jinni (a ghoul) and starts to become reclusive from society until one day he runs into his savior, Shayib Ghalib, who changes everything Mishal knows about himself and his surroundings.
This standalone is a YA urban fantasy based in Oman. It’s got the fundamental makings of a fantasy work: magical organization, soft magic system, a gang of bantering teens, and romance.
This book is accessible for all even though it’s hefty in Omani narrative and culture, the author seamlessly demonstrates an easy-to-follow adventure.
This standalone is a YA urban fantasy based in Oman. It’s got the fundamental makings of a fantasy work: magical organization, soft magic system, a gang of bantering teens, and romance.
This book is accessible for all even though it’s hefty in Omani narrative and culture, the author seamlessly demonstrates an easy-to-follow adventure.
September 1, 2021
"nobody should be punished for what they are"
This book honesty gave me the best fantasy I can hope for Oman. The story and the setting was so beautiful and well structured, it gave magic to the areas and people from the book. The plot was definitely not predictable (trust me, I sent hate messages to Ammar) it keeps you on your toes while you flip the next page which is refreshing when reading a YA book.
I highly recommend reading it, I loved every chapter and I hope there's a second book with Mishal and Asaad as a team.
This book honesty gave me the best fantasy I can hope for Oman. The story and the setting was so beautiful and well structured, it gave magic to the areas and people from the book. The plot was definitely not predictable (trust me, I sent hate messages to Ammar) it keeps you on your toes while you flip the next page which is refreshing when reading a YA book.
I highly recommend reading it, I loved every chapter and I hope there's a second book with Mishal and Asaad as a team.
August 1, 2023
A great novel , with a great plot twist
I enjoyed reading this ,the idea of Omani fantasy adventure was making me excited each time I flip a page .
I enjoyed reading this ,the idea of Omani fantasy adventure was making me excited each time I flip a page .
Read
August 4, 2021Enjoyed this read, wander when I can this Novel as a movie?!
January 28, 2023
[SPOLIERS FREE]
Heard the author reading from it in IG, the •NARRATING STYLE• was awesome! So here I'm.
We •DEFINITELY• need more of ♪♡CULTURAL FANTASY♡♪
[[[~[[[>GIVE ME MORE.]]]]]~]]
When I read generally I ••don't relate•• to western nonfiction much including the places if real. Even the lifestyle.
√√√In Sarim I could relate to different things and feel part of it.√√√
There are bunch of them and I feel beginner authors and writers who like the **FICTION** are afraid the books won't sell well.
The **WRITING STYLE** is cool, **ENJOYABLE** and funny. I love the good humor in it.
Especially that the MESSAGES Sarim provide alongside the fiction gave a meaning the whole thing.
The author did a GREAT JOB showing the struggle of Jin possession in the beginning. Yes I believe in this because I've witnessed it different times.
ALSO! mentioning DIFFERENT TYPES OF JINN, with some brief of what they're gave the story a √√SPECIAL√√ AND √√UNIQUE √√ vibes.
I also ♡LUV♡ the **FLEXIBLITY** of the pages.
*************
•{{NOTES:}}•
THE COVER: the art is awesome even the idea of it! It gives the old traditional stories vibe but I think it ••doesn't suit the modern•• vibe of the story.
A cartoonic or anime style would do be better. A symbolic one too. I know some people who didn't get the book because of the cover. Though I know that requires money and effort.
×I knew WHAT Sarim was while reading the book, thought it was the protagonist, the author mentioned in his IG what it was and I think he should remove that cuz it was ~••fun discovering it.••~
×wished OTHER CHARACTERS have more roles at the other half of the book instead of protagonist have all the attention.
×the pages TOO WHITE, the light brownish paper would have been more comfortable and cheaper I think.
× the font is small and **TOP AND BOTTOM MARGINS** are unnecessary big, making them smaller would have given more space to the font, still same number of pages.
×FONT OF "CHAPTER" would have been cooler if they were DIFFERENT font from the rest.
× same to TEXT MESSAGES, the ITALIC suits the inner thoughts and stressed words more.
× I wished it was POVs, because the protagonist is annoying and mostly doesn't deliver the emotions of others well (he does other times) because he barely know them so.
