History Literature / Kadingir

* YearInsideHourOutside: Time in the parallel dimension moves seven times faster than on Earth, making it a Week Inside, Day Outside situation. Since Ishtar is supposed to go on holiday with her grandmother throughout August, she actually spends seven months in Ki, which gives her enough time for going on multiple adventures.

'''Ishtar''': Yeah, yeah, Nakki... Way ahead of you. Everything went wrong and now it’s all a huge mess. There’s this parallel universe and the whatchamacallit thingies open portals to come and go. Oh, and some scary tiger guys kidnapped granny and I’m to inherit her kingdom or something. No biggie. Now, what I really want to know is... How do we get granny back?

* TheComedicallySerious: Nakki never looses his cool, serious, hyper-efficient demeanour, no matter how surreal the scenes unfolding around him get.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Rakkar is a kind, optimistic, passionate explorer [[MoralityPet who loves his dog to the moon and back,]] which makes his reveal as [[spoiler: the leader of The Fourth Power]] very chilling, considering he never loses his sunny disposition.

* NoteToSelf: All the members of the Nuzua expedition had to wear dogtags with reminders of their own goals and identities engraved, since the jungle caused their memories to be wiped out overnight.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Rakkar is an optimistic, over-enthusiast explorer who loves his dog to the moon and back, which makes his reveal as a bad guy very chilling.

* HandicappedBadass: Sura may suffer PTSD and have a missing leg, but that won't stop him from being the boldest explorer in the planet! He simply made himself a steel leg to match the rest of his gear and be done with it.

* HeroicSacrifice: Nakki, Kuzu, Ziu and Libir were ready to die in their fight against Signishra, but ultimately it was [[spoiler: Baraka]] who run the last mile, taking over when they were too exhausted to continue and dying so that their efforts wouldn't go to waste.

* NoodleIncident: Anything concerning MadKing Kanota.

** Played straight with [[spoiler: Usumgal]], who is also transformed into a pink, tutu-wearing teddy bear and sealed away behind a glass container just in case.

* BoltOfDivineRetribution: [[TheCaligula Mad King Kanota]]'s ultimate fate, after blowing up his own castle proclaiming that [[TalkativeLoon no penguin]] [[LaughingMad would sit on the throne]]. His legacy is widely regarded as an embarrassment to the Zitis, who would happily forget about his whole reign.

* NotSoOmniscientCouncilOfBickering: The Su-Nitlam sect is determined to end with the DivineRightOfKings [[{{Tyrannicide}} by any means necessary]], and would pose a serious threat if their members would stop arguing over things like who shall be the target, which one of them will carry out the sentence, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking what colour should the executioner wear]].

* CoolOldLady: Nirgal, Ishtar's worldwide famous AdventurerArchaeologist extraordinaire grandmother.

* AbsentMindedProfessor: Galam, to a T. He's a genious scientist with EinsteinHair and a tendency to suddenly start scribbling his brilliant ideas [[CouldntFindAPen on any]] [[RoomFullOfCrazy available surface]], whichever the situation and the number of enemies currently trying to kill him. He even fills the "professor" gap, since he tutored Ishtar and Malag.
* AirVentPassageway: Used by Golik to infiltrate in Zapp Castle and later to spy on the [[LaResistance Musdagur Resistance]]. He even mentiones they are so convenient that he'd better remove the air ducts from his own club, lest someone tries spying him.

* BambooTechnology: The lost scientifics of Nuzua have built their whole village, survival machinery and diverse escape contraptions with this. Their most outstanding feats are a [[DeathTrap fully functional automated hunting-and-cooking machine]] and a [[CoolAirship zeppelin]] [[CrazyEnoughToWork filled with explosive potato gas]].

* BigCreepyCrawlies: Nuzua is full of monsters and dangers, but the absolute terror of it comes from the dread mulursanya: a white-haired caterpillar with wighteen red eyes, a huge horn and MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily that can be as big as a train wagon.

