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Throne of the Crescent Moon follows a rather traditional model of sword and sorcery – a group of varied individuals band together to save their city. There are monsters of various sorts that need to be destroyed, there’s politics and fermenting revolution in the city, there is magic, and there is ancient evil to be stopped. The group has its internal differences, whether religious, age or nationality yet still work together to get the job done as each one brings an important talent to the mix. And the evil is mysterious and more powerful than any of them have faced before – as I hinted at above, it’s a near-perfect set-up for a traditional sword and sorcery adventure.
The world that Ahmed presents is clearly derived more from the lands of the Middle East and North Africa than the usual Western Europe analog. As someone who lives in the semi-arid American West and spends a lot of time in deserts, I love to see such lands portrayed in fantasy – especially when they take much of their mythological inspiration from traditions I’m less familiar with. Though Ahmed uses the lands of North Africa and the Middle East as a template to build from to great effect, he grows things into his own creation using tools such as monsters that feel different from those typically seen fantasy and the ruins of a long dead, magical civilization.
Dhamsawaat, a city of around a million people, is the jewel of the nation of Abassen, a nation that feels like a mix of ancient Egypt, Persia and Babylon with heat, deserts and a life-sustaining river built on the ruins of an ancient civilization. The journey of Adoulla and his allies is largely undertaken within the city of Dhamsawaat and Dhamsawaat is wonderfully realized – it’s huge with a walk to a different section of the city taking several hours, ‘traffic’ jams of people make it impossible to leave the city quickly, and lives of the rich and the poor are shown. The result is a presentation of Dhamsawaat with a refreshingly ‘realistic’feel to it.
Religion is a very important part of the society created by Ahmed and the characters at the center of Throne of the Crescent Moon. The created religion draws immediate similarities to Islam, though it’s never specifically presented as a stand-in for Islam. However Ahmed shows the diversity of people and the followers of religion with differing versions of piety. Raseed is the classic pious, religious conservative who has been taught that suppressing one’s desires is key component of religious belief, which he channels into his notable battle skills. Adoulla heartily enjoys life’s pleasures such as good food and drink and has quite a sharp tongue – however, through his actions as ghul hunter and care for the wellbeing of people, Adoulla shows an equally pious belief. Other views from women and foreigners are also presented in an equally refreshing manner as everyone quotes scripture to support their views.
Ahmed fully presents this traditional and religious society, including the usual repression of women and foreigners. With so much talk lately about female character agency and how historically-based fantasy settings show repressed women and minorities simply because that is how it was perceived to be in our own world, Ahmed shows how to walk the fine line and look good doing it. Through Zamia and the alchemist Litaz, Ahmed shows women both young and old who are well-rounded, interesting and strong. Along the same lines, Throne of the Crescent Moon isn’t a (just) story about young and inexperienced kids trying to save the day – it’s more about an aged legend and his equally aged colleagues stepping up to save the day ‘one last time’ (though we of course no it won’t be the last time). It’s great to see a fantasy that truly recognizes and appreciates the experience, wisdom and cynicism of such characters.
Full Review
The world that Ahmed presents is clearly derived more from the lands of the Middle East and North Africa than the usual Western Europe analog. As someone who lives in the semi-arid American West and spends a lot of time in deserts, I love to see such lands portrayed in fantasy – especially when they take much of their mythological inspiration from traditions I’m less familiar with. Though Ahmed uses the lands of North Africa and the Middle East as a template to build from to great effect, he grows things into his own creation using tools such as monsters that feel different from those typically seen fantasy and the ruins of a long dead, magical civilization.
Dhamsawaat, a city of around a million people, is the jewel of the nation of Abassen, a nation that feels like a mix of ancient Egypt, Persia and Babylon with heat, deserts and a life-sustaining river built on the ruins of an ancient civilization. The journey of Adoulla and his allies is largely undertaken within the city of Dhamsawaat and Dhamsawaat is wonderfully realized – it’s huge with a walk to a different section of the city taking several hours, ‘traffic’ jams of people make it impossible to leave the city quickly, and lives of the rich and the poor are shown. The result is a presentation of Dhamsawaat with a refreshingly ‘realistic’feel to it.
Religion is a very important part of the society created by Ahmed and the characters at the center of Throne of the Crescent Moon. The created religion draws immediate similarities to Islam, though it’s never specifically presented as a stand-in for Islam. However Ahmed shows the diversity of people and the followers of religion with differing versions of piety. Raseed is the classic pious, religious conservative who has been taught that suppressing one’s desires is key component of religious belief, which he channels into his notable battle skills. Adoulla heartily enjoys life’s pleasures such as good food and drink and has quite a sharp tongue – however, through his actions as ghul hunter and care for the wellbeing of people, Adoulla shows an equally pious belief. Other views from women and foreigners are also presented in an equally refreshing manner as everyone quotes scripture to support their views.
Ahmed fully presents this traditional and religious society, including the usual repression of women and foreigners. With so much talk lately about female character agency and how historically-based fantasy settings show repressed women and minorities simply because that is how it was perceived to be in our own world, Ahmed shows how to walk the fine line and look good doing it. Through Zamia and the alchemist Litaz, Ahmed shows women both young and old who are well-rounded, interesting and strong. Along the same lines, Throne of the Crescent Moon isn’t a (just) story about young and inexperienced kids trying to save the day – it’s more about an aged legend and his equally aged colleagues stepping up to save the day ‘one last time’ (though we of course no it won’t be the last time). It’s great to see a fantasy that truly recognizes and appreciates the experience, wisdom and cynicism of such characters.
Full Review