************
I got an adorable crochet doll as a preoder gift and I just noticed she looks like a ship daughter I kinda considered in the end. XD
DUE TO my own fanfictions in my mad mind: Ustaath is fun°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°
[Spoilers review would be more of venting including the end xD ]
Edit: I can't say I'm quite convinced with the end nor our tan friendo's death. The story felt rushed itd have been cooler if it was in two books. The rush made me unable to get to like any character, other than Ustaath be being biased xD but it was such a cool book, having traditional things within such stories. Keep it up! And we hope to see more original stories or even traditional myths alerted on the author style.
Heard the author reading from it in IG, the •NARRATING STYLE• was awesome! So here I'm.
We •DEFINITELY• need more of ♪♡CULTURAL FANTASY♡♪
[[[~[[[>GIVE ME MORE.]]]]]~]]
When I read generally I ••don't relate•• to western nonfiction much including the places if real. Even the lifestyle.
√√√In Sarim I could relate to different things and feel part of it.√√√
There are bunch of them and I feel beginner authors and writers who like the **FICTION** are afraid the books won't sell well.
The **WRITING STYLE** is cool, **ENJOYABLE** and funny. I love the good humor in it.
Especially that the MESSAGES Sarim provide alongside the fiction gave a meaning the whole thing.
The author did a GREAT JOB showing the struggle of Jin possession in the beginning. Yes I believe in this because I've witnessed it different times.
ALSO! mentioning DIFFERENT TYPES OF JINN, with some brief of what they're gave the story a √√SPECIAL√√ AND √√UNIQUE √√ vibes.
I also ♡LUV♡ the **FLEXIBLITY** of the pages.
*************
•{{NOTES:}}•
THE COVER: the art is awesome even the idea of it! It gives the old traditional stories vibe but I think it ••doesn't suit the modern•• vibe of the story.
A cartoonic or anime style would do be better. A symbolic one too. I know some people who didn't get the book because of the cover. Though I know that requires money and effort.
×I knew WHAT Sarim was while reading the book, thought it was the protagonist, the author mentioned in his IG what it was and I think he should remove that cuz it was ~••fun discovering it.••~
×wished OTHER CHARACTERS have more roles at the other half of the book instead of protagonist have all the attention.
×the pages TOO WHITE, the light brownish paper would have been more comfortable and cheaper I think.
× the font is small and **TOP AND BOTTOM MARGINS** are unnecessary big, making them smaller would have given more space to the font, still same number of pages.
×FONT OF "CHAPTER" would have been cooler if they were DIFFERENT font from the rest.
× same to TEXT MESSAGES, the ITALIC suits the inner thoughts and stressed words more.
× I wished it was POVs, because the protagonist is annoying and mostly doesn't deliver the emotions of others well (he does other times) because he barely know them so.
************
I got an adorable crochet doll as a preoder gift and I just noticed she looks like a ship daughter I kinda considered in the end. XD
DUE TO my own fanfictions in my mad mind: Ustaath is fun°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°
[Spoilers review would be more of venting including the end xD ]
Edit: I can't say I'm quite convinced with the end nor our tan friendo's death. The story felt rushed itd have been cooler if it was in two books. The rush made me unable to get to like any character, other than Ustaath be being biased xD but it was such a cool book, having traditional things within such stories. Keep it up! And we hope to see more original stories or even traditional myths alerted on the author style.
January 2, 2025
It is more like three stars and a half for me,
to be honest I was skeptical about this, I thought it will amateurish kind of novel but on the contrary the writing and the editing was good few misses were there but weren't significant, and to be honest there IS plot holes, but meh! it didn't stop it from being a nice read. needed just some depth into its magical system.
I though am going to indulge into a horror supernatural story, about Jinn and possessions, and being in the same country the novel is taking place, that was kind of intriguing with a promise of scary, but it turned out to be more of the adventure type and a better word for it will be more of a " shounen" type, cos by maybe chapter five it started to have the shape and aura of anime.
which made it very vivid especially in the matter of the fighting scenes.
I think what made this novel unique is the mixing of the Omani culture and the Arabic words within it , which felt odd and natural at the same time,
I only wished that the Arabic words, were also written in Arabic in between brackets , instead of me guessing them, I was mistaking the novel's title for ساريم . which was confusing, I was pondering why the author choose such a weird name , till I understood that it is actually supposed to be صارم which made loads of sense.
as for the characters, I know I enjoy the story if I started to care for the characters, and that shocking turning point, I did NOT see it coming, and that scene of goodbye, was truly sad, which made me admire the novel.
