The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi: A Novel

"This one is so much fun! Al-Sirafi lived a swashbuckling life as a pirate, but since she became a mother, she has tried to live safely and quietly. She is convincingly drawn out for one last job, first by rewards, then – as things get more dangerous – by threats. So an adventure on the high seas ensues – and it’s a rollickingly good time. More specifically, we’re on the Indian Ocean, in the 1200s. You can tell a lot of research has gone into this – both into the politics of the region, and the legends which infuse the story. We’re essentially in our own world – the existence of non-human entities is taken for granted by the characters, but their appearance is alarming, and not experienced by regular landlubbers who don’t meddle. But Al-Sirafi can’t stop running into them. Sometimes she’s fighting them; sometimes she’s receiving magical aid from them; sometimes she’s ill-advisedly marrying them. Yes, it has the convincing ring of a sea-going epic, with all the set-piece encounters along the way. And each one is really distinctive and exciting. There’s a loveable crew too, and the sad feeling of farewell when the story’s over and you have to leave them behind. The ending sets us up for more Al-Sirafi adventures, and I hope they’re coming."