My Score: 4/5
When I started off reading Throne of the Crescent Moon, I assumed it was going to be part of an ongoing trilogy (though I understand more standalone books are planned). It was a thin novel for the genre but this was one thing that told me this book was going to be a little different to my standard fare.
All the characters are likable and real. Doctor Adoulla Makhslood is the star of the show, though I did find myself irritated by him later on in the story because the other characters around him started to shine. Raseed and Zamia were both characters that I instantly warmed to and I particularly loved their awkward interactions as the story progressed. Litaz and Dawoud, the fourth and fifth viewpoint characters, were OK but didn’t particularly draw me in as much as the others.
I did start to lose steam as I neared the halfway point of the novel. There is a definite slow-down on the action at this point and I felt that I wasn’t as concerned with finding out how the story ends as I should have been by this point. As I read on into the final third of the story, however, all the stops really came out and the fantastic climax arrives just as you are settling in for a longer ride. I almost wished I could read on or delve deeper into the world. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a second book in this series coming soon.
All in all, a fantastic romp through an original fantasy world with some interesting characters along for the ride. Would have liked more emotional investment, but the finale didn’t fail to disappoint. Recommended for any fantasy fans.
Review can also be found on the book’s Amazon page here.
Related articles
- Fantasy in Review: Saladin Ahmed’s “Throne of the Crescent Moon” (infinite-ammo.net)
- Book Review: Throne of the Crescent Moon By Saladin Ahmed (wanderingmirages.wordpress.com)
- Throne of the Crescent Moon (Excerpt) (tor.com)
Hey, I'm James. I write fantasy fiction, I'm an all-round fantasy geek and a proud resident of the United Kingdom. I'm in my early twenties and currently plugging away at what I hope will be a half-decent novel in the hopes of becoming a published author. I have run Fantasy In Motion since the start of 2012 and have enjoyed (almost) every moment of it.
