The Kingdom over the Sea

When Zara’s mother is killed in an accident, her life changes beyond recognition.  With no other relatives, she is about to be taken into care; but when she and her social worker are clearing the last personal items from her home, Zara finds a letter that is about to turn her world upside down.  She decides to follow the instructions to go to Poole harbour and recite a poem and is stunned when a small boat and its mystical ferryman arrives to take her to her mother’s home city of Zehaira.  What follows is a wonderful story of hope and magic, in a place where those in authority have been trying to destroy the communities of alchemists, who once lead the country.

The author has created a fantastic world with many similarities to the tales of the Arabian Nights; there are magicians, sorcerers and Jinns, as well as an array of people who just want to live their lives in freedom and peace. The reader really does feel the atmosphere of the created world and can almost smell the flowers and spices that permeate the air. Whilst there are serious aspects to this story, we also have moments of humour as well.  Zara gathers a group of friends around her as she battles to understand her history and also control the magic that is growing in her.  There is action around every corner and the heroine has to decide who she can trust, especially as the whole world is so totally foreign to everything she has ever known.  For a newly published author this is a tour de force, which will be loved by anyone who loves fantasy, especially with an Eastern feel.  I am sure that it will find itself being nominated for a variety of awards in the coming year and I really look forward to seeing the author’s career develop in the next few years.