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Abu Nuwas #1
The Father Of Locks
Baghdad, the capital of the world, is a city crowded with stories, and founded on secrets. But some secrets, and some stories, can be deadly...Ismail al-Rawiya is a thief who dreams of being a poet. He is drawn to Baghdad, and to the court of the Khalifah Harun al-Rashid, where fabulous wealth can be attained by those who survive the rivalries, the politics and the whims of the capricious monarch. In the turbulent city, Ismail falls into the company of the poet Abu Nuwas, known as the Father of Locks. Abu Nuwas is a brilliant artist, but also a decadent drunkard with a taste for trouble.
The Father of Locks has his own secret: he is an irregular and reluctant agent of the scheming Wazir, Ja'far al-Barmaki, who now assigns him to investigate reports that the Devil is stalking the streets of Baghdad. Together the poet and the thief uncover a hidden world, of forbidden cults, foreign spies, and a mysterious Brass Bottle. When children start to disappear, it seems that there must be substance to the dark rumours of evil spirits and human sacrifice that haunt the city. But the truth that Ismail and the Father of Locks uncover is more shocking still.
The Father of Locks has his own secret: he is an irregular and reluctant agent of the scheming Wazir, Ja'far al-Barmaki, who now assigns him to investigate reports that the Devil is stalking the streets of Baghdad. Together the poet and the thief uncover a hidden world, of forbidden cults, foreign spies, and a mysterious Brass Bottle. When children start to disappear, it seems that there must be substance to the dark rumours of evil spirits and human sacrifice that haunt the city. But the truth that Ismail and the Father of Locks uncover is more shocking still.
332 pages, Paperback
First published January 8, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 23, 2014
This is a gem of a book - a must for any lover of Arabian Nights as myself, written in its style as stories within stories and taking place where else but in the Baghdad of Harun Al Rashid, but with a modern sensibility that fits the story perfectly.
While the plot despite its side-complications is fairly predictable, that is not the main attraction but the atmosphere, the stories themselves and of course the characters.
Most notably the title one, Abu Nuwas aka "Father of Locks" so named for his hairstyle, famous poet, lover of boys and wine and luckily living in a time and a place that allowed the indulgent consummation of both at least as long as it was not too scandalous. A somewhat reluctant agent of the famous Wazir Jafar of Arabian Nights fame and sort of court poet to Harun, Abu Nuwas' first meeting with the Caliph is just hysterical, though it almost turned tragic and as recounted later represents a perfect sample of how the book goes.
The narrator and other main character is a young Irish youngster who sold by his father to Al Andalus traders for wine, becomes a sort of surrogate child to them, but later when their ship comes back to the Mediterranean and is boarded by Christian pirates and he is captured and cruelly raped by the captain, barely manages to escape swimming after killing his rapist at night only to be sold in slavery on the North African coast; luckily his passion for learning and ability to spin tales gets him bought by a kindly master Hermes with ambitions of training promising young boys to be sold at higher mark-up as entertainers and such later...
Things turn otherwise and the young Ismail al-Rawia (The Teller of Tales) as he calls himself finally makes its way through the Caliphate to the legendary Baghdad where his most fond wish is to read some ancient Greek scrolls...
By (mis) chance he comes to the attention of Jafar and only his quick wit and poetry quoting saves young Ismail from mutilation for theft, but Jafar likes the boy's quick wit and in typical Arabian Nights fortune reversal he is sent to Abu Nuwas as his apprentice and to help him investigate a demon-like apparition in Baghdad.
And of course Abu Nuwas is in trouble with creditors as usual, while his tongue cannot help but make things worse so it's up to Isamil to save the day from the beginning...
And Baghdad is in ferment too since famous visitors, namely an embassy from the far off Franks of Chrlemagne is coming and Harun al-Rashid or more precisely his ministers would like good relations with the upstart Frankish King since his immediate neighbors and rivals happen to be the Caliphate's two big western thorns, the Cordoba emirate where the former Ummayad dynasty - overthrown just a generation ago by Harun's grandfather - still rules and the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire
Just superb, a book to enjoy and immerse in and hopefully one of more to come featuring the two heroes...
While the plot despite its side-complications is fairly predictable, that is not the main attraction but the atmosphere, the stories themselves and of course the characters.