All in all it took me by a surprise that I truly enjoyed it.
to be honest I was skeptical about this, I thought it will amateurish kind of novel but on the contrary the writing and the editing was good few misses were there but weren't significant, and to be honest there IS plot holes, but meh! it didn't stop it from being a nice read. needed just some depth into its magical system.
I though am going to indulge into a horror supernatural story, about Jinn and possessions, and being in the same country the novel is taking place, that was kind of intriguing with a promise of scary, but it turned out to be more of the adventure type and a better word for it will be more of a " shounen" type, cos by maybe chapter five it started to have the shape and aura of anime.
which made it very vivid especially in the matter of the fighting scenes.
I think what made this novel unique is the mixing of the Omani culture and the Arabic words within it , which felt odd and natural at the same time,
I only wished that the Arabic words, were also written in Arabic in between brackets , instead of me guessing them, I was mistaking the novel's title for ساريم . which was confusing, I was pondering why the author choose such a weird name , till I understood that it is actually supposed to be صارم which made loads of sense.
as for the characters, I know I enjoy the story if I started to care for the characters, and that shocking turning point, I did NOT see it coming, and that scene of goodbye, was truly sad, which made me admire the novel.
All in all it took me by a surprise that I truly enjoyed it.
May 22, 2021
One of my favorite books 😍
December 31, 2023
Interesting fantasy novel from Oman. I wish it could be turned into a manga! Full of events! I give it 4 out of 5 because I couldn't see a plot/theme that connects together all chapters/events.
March 19, 2022
Only three chapters in so far, and I shall update this review once I'm done reading the whole thing (if that is possible, anyway.) As of now, however? 2.5 stars.
Impressions:
-The author writes in a style that tells me he's trying his hardest. The only problem with that is that we live in a world where the end result is appreciated, not the effort that went into it. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, as they say. This is most unfortunate indeed, because the writer isn't bad, per se. Just painfully average and a bit too try-hard at times. A little more polish would see him becoming a much better writer.
-The author seems strangely bent on making me feel bad for his main character, at times almost begging me to, it feels. I'd much prefer if he would just get to the point and let me decide on my own whether to feel sorry for his main character or not. Maybe I'd rather be curious as to what his ailment is, or what he's going to do next, or whether or not some of the characters he met with are trustworthy or not. An author is a narrator of what happens to his characters, ultimately. He should not be the one controlling the narrative, and I should not feel like I'm being pressured by him, indirectly or not, to feel a certain way. Let your audience react organically to what they see.
-There was a spelling mistake in the second chapter and a grammatical one in the third chapter. I know self-publishing is desirable because it removes the publisher as a factor from the equation of the creator and his audience, but professionalism must be upheld regardless. If you are going to charge money for something then you must have some form of quality-control standard. Hire an editor, or maybe spend more time proofing your work.
-This last one is a personal pet-peeve of mine, but a fantasy novel will only be dated by the mention of current technology. You can get away with that if your work revolves around modern science fiction (like William Gibson) but in a story where fantastical elements are at play and you want your book to be accessible to as big an audience as possible for generations to come, mentioning social media sites and messaging apps is not going to help.
The author always describes his book as "Harry potter but Omani." Perhaps he should be more thoughtful about the implications of such a comparison.
Impressions:
-The author writes in a style that tells me he's trying his hardest. The only problem with that is that we live in a world where the end result is appreciated, not the effort that went into it. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, as they say. This is most unfortunate indeed, because the writer isn't bad, per se. Just painfully average and a bit too try-hard at times. A little more polish would see him becoming a much better writer.
-The author seems strangely bent on making me feel bad for his main character, at times almost begging me to, it feels. I'd much prefer if he would just get to the point and let me decide on my own whether to feel sorry for his main character or not. Maybe I'd rather be curious as to what his ailment is, or what he's going to do next, or whether or not some of the characters he met with are trustworthy or not. An author is a narrator of what happens to his characters, ultimately. He should not be the one controlling the narrative, and I should not feel like I'm being pressured by him, indirectly or not, to feel a certain way. Let your audience react organically to what they see.
