Line #24 Literature/TheCrescentMoonKingdoms


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3	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/throne_of_the_crescent_moon.jpg]]
4	A fantasy series by Creator/SaladinAhmed that takes place in an Islamic-inspired fantasyland, the Crescent Moon Kingdoms, rather than the typical MedievalEuropeanFantasy. Dr. Adoulla Makhslood is a ghul-hunter in the city of Dhamsawaat, accompanied by his trusty sword-wielding assistant, Raseed bas Raseed.
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6	While still retaining spirit of HighFantasy, although it seems a lot more comfortable as sword & sorcery (HeroicFantasy) this series plays with character and setting tropes for a unique look on a traditional quest.
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8	The first book, ''Throne of the Crescent Moon'' was released in 2012, and the follow-up ''The Thousand and One'' and at least one other sequel is forthcoming.
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11	!!Tropes include:
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13	%%* ActionGirl: Zamia Banu Laith Badawi.
14	%%* BigBad: Orshado.
15	%%* BigBeautifulWoman: Miri Almoussa.
16	%%* BigEater: Adoulla again.
17	* BittersweetEnding: On the one hand, Dhamsawaat is saved for the time being, but [[spoiler: the young and idealistic prince is dead and the Falcon Prince has taken on the powers of the Cobra Throne.]] Adoulla and Miri finally reach an understanding, but[[spoiler: marrying Miri means that Adoulla, last of the ghul hunters, must retire.]] Raseed and Zamia [[spoiler:also acknowledge their feelings for another, but Raseed decides to continue his training, which means he is forbidden to marry if he wishes to reach the position of Shaykh.]]
18	* BlackAndGrayMorality: While the Falcon Prince isn't unambiguously good by any standard, the Khalif has no reedeeming traits whatsoever.
19	* CastFromHitPoints: Dawoud and Adoulla are both drained by their magics. But the former literally spends the days of his life to power his magic, and acknowledges the events of the book take months off his life.
20	* CelibateHero: Adoulla unwillingly, Raseed because of his oaths.
21	* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: Raseed. Capable of cleaving apart ghuls in one strike, leaping across a room in a single bound, and breaking staffs with his bare hands. Apparently just part of the training in being a dervish.
22	* ContrivedCoincidence: Raseed considers the pile up of these in a single day to be an unsettling sign of what will follow.
23	* CrapsackWorld: Between poverty, violence, ghuls, and political unrest, Dhamsawaat is looking pretty grim.
24	* CrystalDragonJesus: The magic practiced by Adoulla and other ghul-hunters borrows its power from a pantheon transparently standing in for the Abrahamic one, complete with a capital-G God, a Traitorous Angel, a host of Ministering Angels and a tome of Heavenly Chapters.
25	* DeathOfTheOldGods: Literally, the Kemeti Dead Gods.
26	%%* DeathSeeker: Zamia.
27	%%* TheDragon: Mouw Awa to Orshado
28	* FantasyCounterpartCulture:
29	** Abassen, the caliphate (khalifate?) in which the book takes place is patterned off of the Middle East (the name is taken from the Abbasids). The city of Dhamsawaat in particular is clearly inspired by the mythical Baghdad of the ''Literature/ArabianNights'' fame.
30	** The Badawi are analogous to Bedouins. "Badawi" is the singular Arabic for nomad; "bedouin" is the anglicization. The region in which they live, the Empty Kingdom, might be a reference to the Empty Quarter.
31	** The Soo Republic stands in for DarkestAfrica. Not enough information is given to determine which specific parts of Africa. However, if the map is similar to Earth it might be East Africa ("Soo" could echo Sudan, though two large rivers are mentioned in their country).
32	** Rughal-ba is probably India under Moghul rule, though it's not yet known if there is anything analogous to Hindu India. This is reinforced by the name of the capital, Tamajal, which is similar to Taj Mahal.
33	** The War Lands to the north probably stands in for Europe. The sole named region is Braxony, a possible {{portmanteau}} between Brittany and Saxony, both in Western Europe (though not connected).