Most notably the title one, Abu Nuwas aka "Father of Locks" so named for his hairstyle, famous poet, lover of boys and wine and luckily living in a time and a place that allowed the indulgent consummation of both at least as long as it was not too scandalous. A somewhat reluctant agent of the famous Wazir Jafar of Arabian Nights fame and sort of court poet to Harun, Abu Nuwas' first meeting with the Caliph is just hysterical, though it almost turned tragic and as recounted later represents a perfect sample of how the book goes.
The narrator and other main character is a young Irish youngster who sold by his father to Al Andalus traders for wine, becomes a sort of surrogate child to them, but later when their ship comes back to the Mediterranean and is boarded by Christian pirates and he is captured and cruelly raped by the captain, barely manages to escape swimming after killing his rapist at night only to be sold in slavery on the North African coast; luckily his passion for learning and ability to spin tales gets him bought by a kindly master Hermes with ambitions of training promising young boys to be sold at higher mark-up as entertainers and such later...
Things turn otherwise and the young Ismail al-Rawia (The Teller of Tales) as he calls himself finally makes its way through the Caliphate to the legendary Baghdad where his most fond wish is to read some ancient Greek scrolls...
By (mis) chance he comes to the attention of Jafar and only his quick wit and poetry quoting saves young Ismail from mutilation for theft, but Jafar likes the boy's quick wit and in typical Arabian Nights fortune reversal he is sent to Abu Nuwas as his apprentice and to help him investigate a demon-like apparition in Baghdad.
And of course Abu Nuwas is in trouble with creditors as usual, while his tongue cannot help but make things worse so it's up to Isamil to save the day from the beginning...
And Baghdad is in ferment too since famous visitors, namely an embassy from the far off Franks of Chrlemagne is coming and Harun al-Rashid or more precisely his ministers would like good relations with the upstart Frankish King since his immediate neighbors and rivals happen to be the Caliphate's two big western thorns, the Cordoba emirate where the former Ummayad dynasty - overthrown just a generation ago by Harun's grandfather - still rules and the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire
Just superb, a book to enjoy and immerse in and hopefully one of more to come featuring the two heroes...
May 6, 2018
Repost - old review!
The Father of Locks is a beautifully written historical adventure story. Set in Baghdad around 800 AD this is a story clearly inspired by the famous "Arabian Nights" or One Thousand and One Nights stories, and both the structure of the story and the rhythms of sentences evoke a wonderful sense of "story" as told by a true storyteller.
This is the kind of book that makes me think I want to write like that! That makes me want to buy up every copy I can find and force it on everyone I know.
The framing story is the main story, with backstory and side-stories related as stories within the story told by one character to another. But the framing story truly is the strong story and the tales within tales serve to illuminate the main story and its world, this is not the sloppy pasting together of short stories one all to often finds with the stories-within-a-story format.
The story is narrated by a boy of around fifteen who was taken as a slave from the coast of Cornwall many years before. Yeah, I know, I was skeptical about that too, but it works well. Ismail, as he's called, is fairly thoroughly acculturated, yet ignorant enough of the history of Baghdad and Islam to need certain things explained, and the story of how he came from Cornwall to Baghdad is believable and entertaining. Additionally Killeen pulls off perhaps the best, and cheekiest, viewpoint shift I've ever read. The first thirteen pages are told in third person. There are a few pages of backstory but we soon are watching Ismail as he arrives at Baghdad.
So there. Ismail quickly gets into trouble and finds himself ordered to assist the eccentric poet Abu Nuwas, the Father of Locks of the title, in investigating reports of the devil walking the streets of the city. Abu Nuwas wastes no time in attempting to seduce Ismail, which brings up the topic which may be off-putting to some readers. The book has several sex scenes, both male-female and male-male. WARNING: The one (one and a half?) male-male scenes are of the teenager-adult variety, so if this is a dealbreaker, now you know.
I find the way the sex scenes are written to be a bit strange myself. I admit I am a bit of a purist. In the same way that I don't like my green beans touching my mashed potatoes, I don't like sex in my stories or stories in my porn. The sex scenes use some euphemistic language, yet are explicit enough to probably bother those who are bothered by such things, and yet perhaps not explicit enough to satisfy those who might enjoy them. That's my impression at any rate, though, as I said, I don't particularly care for sex scenes in books and tend to skim over them so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Anyway, this is a really fun book, and easily makes it onto my favorites list. If the above mentioned sex scene does not fill you with moral outrage, I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys both a well told story and a well crafted sentence.