-There was a spelling mistake in the second chapter and a grammatical one in the third chapter. I know self-publishing is desirable because it removes the publisher as a factor from the equation of the creator and his audience, but professionalism must be upheld regardless. If you are going to charge money for something then you must have some form of quality-control standard. Hire an editor, or maybe spend more time proofing your work.
-This last one is a personal pet-peeve of mine, but a fantasy novel will only be dated by the mention of current technology. You can get away with that if your work revolves around modern science fiction (like William Gibson) but in a story where fantastical elements are at play and you want your book to be accessible to as big an audience as possible for generations to come, mentioning social media sites and messaging apps is not going to help.
The author always describes his book as "Harry potter but Omani." Perhaps he should be more thoughtful about the implications of such a comparison.
September 4, 2025
(3/5) stars
Alright, let’s begin!
Since you probably know the pitch of the book, I’ll skip unnecessaries.
Pros:
- Character voice in dialogue: every characters feels alive with their own unique voice. Very well done.
- Banter: this book made me laugh a couple of times, and even after I’m done I do return to some scenes and get me a chuckle.
- Plot: though I have some issues with scene-efficiency (discussed in cons), it was in general soundly done with a gripping conflict to get you reading more.
- Side characters: matching the excellency of their voice, these side characters carried in a lot of scenes, blending really well with Mishaal, and inserting their own drama and conflict. (Ammar himself had told me that romance doesn’t suit him, and I’m here to say that it was quite good in this book. I enjoyed it)
- The writing: I’ll present this in both pros and cons. For pros, Ammar’s writing flows really well in general, and as a writer, I know how hard this can be.
- Omani-culture presentation: the use of culture was brilliantly done. I related to a lot of things, and appreciated a lot of the themes discussed. Tahhiya (تحية)😂
Cons:
- Dialogue: though I just praised the character voice, a lot of the dialogue slipped into childish and cringy approach. Like: “You are a madman.” Only for the villain to glare and “No. I’m. NOT.” It happened a couple of times, along with different variations.
- Writing + plot: many scenes could be reduced by pages. The emotion is quite overdone, like we hear the same thing a bunch of times in the character’s head, even though we know what he thinks. Fighting scenes were overdone, strips them of their importance.
In general, I feel the pros outweigh the cons. I will definitely be reading the next book, and is quite excited to see what happens.
I am fully aware that Ammar has developed a lot in his future books. I do not shape Ammar’s skills with these criticisms. In fact, I’m very impressed by what he has done to the writing world in Oman, and I thank him for it.
Conclusion: I enjoyed this story, got myself a couple of laughs, a couple of heartfelt moments, heart-breaks… etc. See you in the next book review. Enjoy (the book of course)!!!
Alright, let’s begin!
Since you probably know the pitch of the book, I’ll skip unnecessaries.
Pros:
- Character voice in dialogue: every characters feels alive with their own unique voice. Very well done.
- Banter: this book made me laugh a couple of times, and even after I’m done I do return to some scenes and get me a chuckle.
- Plot: though I have some issues with scene-efficiency (discussed in cons), it was in general soundly done with a gripping conflict to get you reading more.
- Side characters: matching the excellency of their voice, these side characters carried in a lot of scenes, blending really well with Mishaal, and inserting their own drama and conflict. (Ammar himself had told me that romance doesn’t suit him, and I’m here to say that it was quite good in this book. I enjoyed it)
- The writing: I’ll present this in both pros and cons. For pros, Ammar’s writing flows really well in general, and as a writer, I know how hard this can be.
- Omani-culture presentation: the use of culture was brilliantly done. I related to a lot of things, and appreciated a lot of the themes discussed. Tahhiya (تحية)😂
Cons:
- Dialogue: though I just praised the character voice, a lot of the dialogue slipped into childish and cringy approach. Like: “You are a madman.” Only for the villain to glare and “No. I’m. NOT.” It happened a couple of times, along with different variations.
- Writing + plot: many scenes could be reduced by pages. The emotion is quite overdone, like we hear the same thing a bunch of times in the character’s head, even though we know what he thinks. Fighting scenes were overdone, strips them of their importance.
In general, I feel the pros outweigh the cons. I will definitely be reading the next book, and is quite excited to see what happens.
