Shadow on the Wall by Pavarti K Tyler
Review by MJ
Gripping, evocative, violent – three words that strain to do justice to this novel but can’t quite give you a real sense of the story. Set in modern day Turkey but describing something out of a Middle Eastern “1984”, the sense of place and tension is almost unbelievable.
I started this on a Friday and, due to other commitments, I was unable to resume reading it for several days. However, even after only the first few pages, I was desperate to get back to it during that time. It envelops you, oppresses you, buries you in the desert sands which feature in the book till you start to imagine you can feel the heat and the impending storm brewing.
It’s about the formation of a hero through his experiences, his loves, his losses and those he meets as he faces and attempts to deal with the violent tyranny that engulfs his city. All the characters are intricate and believable; all the environments are so realistic I found myself expecting to look up from the pages and find myself there. From the disorganised adrenaline-filled hospital emergency room to the cool and damp depths of unknown catacombs housing the dusty remains of the dead, the prose wraps around you, pulling you in, absorbing you into the action.
It’s not a cosy bedtime story by any means; the violence is sudden, raw and graphic. But it is a story for our times, tackling the effect of religious intolerance and persecution, human suffering and vengeance, disfigurement, shame, faith, magic and the potential for eventual redemption.
This is book one in “The Sandstorm Chronicles”, although it wasn’t until the end when I sat back, breathing a sigh of relief, I noticed this fact. It stands perfectly as a fully contained story in itself. There are clues as to what would happen to the protagonists afterwards but, like the desert dunes, you know they will reform themselves and reappear, different yet true to their nature. I look forward to reading what will come next.
If you enjoy a powerful story which pulls no punches, a story that leaves you winded but satisfied, then I would heartily recommend you grab a copy and set aside several hours to lose yourself in it.
http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Wall-The-SandStorm-Chronicles/dp/0983876908
Gripping, evocative, violent – three words that strain to do justice to this novel but can’t quite give you a real sense of the story. Set in modern day Turkey but describing something out of a Middle Eastern “1984”, the sense of place and tension is almost unbelievable.
I started this on a Friday and, due to other commitments, I was unable to resume reading it for several days. However, even after only the first few pages, I was desperate to get back to it during that time. It envelops you, oppresses you, buries you in the desert sands which feature in the book till you start to imagine you can feel the heat and the impending storm brewing.
It’s about the formation of a hero through his experiences, his loves, his losses and those he meets as he faces and attempts to deal with the violent tyranny that engulfs his city. All the characters are intricate and believable; all the environments are so realistic I found myself expecting to look up from the pages and find myself there. From the disorganised adrenaline-filled hospital emergency room to the cool and damp depths of unknown catacombs housing the dusty remains of the dead, the prose wraps around you, pulling you in, absorbing you into the action.
It’s not a cosy bedtime story by any means; the violence is sudden, raw and graphic. But it is a story for our times, tackling the effect of religious intolerance and persecution, human suffering and vengeance, disfigurement, shame, faith, magic and the potential for eventual redemption.
This is book one in “The Sandstorm Chronicles”, although it wasn’t until the end when I sat back, breathing a sigh of relief, I noticed this fact. It stands perfectly as a fully contained story in itself. There are clues as to what would happen to the protagonists afterwards but, like the desert dunes, you know they will reform themselves and reappear, different yet true to their nature. I look forward to reading what will come next.
If you enjoy a powerful story which pulls no punches, a story that leaves you winded but satisfied, then I would heartily recommend you grab a copy and set aside several hours to lose yourself in it.
http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Wall-The-SandStorm-Chronicles/dp/0983876908