Book Review: Shadow on the Wall by Pavarti Tyler

Book Details:

File Size: 384 KB
Print Length: 248 pages
Publisher: Fighting Monkey Press
Publication Date: April 17, 2012
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

Book Summary:

Controversial and daring, Shadow on the Wall details the transformation of Recai Osman from complicated man to Superhero. Forced to witness the cruelty of the Morality Police in his home city of Elih, Turkey, Recai is called upon by the power of the desert to be the vehicle of change.

Does he have the strength to answer Allah’s call or will his dark past and self doubt stand in his way? Pulling on his faith in Allah, the friendship of a Jewish father-figure and a deeply held belief that his people deserve better, Recai Osman must become The SandStorm.

Shadow on the Wall tackles issues of religion, gender, corruption and the basic human condition. Beautiful and challenging, this is not a book to miss.

 

About the Author:

Pavarti K Tyler is an artist, wife, mother and number cruncher. She graduated Smith College in 1999 with a degree in Theatre. After graduation, she moved to New York, where she worked as a Dramaturge, Assistant Director and Production Manager on productions both on and off Broadway.

Later, Pavarti went to work in the finance industry several international law firms. She now operates her own accounting firm in the Washington DC area, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and two terrible dogs. When not preparing taxes, she is busy working as the Director of Marketing at Novel Publicity or penning her next novel.

For more information about the author go to: www.fightingmonkeypress.com

Book Review:

Shadow on the Wall takes on a lot of hot-button topics: religion, politics, sexism, misogyny, greed, corruption, abuse, and more. This is not a story for the faint of heart. Author Pavarti Tyler pulls no punches in her depiction of what it’s like to live in the Middle East–Elih, Turkey specifically. Rich or poor, women in particular must endure a hard life living under Sharia law, and the author does not shy away from creating a realistic visual for readers.

The author is to be congratulated for not letting our minds fill in the gaps of how bad it could be. Tyler puts the violence right in your face during key horrific scenes. I was reminded of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo–a book I couldn’t get through, primarily because of its gratuitous violence. Ironically, I didn’t have the same reaction with Shadow on the Wall because I felt that Tyler’s dramatic scenes were more purposeful. These weren’t just characters of the author’s imagination; this is a wake up call to what life is like for many families in the Middle East. It’s shocking as it should be.

The numerous societal injustices which plague Elih, Turkey (which is a real city, but is more commonly known as Batman… hint, hint) creates the perfect backdrop for Tyler’s protagonist, Recai Osman, son of a deceased Muslim billionaire businessman, who finds himself beaten and left for dead in the desert well beyond the Elih city limits. He is found and saved by Hasad Sofaer, a desert-dwelling Jew who also enlists the help of his daughter, Rebekah. Recai is on the road to recovery when an encounter with the corrupt RTK (think KGB) organization changes his destiny forever, becoming a local hero of sorts known as The SandStorm.

The story shifts dramatically at this point with many secondary characters and corresponding subplots. It does get a little harder to follow midway through the book and not all story lines are resolved, but since this is book one of the Sandstorm Chronicles, I suspect some of this is done intentionally by the author.

Shadow on the Wall is a complex, intense story that might not be for everyone, but it’s an important story that promotes cultural awareness. If you like multi-cultural fiction, this would be a great book for you. I can’t think of any books with a Muslim superhero-esque protagonist. In that respect, the book is quite clever and original in its concept.

I was surprised to learn after reading the book that the author is not from the Middle East, which is a testament to how thoughtfully and thoroughly she conducted her research. This is a well written and produced digital book. Tyler is doing everything right as an independent author. Shadow on the Wall is a fine first effort for what should be a successful book series.

This book was reviewed as part of the Wise Bear Digital Book Awards competition. Entry fees associated with the contest are administrative in nature and do not influence our honest, unbiased book reviews.