AustLit

'A hundred years ago, an old and respected Parsarian merchant from the ancient Akamenian sect, Zohreh of the Melkior clan, is put to death by an evil Ameeratan lord, Kassim bin-Saad al Farouk, who covets her business. As she dies, Zohreh curses al Farouk and all his family, calling down the curse of fire on them for all eternity.All first borns, when they reach their fifteenth birthday, will die a dreadful death by fire.

We now jump to the present, and to a descendant of Kassim al-Farouk, Khaled al-Farouk, who is nearing his fifteenth birthday. Not only is he frightened by that, but he is also very much preoccupied by the dreadful injustice done to Zohreh so long ago, and really wants to put it right and lift the curse from his family. His father suggests they contact his old friend Husam al-Din, in far away Jayangan, to help: because Husam has had a great deal of contact with the Jinn, magical fire-spirits who can transform at will: and it is in the world of the Jinn that Khaled is likely to find answers! So they write to Husam, who agrees to come, with his Jinn friend, Kareen Amar.

Meanwhile, in far away Parsari, 14 year old Soheila, one of the last of the beggared Melkior clan, who does not realise that Zohreh called down the curse on the Al-Farouks, plots her own terrible revenge against the rich and powerful al-Farouks, and sets off for Ameerat to fulfill the revenge.. All these people's paths meet, in an explosive, fast-moving, engaging and exciting adventure of magic and revenge!'

Comment on the author's website under 'Existing Books', access via this link: http://nla.gov.au/nla.arc-35188-20090817-0429-users.northnet.com.au/_smasson/index.html
Sighted: 13/09/2010

'Omar didn't choose to be the tyrant's heir - but if he has courage, he can choose his fate...

'Omar didn't ask to be the nephew of the ruthless dictator of Mesomia - and he certainly doesn't want to inherit a country whose people are in fear for their lives. He hasn't a choice, though - until the day he is saved from a deadly ambush by Latifa, a beggar girl. When his uncle places Latifa under a Spell of Darkness, Omar can't stand by and watch his rescuer die. Neither can Ketta, Latifa's white cat and a jinn in disguise. Together, the two embark on an extraordinary adventure to find the spell's antidote - through the eerie, hostile marshlands, then flying on an enchanted carpet to the perilous mountain stronghold of a rebel werewolf clan. But they must face their greatest danger when they return to the palace. Balancing on a knife-edge - at the mercy of the tyrant's terrifying mood swings and cruel punishments, the evil Secretary's machinations, and the rebels' own plans for the fate of the country - Omar will learn the true meaning of courage before his journey is over.' Source: bookseller's website.