Ramadan Kareem my booksicles!
It’s my favourite month of the year- Ramadan! Which means it’s also the perfect time for some brilliant fantasy and sci-fi recommendations by Muslim authors for your #MuslimShelfSpace. Some are books that I’ve read and enjoyed and others are from my tbr and they are all perfect for the Ramadan Readathon hosted by Nadia at Headscarves and Hardbacks.
1) An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
- A gripping read full of magic, jinn, plot twists galore and a fight for freedom. But be warned: Sabaa Tahir will kill your darlings. The other books in the series are A Torch Against the Night and A Reaper at the Gates with the final book, A Sky Beyond the Storm being released this December!
2) We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
- This one is set in a fantasy world inspired by Ancient Arabia where a lost artefact must be found in order to restore magic along with a fun cast of characters and a good bit of enemies to lovers. The sequel, We Free the Stars, will be released next January.
3) The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty
- A con woman meets a djinn warrior in 18th century Cairo and they go to a city called Daevabad where six djinn tribes reside. The other books in the trilogy are called The Kingdom of Copper and The Empire of Gold which will come out this June!
4) Thorn by Intisar Khanani
- A stunning retelling of The Goose Girl fairy tale where a girl succeeds by finding her inner strength and sticking to her core beliefs. It’s a standalone but the author has also written a series called The Sunbolt Chronicles.
5) The Light at the Bottom of the World by London Shah
- It’s 2099. The world has been engulfed by the sea, life continues underwater and Leyla McQueen decides to compete in the London Submersible Marathon in a bid to win her father’s freedom. This book is the first in a duology.
6) The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson
- A historical fantasy set in 1491 Grenada about a flight for freedom and the importance of tolerance and love. G. Willow Wilson is also the author of the Ms. Marvel comics and Alif the Unseen.
7) Mirage by Somaiya Daud
- Mirage explores themes of colonialism, erasure, appropriation and more in a Moroccan-inspired setting following the story of eighteen-year-old Amani. The sequel, Court of Lions, will be released this August.
8) The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad
- This book is set in Noor, a beautiful city along the Silk road and is, in the author’s own words, about ‘women being women in the most fantastic ways possible’.
9) The Bloodprint by Ausma Zehanat Khan
- The Companions of Hira fight the dark power of the Talisman and search for a text called The Bloodprint. This book is the first instalment of The Khorasan Archives with the others being The Black Khan, The Blue Eye and The Bladebone being released this year.
10) The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi
- Described in the summary as ‘a steampunk Jumanji with a Middle Eastern flair’ and about some children who are sucked into a game called The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand. The sequel coming out this August is called The Battle.
What are your favourite SFF books my Muslim authors? Let me know in the comments!
Sereadipity 