The Guardians of Erum and the Calamitous Child of Socotra

Book excerpt: Pursued by a powerful jinn master and a mysterious sect of occultists, Fada sets out across the lush and unforgiving ancient Arabian Peninsula on a quest to rescue his son. Legend has it that the sacrifice of a calamitous child, a child born under the Serpent-Neck star, can bring about the end of the world. Born under the Serpent-Neck star himself, jinn master Behas has sought out and killed many calamitous children to avert the destruction they portend. His next target is a boy named Dileel, the newborn son of a date farmer outside the great city of Erum. However, his plans are foisted when an occultist apprentice interferes to save the boy, and in the resulting confusion, Dileel is abducted by an unknown force. Determined to rescue his son, the humble date farmer Fada must leave behind everything he knows, enlisting powerful allies and risking his life on an unforgettable journey.