Stephen Whitfield (3)

I just loved this book! The story of this people was so fascinating I had to drop everything else I was reading and concentrate only on this. For starters, I really liked the characters. Omari felt like a real person, unlike the "normal" storybook hero, who rises up to the challenge and saves the day without presenting a single flaw. On the contrary, he is tormented by his sudden rise to power, as it is so much out of his character: as a thief used to being on his own, he struggles to even just care about the people he is supposed to lead. I also liked the fact that Omari (and as a matter of fact all the other characters) really evolve during the journey, as the challenges they face daily change them, for better or worse, as I think would only be natural in a situation such as theirs.

Another big, big bonus for me was the presence of so many strong female characters. From the enigmatic Umal to the fiercely independent Saba, the women in this book are not just bystanders, but are actively involved in the shaping of the story. They fight for their rights and to be treated as equals to men, and they really do make a difference when it counts most. The secondary characters in general are well-developed, with antagonists I loved to hate falling prey to their greed and lust for power in a very realistic way. And the realism is what surprised me most in this book: even though there are some supernatural elements and some magic, the story as a whole is really believable, as are the dynamics of such a diverse group of people. The tensions between rich and poor and the various clans, the people's difficulties in letting go of their previous lifestyle and social position or their reluctance to follow a thief's lead all add to the feeling that the story is real - or at least it could be.

This book is highly recommended to anyone looking for an epic adventure, a tale of friendship, love and betrayals with a touch of magical realism.

Note: I received an advance reader copy of this book from Story Cartel in exchange for my honest review. You can find this review and more on my blog .… (mehr)

My original Omari and the People audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

The thief Omari unwittingly becomes the leader of his people when they must travel on a long journey through the desert to find a new home. During this journey, Omari must make many decisions that he has no experience with. An old beggar woman, who seems to be unlike any like any other woman and is uncannily powerful, guides him with mysterious advice. Through the guidance of this old woman, Omari leads the people forward with faith that the land that they are trying to find really does exist. Throughout this journey, Omari makes mistakes, but ultimately he must learn how to trust, to love, and ultimately to lead if he wishes to bring the people safely to their new home.

I really enjoyed this story. It feels like an old folk tale from the Arab deserts. It’s filled with humanity and majestic awe of nature and just a little bit of magic. And ultimately, it’s a story about right and wrong and how these decisions can impact a person’s personality. Throughout the hardships of the journey in the unrelenting desert, the struggles and conflicts that Omari and the people face change them. And as the story progresses, he and we learn about how people change and how peoples’ responses to situations are not always singularly driven. And so, this is a story about change. Omari himself is a likable character. From the beginning, the reader quickly becomes aligned with him and hates his enemies and loves his friends. Also, I liked the addition of the magic to the story. It really added to the folklore feel of the story and made it seem just a little more magical. Overall, this is a story about people and peoples’ lives.

The narration by Curt Simmons was fantastic. His characterization of each of the characters was amazing and they were all distinctive. The changes to peoples’ accents and way of speaking were consistent. I would definitely listen to another audiobook narrated by him. The production quality was also good. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes listening to folklore and stories that are inspired by folklore.

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.… (mehr)

Omari is a talented thief, but he’s not so smart when it comes to women. He has riches, a beautiful wife, and a big house. Yet his wife becomes angry with him and heads off to the city guard to tell of his many crimes. In an attempt to erase evidence of his wrongdoings, he sets fire to his house. Unfortunately, the flames don’t stop there and the entire city is lost. Now Omari, feeling quite bad about this, tells the people a lie about a wonderful land beyond the desert sands. There the adventure begins as a discordant group of people must either come together to succeed or will fall apart under the numerous assaults they suffer.