* BoltOfDivineRetribution: [[TheCaligula Mad King Kanota]]'s ultimate fate, after blowing up his own castle proclaiming that [[TalkativeLoon no penguin]] [[LaughingMad would sit on the throne]]. His legacy is widely regarded as an embarassment to the Zitis, who would happily forget about his whole reign.

* CatapultToGlory: Ishtar and Nakki are needed urgently at the other side of the hemisphere, so he resorts to using the Zag-Tag, an obsolete and occasionaly deadly transport method that very much resembles a catapult. Ishtar [[YouHaveGOTToBeKiddingMe doesn't take him seriously]] until it's too late.

* DivineRightOfKings: All the kings and queens of the six races are chosen by Mul, the little moon orbiting around Ki. Whenever an heir is born, it lights up like a light bulb, making things like a line of succession completely usless since the new leader might be from a different lineage than the previous one. For examle, Mul skipped a generation in regards to the Zitis, [[spoiler: making Ishtar the new queen instead of her mother.]]

** Logan may be a standard treanch coat and fedora-wearing [[PrivateDetective lizard detective]], but his mannerisms and extremely specific VerbalTic are an homage to the Catalan dub of Creator/RowanAtkinson's Series/{{Blackadder}}.

** As expected from a juvenile book series, the characters who occasionally swear (Ishtar, Golik, the pirates) all use very colorful but ulimately mild language.
** Sannar is notorious for lacing everyting she says with some very creative swearing, to the point that the narrative doens't need to point out when she is the one speaking.
* handicappedBadass: Sura may suffer PTSD and have a missing leg, but that won't stop him from being the boldest explorer in the planet! He simply made himself a steel leg to match the rest of his gear and be done with it.

* NotTheFallThatKillsYou: Ullah deals with an enemy this way: divng down from the sky, grabbing him and flying back up, only to let him fall to his death.

* PersonOfMassDestruction: A lifetime of [[TheUnfettered ruthlessly achiving results]] [[IDidWhatIHadToDo by any means necessary]], sometimes with explosive outcomes, has given Nakki such a reputation.

* PsychicRadar: Another ability everyone in Ki possess, if trained. It comes in two flavours: the empathic radar, which allows them to detect close-range lifeforms in general (animals and people, though specifying on what species or which individuals is increasingly difficult); and the mental radar, which allows them to detect when close-range minds are activelly thinking about them, [[EnemyDetectingRadar hostile intentions]] or otherwise.

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: A good chunk of the main characters are either their race's respective kings, leaders or head chancellors. The fact that Ki's royals are the most powerfull people on the planet explains their hands-on attitude.

* SecretRoom: There's one below the Sata manor used by the Zitis to operate [[InterdimensionalTravelDevice the Kadingir technology]], full of surveilance equipment, defence mechanisms, machinery to detect and control dimensional shifts and a state-of-the-art espresso machine. Too bad the Sata family have no idea about it.

** Nimur didn't think his ancestor's staff was very useful in a fight, so he made some ajustments and transformed it tino a battle axe.

* StandingBetweenTheEnemies: [[spoiler: Queen Laima]] fearlessly steps in front of the whole Musdagur army with open arms and sends a telepathic speech so powerful and moving that neither side dares attack, ending the war befor it could even start.

* {{Telepathy}}: A default ability of the people in Ki, as Ishtar [[AMindIsATerribleThingToRead is quick enough to discover]]. It is the standard form of comunication of the [[FishPeople Kuzubis]], whereas the [[CatFolk Tidnums]] have a hard time whenever they must use it.
* TeleportationRescue: Lugal used a hand-held dimension alterer to rescue Nirgal and Nakki from a [[TrappedBehindEnemyLines hopeless situation]], opening a portal and effectively making them disappear into thin air in their enemies eyes.

