“The Desert of Souls” by Howard Andrew Jones (Thomas Dunne/St. Martin’s Press

Asim & Dabir’s first full-length adventure

In 8th century Baghdad, a stranger pleads with the vizier to safeguard the bejeweled tablet he carries, but he is murdered before he can explain. Charged with solving the puzzle, the scholar Dabir soon realizes that the tablet may unlock secrets hidden within the lost city of Ubar, the Atlantis of the sands. When the tablet is stolen from his care, Dabir and Captain Asim are sent after it, and into a life and death chase through the ancient Middle East.

Stopping the thieves — a cunning Greek spy and a fire wizard of the Magi — requires a desperate journey into the desert, but first Dabir and Asim must find the lost ruins of Ubar and contend with a mythic, sorcerous being that has traded wisdom for the souls of men since the dawn of time.  But against all these hazards there is one more that may be too great even for Dabir to overcome...

It took me a long time to get around to reading this novel, but I’m very glad that I’ve finally managed to do so. It’s not flawless, but this is a fun sword-and-sorcery adventure in the sands.

Influences & Inspirations: HOWARD ANDREW JONES

In this latest instalment of the on going Influences & Inspirations guest post series, Howard Andrew Jones brings us the almost chronological story of his fictional education. If you don’t know of Howard’s work, the authors mentioned within might give you an idea of what to expect from his own fiction, and also some suggestions of how you can expand your own fantasy and historical fictional education.

An Interview with HOWARD ANDREW JONES

Howard Andrew Jones has served as managing editor of the highly respected Black Gate fantasy magazine since 2004. In January, his first full-length novel, The Desert of Souls, was released to much acclaim. I decided to ask him some questions, and he was kind enough to respond with his thoughts on writing, fantasy, and more.

My New York Bookshelf (as of Oct.25th)

Things have been a bit quiet here at Civilian Reader, so I thought I’d write a quick post about some of the reviews readers can expect to see over the coming month or so. [This is by no means a definitive or exhaustive list, as things can always change and you can’t see the books I have on my Kindle – which is perched there on the top left.]

So, starting from the left and working across the photo, read on for some thoughts on these novels and non-fiction titles.