This is a beautiful, captivating story. In very little time, I was caught up in the tale. Omari is a flawed young man with a good heart. He grew up thieving, having no one to take care of him. Yet, he also goes out of his way to see that the homeless old woman, Umal, has regular food and wine. Once he accidentally burns the city down, he knows he can’t stay with Sumosi’s group of people, for Sumosi and many of his guards would love to beat Omari to death. Yet he can’t survive in the desert on his own. Partly out of hope, partly out of desperation, he concocts a story about a far off land, rich in food and water. Others wish to leave and so they band together behind Omari.

One of my favorite things about this story is that the women were just as varied, useful, and flawed as the men. Saba is great with a bow. Jasmina was the best dance instructor in the city before it burned. Umal is a unique character who perhaps has special powers, or perhaps is just very good at reading people and lucky in circumstance. Sofia, mother of two young sons (Haroun and Zolani), teaches this newly formed caravan how to make flatbread. The men are just as interesting. Bin Aswad, a cloth merchant with two daughters, has his pride and when his pride is injured, he can’t let it go. Umbaric used to be the captain of the guards. As such, he knows about Omari’s previous life. It was great to see how Omari eventually won Umbaric over. There’s plenty more characters, and each one brings some facet to this caravan story.

As Omari’s caravan searches for this fabled land, they have to endure much. The first difficulty is in procuring camels, then in learning how to load, ride, and care for the camels. Desert storms, swarms of flies, pestilence, severe dehydration, and raiders are all things the caravan will have to learn to deal with. I appreciate that the author didn’t keep everything all roses; he threw in some thorns and not every character comes out of this story intact.

As a side note, there were oryx, which I have a fondness for. It was great to read about the first oryx hunt by these once-city dwellers. It reminded me of my first time seeing oryx in the New Mexico desert, chasing them in a Jeep. I, like some of those hunters, was not too smart in that moment.

The ending was very satisfying. Omari has changed little by little throughout the story. Other characters have also grown through their experiences. Umal eventually reveals a little more about her nature, though much is left to the reader to guess. I recommend this excellent story be paired with a strong mint tea.

I received this audiobook at no cost from the author (via The Audio Book Worm) in exchange for an honest review.

The Narration: Curt Simmons does an excellent job with this story. He had a light Arabic accent, perhaps Egyptian, for the entire book. I love it when narrators go out of their way to do this as it makes such a difference in how much I become submerged in the story. He had a great young man’s voice for Omari. He also did a great job with the female voices. Umal sounds like an old woman, Sofia sounds like a worried mother, Saba sounds like a determined young lady. I especially liked his half-joking, sometimes sly voice for Umbaric.… (mehr)

Omari’s skills as a thief have allowed him to live a life of luxury. However, when it looks like his world is about to tumble down, he decides to take matters into his own hands – he sets his house on fire. Unfortunately, the fire spreads and soon the entire town is engulfed in flames. The survivors gather outside of town, wondering what is to become of them. Omari, in an attempt to avoid capture, hints that he knows of a land across the desert where they can make a much better life than the one they have lost. For the first time in his life, Omari finds himself leading a group of people who put all their faith and hope in him but can this unrepentant thief and loner change enough to really keep his promise – especially as he has never actually crossed the desert before and has no idea if this promised land actually exists?

Omari and the People by Stephen Whitfield is one entertaining realist fantasy – a completely engrossing sword & sorcery tale with very little of either. Not to say there isn’t some sword play and a bit of magic but the story is more character-driven which, with a less deft hand, could have made for a very dull tale. Fortunately, Omari and the people are all complex and interesting characters and the tensions and the relationships that arise throughout their long journey through the desert makes for some very addicting reading. The characters must rely more on themselves and each other to survive their very grueling trek rather than some outside supernatural force. Reminiscent of old folk tales like Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, even the desert seems more a living, breathing and always unpredictable character than a place perhaps because it is responsible for so many of the struggles, disappointments and hopes but also perhaps because, as Whitfield says, he based it on the real Sahara desert.

Omari and the People is more than a simple quest story – it is a tale of love and struggle, of growth and courage and faith, and of the resilience of the human heart. But more than that, it is a really engrossing reality fantasy that will grab and keep the reader’s attention throughout.… (mehr)