* TheMenInBlack: The Kadingir Corporation opperatives. Whenever there's a dimensional-related incident on Earth, they follow along to cover it up and keep the humans from uncovering the {{Masquerade}}.

* ThereWasADoor: Uttered word for word by Ishtar when Sura's [[PsiBlast blast-induced]] [[ShellShockedVeteran crazed state of mind]] leads him to believe that [[YouCanPanicNow they about to be sacrificed]] by a horde of [[CapturedByCannibals savage canibal scientists]], and immediately busts through a wall of the hut they were "trapped in". Ishtar even mentiones that the door wasn't even locked.

* TreasureMap: Nuzua is an [[TheAmazon unexplored giant foggy monster-ridden jungle]] where people lose their memory and eventualy their mind. Therefore, a map of the place is rare beyond belief and utterly priceless... even if it's [[spoiler: just a few scribbles on a post-it]].
* UglyCute: ''Monsieur'' Babette, Rakkar's pet dog. It is supposed to be some sort of French Bulldog, but it is described as a little chubby blob with bat-like ears, pig-like tail, frog-like watery eyes and hiena-like body covered in cow-like patterned fur.
* UncannyAtmosphere: The second stage of the Oracle's Test. [[spoiler: Ishtar]] finds her way back home with no memories of Ki or anything in it, and goes about her day with her family: she has fun with her brother, her father will finally publish a novel, her grandmother is already there... Everything is too perfect, and anytime she has the feeling she is forgetting about somethin important, something good happens to distract her and lure her back into this feel-good place.
* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: While under attack, Nakki asks Ishtar [[TheStoic to calm down]] and analyse the situation in order to devise an action plan. After realising he's not kidding, she quickly makes an [[{{exposition}} analysis, diagonsis and devises a strategy]], but when she gets to the plan the scene is cut short. Cue them narrowly but successfully escaping from the clutches of the enemies.
* ValuesDissonance: In-univers example, to the point that a whole chapter is named as such. Ishtar and the rest of the Zitis are quite shaken by the way Musua dealt with [[spoiler: Kisib]] [[OffWithHisHead in self-defence]], as well as the enthusiasm her fellow Tidnums and particularly Nimur show in response.

* AbdicateTheThrone: ''The Queen Of Kigal'' plot kicks off when King Lugal decides he wants to retire and go on vacation to Earth, catapulting his nine-year-old daughter out of her leisurely life into a TrainingFromHell so she has a chance to pass the Oracle's Test.

NotTheFallThatKillsYou: Ullah deals with an enemy this way: divng down from the sky, grabbing him and flying back up, only to let him fall to his death.

* AirVentPassageway: Used by Golik to spy on the [[LaResistance Musdagur Resistance]]. He even mentiones they are so convenient that he'd better remove the air ducts from his own club, lest someone tries spying him.
* AmnesiaDanger: One of the [[BigCreepyCrawlies many,]] [[PowerNullifier many,]] [[EverythingTryingToKillYou ''many'']] reasons why Nuzua is considered the most dangerous place on Ki.

* BadassNormal: Sura is outraged at the [[HumansAreAverage lack of cool features]] [[HumanAliens the Zitis have]], compared to the other races, so he built himself [[CatFolk Tidnum]] claws, an [[BirdPeople Anzud]] wing-like glider, [[FishPeople Kuzubi]] scuba-diving gear, [[LizardFolk Musdagur]] camouflage and as many gadgets he can think of to counter the genetic injustice.

* BalconySpeech: Usumgal gives one to his water-deprived people, accusing the Sutums of drying the rivers and stealing their water. Most of the audience knows it's just [[PretextForWar a ruse aimed at a scapegoat]], but they are desperate enough to go along with it anyways.

** Vizvi, the guitar-playing [[ReallyGetsAround smooth-talking]] Anzud king, is a clear Elvis expy and even quotes frequently from his songs. Made funnier by the fact that Music/ElvisPresley canonically exists in the story and [[BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy emigrated from Ki to Earth centuries ago]].

