A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini

Khaled Hosseini’s first novel, “The Kite Runner” was a big hit with book groups and now he follows up with “A Thousand Splendid Suns.”  Both books are set in Kabul, but where “The Kite Runner” focuses on relationships between men, “A Thousand Splendid Suns” focuses on the relationships between women, in particular two women: Mariam and Laila. 

The first chapter follows Mariam, the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy man who is ashamed of her existence.  After her mother commits suicide she is quickly married off to Rasheed, a controlling and abusive husband.

The second chapter follows Laila, whose happy life is suddenly turned upside down when her parents are killed by a stray rocket.  Pregnant with her dead boyfriend’s child, she decides her only hope for survival is to marry Raheed.

This brings the two women’s stories together for the last two parts of the book as their friendship slowly grows as the women unite against Raheed.

The Axis Trilogy - Sara Douglass

Sara Douglass is an award winning Australian author, and unfortunately passed away on the 27^th of September 2011. A sad day for Australian fantasy fiction and a personal loss, she was (is) perhaps the greatest inspiration to my own writing.

It seemed only fitting that in tribute I take a look at what is her most famous work of fiction, ‘The Axis Trilogy’. The trilogy is comprised of ‘Battleaxe’, ‘Enchanter’ and ‘Starman’ and follows to its conclusion the ‘Prophecy of the Destroyer’.

The story focuses on Axis, Battleaxe of the Axe Wielders and son of the fearful Seneschal who have taken over the land of Tencendor. As part of the prophecy, Axis must discover his true origins and unite the divided lands to defeat the great evil threatening to consume the world in cold and darkness.

It is a story of love, magic, family and betrayal, and does become quite dark (and graphic) in places but is a work of art that is followed by another trilogy called ‘The Wayfarer Redemption’. The six books that make up this complete series are quite possibly my absolute favourite books of all time.

If you are a fan of fantasy fiction, and great writing, then I highly recommend you take a look at the novels of Sara Douglass. She will be missed.

Emma J. James