The Father of Locks is a beautifully written historical adventure story. Set in Baghdad around 800 AD this is a story clearly inspired by the famous "Arabian Nights" or One Thousand and One Nights stories, and both the structure of the story and the rhythms of sentences evoke a wonderful sense of "story" as told by a true storyteller.
This is the kind of book that makes me think I want to write like that! That makes me want to buy up every copy I can find and force it on everyone I know.
The framing story is the main story, with backstory and side-stories related as stories within the story told by one character to another. But the framing story truly is the strong story and the tales within tales serve to illuminate the main story and its world, this is not the sloppy pasting together of short stories one all to often finds with the stories-within-a-story format.
The story is narrated by a boy of around fifteen who was taken as a slave from the coast of Cornwall many years before. Yeah, I know, I was skeptical about that too, but it works well. Ismail, as he's called, is fairly thoroughly acculturated, yet ignorant enough of the history of Baghdad and Islam to need certain things explained, and the story of how he came from Cornwall to Baghdad is believable and entertaining. Additionally Killeen pulls off perhaps the best, and cheekiest, viewpoint shift I've ever read. The first thirteen pages are told in third person. There are a few pages of backstory but we soon are watching Ismail as he arrives at Baghdad.
Outside the last rays of the sun warmed the youth in his hiding place. Rather I should say, warmed me; for I remember the cool stone on my back, and the crisp sweetness of the stolen fruit as I bit into its flesh. I must confess that I was that pale thief -- yes, I was young once, however strange that seems now. I find it hard to believe myself. Yet how many of us, as we look back to our past, really recognize ourselves in those callow, distant adolescents whose decisions have set the course of our lives?
You may be cross with me, perhaps, and feel that I have deceived you. You may ask, how could I have known the names of the costermonger, of the boy and his father, and of the singing girl, let alone their innermost thoughts? I could not, of course; and I did not. But what I say is true, nonetheless. I am al-Rawiya, the Teller of Tales.
So there. Ismail quickly gets into trouble and finds himself ordered to assist the eccentric poet Abu Nuwas, the Father of Locks of the title, in investigating reports of the devil walking the streets of the city. Abu Nuwas wastes no time in attempting to seduce Ismail, which brings up the topic which may be off-putting to some readers. The book has several sex scenes, both male-female and male-male. WARNING: The one (one and a half?) male-male scenes are of the teenager-adult variety, so if this is a dealbreaker, now you know.
I find the way the sex scenes are written to be a bit strange myself. I admit I am a bit of a purist. In the same way that I don't like my green beans touching my mashed potatoes, I don't like sex in my stories or stories in my porn. The sex scenes use some euphemistic language, yet are explicit enough to probably bother those who are bothered by such things, and yet perhaps not explicit enough to satisfy those who might enjoy them. That's my impression at any rate, though, as I said, I don't particularly care for sex scenes in books and tend to skim over them so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Anyway, this is a really fun book, and easily makes it onto my favorites list. If the above mentioned sex scene does not fill you with moral outrage, I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys both a well told story and a well crafted sentence.
September 13, 2022
Wonderful, fun, entertaining and well written tale set in the Baghdad of history and of the imagination involving the great boy loving poet and scoundrel Abu Nuwas in a series of adventures that are, of course, straight out of the Arabian Nights. I enjoyed it immensely, I deon't want to imagine or know the sort of person who wouldn't enjoy it.
February 9, 2014
"I have an idea for a story which will contain all the other stories in the world," says one character in Andrew Killeen's debut Arabian detective novel, The Father of Locks.
In many ways, this is exactly what Killeen himself has achieved. The Father of Locks is fundamentally a detective story but this primary plot is often put on hold whilst a character tells another story to provide back-story or history or religious fable. In this respect, it shares much with the Middle-Eastern fairy tales of One Thousand and One Nights, which ultimately makes for a rich reading experience and adds great variety and depth to Killeen's novel.
The foremost plot involves Abu Nawas, the titular Father of Locks, and his new protege, Ismail, investigating a series of child abductions in the great city of Baghdad at the request of the Wazir. Abu Nawas and Ismail soon form a Sherlock and Watson relationship: bonding, bickering and saving each other's lives as they encounter numerous adversaries along the way.