I am fully aware that Ammar has developed a lot in his future books. I do not shape Ammar’s skills with these criticisms. In fact, I’m very impressed by what he has done to the writing world in Oman, and I thank him for it.
Conclusion: I enjoyed this story, got myself a couple of laughs, a couple of heartfelt moments, heart-breaks… etc. See you in the next book review. Enjoy (the book of course)!!!
May 4, 2022
I have been told that this novel is like Omani Harry Potter, but it wasn’t. It was more like Jujutsu kaisen and bits of Naruto, both of which I really love and enjoyed watching them. Thus, while reading it I was imagining how it will be very cool to be animated. It would be amazing! Nevertheless, when I heard it’s about jinn I really hoped that it will be more about similar stories that happened for real as our culture is full of them.
Another problem of this novel is that it seems like it hadn’t been proofread as there are some grammar, spelling mistakes. Also, in some characters descriptions, especially Eman, as in some part her eyes are green and in another they are blue!
Another problem of this novel is that it seems like it hadn’t been proofread as there are some grammar, spelling mistakes. Also, in some characters descriptions, especially Eman, as in some part her eyes are green and in another they are blue!
November 12, 2024
Quick read that packs a strong, satisfying punch. Characters are very likable, even the ones who are written to be intentionally cringy. The book has a unique charm. It is a multi-faceted fantasy novel based in Oman with elements of action, horror, romance, and comedy. The book is a true page-turner, even during its quieter moments. I really admire how the author crafted such a vivid world without bogging it down with endless descriptive details. The storytelling feels effortless, drawing you in and letting you fully enjoy the experience without ever losing momentum. Looking forward to continuing the journey with Hazim (Book 2 of the series).
October 15, 2021
This story is a wonderful quest that includes you in their discoveries. I must say I was heavily invested in the characters because they were relatable in more ways than one. More so the emotions I had attached to them. The nuances of love, hate, self loathing and more, are resonated through every word pondered and uttered. I was consoled by Shayib Ghalib, I lived through Mishal, I related to Ahlam and I was cared for by Eman. All of them now live rent free in my heart. Beautiful. I hope there is a next 🖤🙌🏽
September 10, 2025
This was an exceptional fantasy journey allowing us to view Oman from a different lens. It was enjoyable to explore the themes of friendship , grief, and the coming of age of our main character, Mishal, as he explores his new identity.
I appreciated how Mishal had to go through several obstacles and crises before being able to truly believe himself capable of fighting.
With new relations formed and new characters introduced at the end , Sarim has set a solid foundation for the second book.
I'm excited to see how the characters will continue on their journey of fighting evil. ✨️✨️
I appreciated how Mishal had to go through several obstacles and crises before being able to truly believe himself capable of fighting.
With new relations formed and new characters introduced at the end , Sarim has set a solid foundation for the second book.
I'm excited to see how the characters will continue on their journey of fighting evil. ✨️✨️
June 9, 2022
Fun read
This was an action packed fun read. I studied the archaeology of the Gulf countries at university and have spent some time in that part of the world, so it was interesting to read a fantasy novel set there. I liked the mixture of myth and folklore with these kids struggling to make sense of the world and this place in it. It also deals with a number of social issues. I think anyone who enjoys elemental or incantation magic will be pleased with this read.
This was an action packed fun read. I studied the archaeology of the Gulf countries at university and have spent some time in that part of the world, so it was interesting to read a fantasy novel set there. I liked the mixture of myth and folklore with these kids struggling to make sense of the world and this place in it. It also deals with a number of social issues. I think anyone who enjoys elemental or incantation magic will be pleased with this read.
December 31, 2021
"I don't want to see someone I care for throw himself away." - Mishal
..
One of the greatest fantasy book written by omani, ammar.
I enjoyed reading the story and the characters role. Especially ahlam. She's a badass.
I loved how you related some traditional cultures in the story, which they're true and I can relate to that.
I hope this book will get part 2.
To see what the next team would do.
..
One of the greatest fantasy book written by omani, ammar.
I enjoyed reading the story and the characters role. Especially ahlam. She's a badass.
I loved how you related some traditional cultures in the story, which they're true and I can relate to that.
I hope this book will get part 2.
To see what the next team would do.
March 19, 2022
CAWPILE Rating: 6.8/10
October 5, 2022
I enjoyed the concept of the book and was for the most part an easy read.
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