* GoodParents: Anna and Jacques, certainly, even if they are a bit oblivious.

The story follows the adventures of Ishtar, a [[GenkiGirl spunky]] and [[CheerfulChild upbeat]] girl with [[LittleMissSnarker a sharp tongue]], after she accidentally travels to Ki, a chestnut-shaped world in a parallel dimension full of FantasticSapientSpecies with [[PsychicPowers special abilities]]. She quickly recovers from the initial shock when she learns that her mysterious grandmother, an AdventurerArcheologist who she has been penpals with for years but has never actually met, actually comes from this world... And has just been kidnapped! Ishtar's main goal will be finding her, as well as mastering her new-found powers with the help of her {{Mentor}} Nakki. That is, if the [[BigBad lizard-king Usumgal]] doesn't kill her first.

* CoolOldLady: Nirgal, Ishtar's worldwide famous archeologist extraordinaire grandmother.

The story follows the adventures of Ishtar, a [[GenkiGirl spunky]] and [[CheerfulChild upbeat]] girl with [[LittleMissSnarker a way with words]] , after she accidentally travels to Ki, a chestnut-shaped world in a parallel dimension full of FantasticSapientSpecies with [[PsychicPowers special abilities]]. After learning that her mysterious grandmother actually comes from this world, and that has been kidnapped, Ishtar's main goal becomes finding her, as well as mastering her new-found powers... That is, if the [[BigBad lizard-king Usumgal]] doesn't kill her first.

The series is still ongoing, and currently consists of four books (''El Cetro de Zink'', ''El Señor de Zapp'', ''El Caso Shapla'' and ''El Cuarto Poder''[[labelnote:English]]''The Scepter of Zink'', ''The Lord of Zapp'', ''The Shapla Case'' and ''The Fourth Power''[[/labelnote]]), which follow Ishtar's multiple adventures in Ki. In 2017 a precuel was published, ''La Reina de Kigal''[[labelnote:English]]''The Queen of Kigal''[[/labelnote]], which was centered on Ishtar's grandmother Nirgal and some other character's in their youth.

* MegaNeko: A maladjusted alterer is used to open a portal inside of the Sata manor. Grati the cat jumps through it, and ends up in Ki the size of a whale.

* NoSenseOfHumor: Nakki spends the whole of ''The Lord of Zapp'' reminding everyone [[YouHaveGOTToBeKiddingMe who questions his crazy]] plans that he ''never'' jokes.

* KillerTeddyBear: Averted with [[spoiler: Usumgal]]; he is indeed [[SealedEvilInATeddyBear a teddy bear]] with murderous intent, but he is too scared when in this vulnerable shape that his only goal is escaping.

* NoSenseOfHumor: Nakki spends the whole of ''The Lord of Zapp'' reminding everyone [[YouHaveGOTToBeLiddingMe who questions his crazy]] plans that he ''never'' jokes.

* RetiredBadass: Lúgal, Nírgal's dad and Ishtar's great-grandfather, is called out of retirement to stop a coup and kick some traitor's butt in 'The Shapla Case''.

* TheMenInBlack: The Kadingir Corporation opperatives. Whenever there's a dimensional-related incident on Earth, they follow along to cover it up and keep the humans from uncovering the {{Masquarade}}.

* ''The Queen Of Kigal'' plot kicks off when King Lugal decides he wants to retire and go on vacation to Earth, catapulting his nine-year-old daughter out of her leisurely life into a TrainingFromHell so she has a chance to pass the Oracle's Test.

* BadassNormal: Sura is outraged at the lack of cool features [[HumansAreAverage the Zitis have]], compared to the other races, so he built himself [[CatFolk Tidnum]] claws, an [[BirdPeople Anzud]] wing-like glider, [[FishPeople Kuzubi]] scuba-diving gear, [[LizardFolk Musdagur]] camouflage and as many gadgets he can think of to counter the genetic injustice.