Baghdad in the eighth century: a mysterious object comes into the possession of the royal Jaffar. He instructs Asim, captain of the royal guard, and Dabir, a scholar, to solve the mystery of the object's inscription. The object is stolen, but not before Asim and Dabir have uncovered tantalizing clues to its history: it appears that it may have come from Ubar, a lost city that was, or so the legend goes, destroyed by God. But can Asim and Dabir uncover the secrets of the lost city before their own lives are lost, too? This is an exciting, colorfully written novel with engaging characters and a story that mixes fantasy and real-world elements. It should appeal to readers of fast-paced historical mysteries (or, perhaps, fans of the recent movie The Prince of Persia, which has some thematic similarities to the book).--Pitt, David Copyright 2010 Booklist

When the vizier charges the scholar Dabir and Captain Asim with solving a mystery regarding a jeweled tablet entrusted to his care, the duo finds their trail leads them in search of a pair of thieves and a lost city buried beneath the sands. Mythical creatures and very real enemies complicate their journey, with the search for wisdom the reward for success and death the punishment for failure. Jones's first novel blends the ambience of The Arabian Nights with the brilliant detection of Sherlock Holmes novels to produce an unusual fantasy detective novel-and a potential series opener-with wit and style. VERDICT Fans of Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert E. Howard, and Middle Eastern mythology will enjoy this unusual debut. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

As richly textured as an antique rug, this fantasy-mystery sweeps readers into ancient Baghdad. Asim, captain of Master Jaffar's guard, and the wily scholar Dabir, who is hopelessly in love with Jaffar's niece Sabirah, track stolen golden artifacts into the shifting sands that hide the ruins of legendary Ubar, entry to the land of the djinn. Asim's dazzling swordplay, his Muslim piety, and his unwavering loyalty to his friend balance Dabir's bittersweet devotion to Sabirah as the pair battle forbidden magic that forces them to slice away layers of their own spirits. Their antagonist, evil Zarathustrian sorcerer Firouz, poses moral questions that deepen this multicolored Arabian-nights tale, as does the plight of pretty, quick-witted Sabirah, who prizes scholarship and lives for the moment while facing the fate of a political marriage. A captivating setting and well-realized characters make this a splendid flying-carpet ride. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.