Title: Joseph and the Seven Swords
Author: Faisal Alothaina
Publication Date: 2020
Publisher: Self-Publisher
Format: Paperback|212 pages
Joseph and the Seven Swords was gifted to me by the author, Faisal Alothainah, in exchange for an honest review. It follows the journey of Joseph, separated at birth from his twin sister and adopted by a family who’ve just lost their child. Caught in a monotonous life that repeats itself, he is in search of an adventure, but little does he know how much his life will change once he finds out he is, in fact, the rightful heir to the Kingdom of Zelaar.
The author uses the framed narrative technique, Joseph’s story being not only a journey into self-discovery, but a story told by a grandfather to his five grandchildren, who, after the story reaches its end, learn how and why everything is connected. The novel is rather fast-paced, the reader not experiencing as much the time-line in the story as characters’ actions. One of the reasons this is not a five start book is because of its fast-pace, which I tend to avoid as I enjoy slow-paced books because they describe more scenery and they tend to be more atmospheric. Regarding the characters, I felt some of them are one-dimensional and might have been simply used as literary devices to keep the narrative going. However, the protagonist comes into conflict with others spurring character development.
The book is an epic tale of truth, patience and self-fulfilling prophecy. I find it more of a children’s book because of the themes approached and its structure, but it will entertain adults as well. I recommend it to anyone who would love a good and short read and, at the same time, a break from reality. The book can be found on Amazon.
Török J. Sándor 