Haroun and the Sea of Stories was the first book I wrote after the attack on my work, after the attack on The Satanic Verses the year before this, so obviously, that was something very much on my mind at the time, and I wanted to approach that subject in a way that, while I was primarily writing for a broader audience, I wanted to approach that subject in a way that, sure, I was primarily writing for a broader audience. The main character, Haroun, is a young prince who is taken under the wing of a wise old fisherman named Salim, who teaches him how to live life properly and what it means to be a good person. One day, while out at sea, they come across a giant pearl which transforms Haroun into a famous poet whose words can heal people. This attracts the attention of the Sultan, who wishes to make Haroun his successor. However, Haroun does not want this role; he feels like he has something more important to do with his life. So he runs away from the palace with his friend Nino to start a new life together on an island. But their happiness is short-lived since soon after their arrival, Haroun discovers that he is actually the son of a king and must return home to claim his throne. Upon returning home, Haroun learns that the Sultan has died and that Nino has been kidnapped by his former teacher, the pirate captain Zanki Praluon, who plans to sell her to a collector. Desperate to save Nino, Haroun travels back to the sea where he meets up with Salim again.