Kings of the Sands
Ali Bader
Closer to a detective story than a novel, Kings of the Sands (Kaleem Publishing, Abu Dhabi, 2009) tells the story of a soldier lost in the bewitching world of the desert. In this tragic tale, instead of being portrayed as the usual dreadful end to human life, death becomes a commonplace and unremarkable backdrop – perhaps indicative of how cheap life has become in a country which has been preoccupied with war for decades. With its desert setting, Kings of the Sands is a new direction for the Iraqi novel, which has tended to focus on urban life. The novel is both entertaining and fast-paced, and reveals the author’s notable talent for description.
Nomination
2010 Longlist
Ali Bader
Country of origin Iraq
About the author
Iraqi novelist Ali Bader was born in Baghdad in 1964. He studied philosophy and French literature at Baghdad University before working as a journalist for a number of newspapers and magazines. In addition, he is the author of over 15 books, from travel writing and works of criticism to nine works of fiction. He has won a number prizes for his novels, many of which have been translated into other languages.