Those not interested in historical fiction set in ancient Arabia may hesitate to approach such a novel. However, this is ancient Arabia as directed by Tarantino, containing all the sex, violence and bad language of an episode of The Sopranos. If you like George R R Martin's fantasy novels then you will love Killeen's historical fiction. The comparison is particularly fitting as The Father of Locks boasts an equally vast cast of characters, all fully-realised, three-dimensional and a joy to read about.
The frequent poetic verse is also a welcome addition to the narrative. After all, Abu Nawas is one of the most revered poets of his time so the inclusion of poetry is to be expected. Killeen's delivery of verse is every bit as accomplished as his prose and this talent, along with his extensive research into this period of history, helps the Birmingham author stand out from his contemporaries.
Abu Nawas himself is a superbly layered character - poet, scoundrel, genius, drunk, fighter, bisexual, detective - and deserves his own franchise. Happily, Killeen has already written a follow-up starring Abu Nawas which I will soon be adding to my Kobo. You should too.
I heartily recommend this novel. It is an Arabian delight.
In many ways, this is exactly what Killeen himself has achieved. The Father of Locks is fundamentally a detective story but this primary plot is often put on hold whilst a character tells another story to provide back-story or history or religious fable. In this respect, it shares much with the Middle-Eastern fairy tales of One Thousand and One Nights, which ultimately makes for a rich reading experience and adds great variety and depth to Killeen's novel.
The foremost plot involves Abu Nawas, the titular Father of Locks, and his new protege, Ismail, investigating a series of child abductions in the great city of Baghdad at the request of the Wazir. Abu Nawas and Ismail soon form a Sherlock and Watson relationship: bonding, bickering and saving each other's lives as they encounter numerous adversaries along the way.
Those not interested in historical fiction set in ancient Arabia may hesitate to approach such a novel. However, this is ancient Arabia as directed by Tarantino, containing all the sex, violence and bad language of an episode of The Sopranos. If you like George R R Martin's fantasy novels then you will love Killeen's historical fiction. The comparison is particularly fitting as The Father of Locks boasts an equally vast cast of characters, all fully-realised, three-dimensional and a joy to read about.
The frequent poetic verse is also a welcome addition to the narrative. After all, Abu Nawas is one of the most revered poets of his time so the inclusion of poetry is to be expected. Killeen's delivery of verse is every bit as accomplished as his prose and this talent, along with his extensive research into this period of history, helps the Birmingham author stand out from his contemporaries.
Abu Nawas himself is a superbly layered character - poet, scoundrel, genius, drunk, fighter, bisexual, detective - and deserves his own franchise. Happily, Killeen has already written a follow-up starring Abu Nawas which I will soon be adding to my Kobo. You should too.
I heartily recommend this novel. It is an Arabian delight.
April 6, 2015
Another day, another Orientalist mystery! Andrew Killeen's book is almost custom-made for the Dedalus imprint, in its exploration of lugubrious living and the nuances of history. Set in Baghdad (largely) around 800AD, this is a very descriptive tale of poetry, rivalry and rooting with its roots in reality. Most of the characters existed, and a glossary at the end of the book provides potted histories of those mentioned.
The problem with this book is - like The One Thousand and One Nights which Killeen claims inspires him - its labyrinthine nature. The plot itself is pretty simple, really: it's a detective story with the titular Father of Locks (Abu Nuwas, an historical poet who - here, at least - proves Byron and Shelley didn't have the only dibs on dissolute living) and his narrator-cum-sidekick Ismail attempting to solve murders and mysteries. Except the plot is often shuffled off to the side for a round of storytelling and romance - affairs of the zabb, at least, as Killeen coyly styles the multiple penile peregrinations of the piece.
Being dazzled is possibly a desirable outcome in reading. It's just a shame that here it seemed to occur in spite of the plot, rather than because of it. There's a wealth of material here, and the roundabout way of returning - eventually - to the main whodunnit of the piece could be seen as a sterling example of the storyteller's art in full flight. Except rather than provide a broader view of the land, these continual turns seem to diminish the action.
Abu Nuwas is very much a lovable rogue, but the book - curiously, for all its research - seems to leave the tale-telling to go off half-cocked. It's a shame, as there's some excellent characterisation which the book seems desperate to keep just out of reach of the reader. There's a real sense of muddled-headedness which becomes tiring.
Consider this a visit to the souk: you probably won't understand a lot of what's going on, and the sensual nature is wonderful - but just keep an eye on where you're going, or you'll be completely lost.
