guymage

The Desert of Souls is one part historical, one part fantasy, and two parts action adventure. The main characters, Asim and Dabir, are reminiscent of Fafrhd and Grey Mouser or Sherlock and Watson without being copies of either pair. They are distinctive and well-rounded. The Desert of Souls is, to some degree, an adventurous buddy tale in 8th Century Baghdad. With sorcery. What's not to like about that? Howard Andrew Jones made good use of pulp storytelling techniques rarely seen today, employing them in a sophisticated, modern manner. The Desert of Souls is an eloquently written, fast-paced tale that, at its best, reminded me of The Adept's Gambit by Fritz Leiber. I enjoyed the supporting cast and the lush historical setting, as well as fantasy elements that don't often get the screen time they deserve. Mythic djinn and zombie monkeys are just a few of the many fun, pulp-fantasy elements the author throws in for our reading pleasure. The Desert of Souls is sword-and-sorcery at its best, and a fun read that any fantasy fan will enjoy.

2023-01-07 05:57