Review: An excellent short collection of stories from rising star Saladin Ahmed
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 2, 2012
Engraved on the Eye is a collection of short fiction by Saladin Ahmed, who is probably best known to readers for his debut novel Throne of the Crescent Moon. In Engraved, we get a number of pieces from him in a variety of universes.In Where Virtue Lives ,we witness the first meeting between two of the main protagonists of Throne of the Crescent Moon, Rasheed and Doctor Adoulla, as the former's arrival in Dhamasawaat coincides with a ghul problem the Doctor is dealing with.In Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela, we trade his fantasy universe for a story that seems to be set in the Classic age of the Baghdad Caliphate. Abdel is a physician who has been reassigned to a remote small town, and is requested to perform a rather unexpected bit of doctoring for the local hermit.Judgement of Swords and Souls is the second and final story of the collection set in the universe of Dhawasawaat, as we get a look into the Lodge of God, and how a young woman, Layla bas Layla, struggles with the politics of the Order with her own promises and beliefs. The story doesn't make it clear if it takes place before or after the events in Throne of the Crescent MoonIn Doctor Diablo goes through the Motions, a supervillain discovers that even he has to deal with the mundane and quotidian problems of being a person of color.General Akmed's Revenge? is the story of a small time actor, Muhammad Mattawa, whose typecasting as an Arabic villain leads to a funny Lady and the Tiger ending.Mister Hadj's Sunset Ride brings a Muslim gunslinger to the Wild West, with more than a touch of the Weird West to the tale.The Faithful Soldier, Prompted, the only science fiction story of the collection, gives a slice of life into a future world dominated by nanotechnology, implants, and one man's abiding faith.Iron Eyes and the Watered Down World is the anchor of the collection and my favorite. Ahmed creates a secondary fantasy world and characters,. that, if he wanted to, could certainly alternate with his world of Dhawsawaat. Its a realm that feels more than a bit like a take on Mythic China, as a group of wandering adventurers comes face to face with a problem from their past.If you've been reluctant to try Throne of the Crescent Moon, or are one of those who prefer their fantasy in a shorter format, Engraved on the Eye is an excellent opportunity to get to know the work of Saladin Ahmed. Fans of Throne of the Crescent Moon will discover more about that world, and proof that he is far from a one-trick pony.