The problem with this book is - like The One Thousand and One Nights which Killeen claims inspires him - its labyrinthine nature. The plot itself is pretty simple, really: it's a detective story with the titular Father of Locks (Abu Nuwas, an historical poet who - here, at least - proves Byron and Shelley didn't have the only dibs on dissolute living) and his narrator-cum-sidekick Ismail attempting to solve murders and mysteries. Except the plot is often shuffled off to the side for a round of storytelling and romance - affairs of the zabb, at least, as Killeen coyly styles the multiple penile peregrinations of the piece.
Being dazzled is possibly a desirable outcome in reading. It's just a shame that here it seemed to occur in spite of the plot, rather than because of it. There's a wealth of material here, and the roundabout way of returning - eventually - to the main whodunnit of the piece could be seen as a sterling example of the storyteller's art in full flight. Except rather than provide a broader view of the land, these continual turns seem to diminish the action.
Abu Nuwas is very much a lovable rogue, but the book - curiously, for all its research - seems to leave the tale-telling to go off half-cocked. It's a shame, as there's some excellent characterisation which the book seems desperate to keep just out of reach of the reader. There's a real sense of muddled-headedness which becomes tiring.
Consider this a visit to the souk: you probably won't understand a lot of what's going on, and the sensual nature is wonderful - but just keep an eye on where you're going, or you'll be completely lost.
September 2, 2016
Last year Andrew Killeen gave a talk at our local library and I quickly fell under the spell of his story-telling skills. As with The Khalifah’s Mirror, this is structured as stories within stories in the fashion of The Thousand and One Nights though without fantasy elements. In this début novel by Killeen there is more of the back story of its narrator, Ismail al-Rawiya, who had been born in Cornwall but kidnapped by pirates as a boy and sold into slavery. There is also a much appreciated listing of historical characters at the back that I accessed often.
I enjoyed this very much and feel that Andrew is one of those rare story-tellers who can with a few words conjure a world in all its aspects and transport me there.
The cover art of this novel deserves comment. During his talk I had some discussion with Andrew on the subject of Orientalism, an academic term that refers in part to the romanticism found in certain 19th Century art featuring Middle Eastern subjects. Andrew was well versed in the issues and shared that he had requested that his publisher not use an Orientalist image for the cover. However, this request wasn't heeded or had been misunderstood. As a result the novel ended up with a cover utilising 'Summary Execution under the Moorish Kings of Grenada' (1870), a painting by Henri Regnault, a leading French Orientalist.
I enjoyed this very much and feel that Andrew is one of those rare story-tellers who can with a few words conjure a world in all its aspects and transport me there.
The cover art of this novel deserves comment. During his talk I had some discussion with Andrew on the subject of Orientalism, an academic term that refers in part to the romanticism found in certain 19th Century art featuring Middle Eastern subjects. Andrew was well versed in the issues and shared that he had requested that his publisher not use an Orientalist image for the cover. However, this request wasn't heeded or had been misunderstood. As a result the novel ended up with a cover utilising 'Summary Execution under the Moorish Kings of Grenada' (1870), a painting by Henri Regnault, a leading French Orientalist.
October 30, 2012
This was an interesting book gifted to by a friend (Thanks again!). I probably wouldn't have gotten around to this one if he hadn't pushed me to read it.
Its middle eastern fantasy, which I haven't read much of and quite the crazy ride.
Give it a spin!
Its middle eastern fantasy, which I haven't read much of and quite the crazy ride.
Give it a spin!
April 3, 2013
Almost written to strict Dedalus guidelines, this is mighty fine Gaiman-ish story-telling in the 1001 Nights (or Arabian Nightmare) style. Nice to see Islam as civilisation and the Christian West as barbarous, traitorous gits too.
August 5, 2013
I loved this reckless jumble of stories gathered around a rather perfunctory plot involving child kidnapping and international espionage. It's wildly imaginative with inventively sketched characters and an exotic historical feel - very enjoyable.
May 16, 2011
If you enjoyed One Thousand and One Nights...
November 27, 2015
Great, interesting story set in Baghdad of the Abbasid Caliphate.
September 23, 2013
Reviewed on www.whichbook.net
August 21, 2016
A novel and entertaining read, set in historical Baghdad. If you like tales within tales, this one has plenty!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews