Afrah Jamal

Received an ARC from the lovely Boyce last year, couldn't review it then, by the time I did, Daily Times (my paper) had decided YA wasn't suitable for it OP-ED Pages. This Blog is only for my published work but I promised the author a review, so here it is. Apologies for the delay S.M. P.S: I am looking forward to Illusion. Reviewed by: Afrah Jamal ‘ Heritage ’ which was to mark the grand finale of the Grimoire trilogy is now the third installment in a series of four. The YA fantasy still hurtles towards the end but the adventure is far from over. And former rookie Kara Magari is busy trying to balance two thankless jobs as the wise Vagabond, and her true nature revealed at the end of ‘ Treason ’. Change is in the air for both realms and newcomers vie for Ourea - the fictional land envisaged by S.M. Boyce and brought to life in ‘ Lichgates’ - Book I . Book III that was supposed to wind up our heroines arc, marks the continuation of the same journey that began when Kar...

First Published in Daily Times / 5 Jan 2013 Reviewed by : Afrah Jamal Demigod fans who bade farewell to Percy – (son of Poseidon) & the Olympian franchise a few years ago must have wondered what the writer was up to as they came across a ‘final’ Prophesy conveniently left unresolved at the end of the saga. ‘ The Last Olympian ’ concluded the five part series wrapping up Percy Jackson & his merry band of demi-gods' extended arc with a high-octane finale and an emotional send-off. Though Rick Riordan had moved on to explore Egypt in ‘ The Kane Chronicles ’, he wasn’t done with Olympus, its ever shifting centre of power or its hoity-toity god population for that matter. The cryptic warning heard in the final pages is used to establish the credentials of this spin-off. The gods return in the ‘ Heroes of Olympus ’ series - distant as ever and in Roman form heralding a brand new dawn with the promise of new crusades, a shiny new quest, fresh faces and an ancient th...

Thanks to S.M. Boyce for the ARC (Advanced Review Copy) First Published in Daily Times / Saturday, November 17, 2012 Published under the Title: Isens and Muses & Vagabonds O' My Reviewed by: Afrah Jamal As Ourea looms into view, young Kara Magari, the only human in this fantasy realm is no longer a rookie, Braeden Drakonin is still a reluctant Heir, the trenches remain occupied and cases of intrigue have been dusted off for a re-match. Treason is the highly anticipated sequel to Lichgates , a YA (Young Adult) novel penned by S.M. Boyce that returns to the magical land of Ourea, home to warring factions, savage critters and disappointed fathers . Kara, who takes a wrong turn and turns up in Ourea, is revealed as the first Vagabond in a thousand years with the ability to control the Grimoire, a book of revelations. The Yakona race, divided into six Kingdoms, finds her irresistible for their cause. Her newfound powers come with a steep learning curve and a roster...

Published in Daily Times / 7 July 2012 Under the Title; The Realm Next Door Reviewed by: Afrah Jamal Many thanks to S.M. Boyce for the review copy. S M Boyce’s debut novel calls upon captivating magical backdrops to reach for those glimmering shards of whimsy, lying forgotten in the dark recesses of imagination. Seven years in the making The Grimoire: Lichgates is a heady brew that cheerfully vaults into the fantasy genre. 20-year-old Kara Magari’s hike comes to a dramatic close when she stumbles upon Ourea, the realm next door where conniving rulers, diabolical shape-shifters, conflicted humanoids and mysterious muses lurk in the shadows, and dragon sightings do not trigger alarm bells. Boyce’s sweeping epic fantasy adventure is carried on the wings of its supernatural soul suffused with mystical sensibilities. The Grimoire — a book of wisdom at the centre of this transformative experience — dictates (to an extent), the destiny of the ‘ Chosen One ’, and offers useful in...

Published in Daily Times / Saturday, March 31, 2012 / Under the Title of: And Then There Was One ...? Reviewed by Afrah Jamal To enter Panem, built atop the ashes of a civilization, one must walk past its impoverished 99% living under the spell of a shiny Capitol and remain unfazed at its fondness for teenage death matches. Suzanne Collins envisions a future that thrives on pageantry and the class divide, has ghoulish cravings and a weakness for heartrending reality TV. It summons young contestants or tributes, as they are called, from 12 starving districts to take part in games with ridiculously high stakes. For some, this is considered fun. Navigating this cold, comfortless terrain shrouded in gloom, one comes across a familiar soundtrack of hunger, violence, media circuses and rebellion from this era running unobtrusively in the background. Katniss Everdeen, a resourceful 16 year old, narrates her life of hardship in the coal mining district simply known as District 12, shar...

First Published in Daily Times / Saturday, September 04, 2010 Reposted at Liberty Books Blog Published under the title : Of gods and men Reviewed by: Afrah Jamal Olympian gods and goddesses are not the best role models; their moral compass is frequently out of order and no one dares suggest they get it fixed. The (stormy) age of the gods was great while it lasted but it is over. Rick Riordan reawakens the gods, gives them another shot at (eternal) life with a brand new home, creating a new legion of heroes and heroines in the process. He then combines all these elements to launch his fantasy series making mythology the centrepiece and family values the essential pillars of his newly redesigned universe. How do these extinct entities fare in a (literary) world already overrun with vampires, witches, werewolves and wizards? Set in the present day, Riordan’s young adult fantasy novel tries to survive the onslaught of other supernatural beings by giving neglected Greek gods a ...

Novella By Stephenie Meyer Published in Daily Times / Saturday, June 19, 2010 Reviewed by : Afrah Jamal The last time Bree Tanner was seen, she was being escorted out of the pages of Eclipse. Stephenie Meyers resurrects Ms Tanner in an Eclipse novella, sends her back to the beginning and hands over the reins of the story. This means that Bree is officially promoted to chief narrator, which is an interesting departure from tradition. The Twilight Saga is almost entirely told from Isabella Swan’s perspective and little is known about Bree before her arrival at the end of Eclipse. Bree’s perspective is less rosy. With good reason. Her adventures begin in Seattle — the source of all the trouble and Bree is at the centre of the storm. These events have been mentioned in the early days of Eclipse and are central to the storyline. Eclipse, of course, is the third installment of the highly successful Twilight series . And Twilight is Stephenie Meyers’s masterpiece. While Breaking D...

By: Afrah Jamal Published in The Post Dec 2008? Till September 2008 it was easy to be oblivious to the Twilight phenomena. That was before a determined salesperson went around citing bestseller status to foist all four books on the credulous; before its movies’ theatrical trailer hit the internet in HD and definitely before the (magnificent) soundtrack made its unofficial debut. Since then the time has come to set aside any prejudice against young adult novels and enter the world of Stephanie Meyers , bestselling author of the Twilight Saga. Given Twilights’ alleged crossover appeal (it was initially submitted under both A - Adult and YA - Young Adult) and the fact that all four books along with a Complete Illustrated Movie Companion are perched atop Amazons best seller list, this should not require major compromise. Even so the series is brought home more for the (ignoble) purposes of forensic examination in a (cynical) bid to determine its professed entertainment value if any,...