34	** The Kem empire is one for ancient Egypt, complete with Pharaohs.
35	* FreudianTrio
36	** TheId: Zamia.
37	** TheEgo: Adoulla.
38	** TheSuperego: Raseed.
39	* FullNameBasis: Adoulla manages to recall Zamia's full name, which impresses her.
40	* HalfHumanHybrid: The jackal-headed Mouw Awa.
41	%%* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: Miri.
42	* HunterOfMonsters: Adoulla, "the last real ghul hunter in the great city of Dhamsawaat".
43	* IncorruptiblePurePureness: Raseed tries.
44	** The Humble Students also do try but are really [[KnightTemplar more obnoxious and arrogant than anything]]. Raseed is disgusted by a group of Students' treatment of Litaz, who is told to go back to "your perverted outlander neighborhood" because she interrupts them beating up a young girl for working as a prostitute.
45	* HypercompetentSidekick: Raseed with a sword.
46	%%* JustLikeRobinHood: The Falcon Prince.
47	* LastOfHisKind: Adoulla is the last ghul-hunter; Zamia is the last of the Banu Laith Badawi.
48	* LeftJustifiedFantasyMap: {{Averted}}; oceans surround the Crescent Moon Kingdoms to the west, south, and east.
49	* LoveAtFirstSight: Raseed and Zamia, though it takes most of the book for either of them to admit it.
50	* {{Magitek}}: To an extent. There are constructs and automatons that run on magic, and are for most intents and purposes nigh-indestructible.
51	%%* MouthOfSauron: Mouw Awa to the mute Orshado.
52	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Mouw Awa.
53	* NoPeriodsPeriod: Averted. Zamia says that she can't change shape "when women's business is upon me," mentioning this when her period has just ended.
54	* OddlyShapedSword: Raseed's forked blade. Also counts as a CoolSword.
55	* OlderThanTheyLook: Dawoud. See CastFromHitPoints above.
56	* OurGhoulsAreCreepier: More like golems or zombies, depending on the situation.
57	* OurWerebeastsAreDifferent: Zamia is considered "Angel-touched" for her shapeshifting ability. Adoulla also comments that he didn't know girls could be shapeshifters.
58	%%* OurZombiesAreDifferent: Skin-ghuls.
59	* PedophilePriest: Why they decide to send the orphan boy to his aunt the brothel owner, rather than put give him to a religious charity house.
60	* PhantasySpelling: It might just be alternate transliterations of Arabic terms; still, the book is riddled with "alkhemy," "faroes," and of course, "ghuls."
61	%%* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: Zamia.
62	* ReligionIsMagic: Adoulla destroys ghuls by quoting Scripture at them.
63	* SealedEvilInACan: The Kem empire might be long gone, but some of its secrets still lie hidden. Adoulla faced one of their constructs - a giant serpent construct made out of gold and with giant rubies for eyes - when some poor fool wound up digging it out.
64	* SelfMadeOrphan: Prince Sammari wants to kill his father for strangling his mother to death.
65	* ShootTheDog: Assuming that he's telling the truth, [[spoiler:the Falcon Prince drinks the Prince's blood with his permission, only to discover there are no "good" powers granted by the Cobra Throne.]]
66	* ScrewPolitenessImASenior: Adoulla doesn't care who hears him making seditious remarks about the Khalif.
67	* TalkativeLoon: Mouw Awa, who cannot seem to stop talking.
68	* TitleDrop: When they finally translate the ancient text, guess what it mentions?
69	* TheGreatWall: Well, the Heavenly Wall. A great big golden wall that separates Abassen from Rughal-ba.
70	%%* TheStoic: Raseed.
71	* UglyGuyHotWife: Inverted. While they're not married, as two teens in love, Raseed is a pretty boy while Zamia is the homely one.
72	* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Zamia turns into a lioness.
73	* WarriorMonk: Adoulla, to some extent.
74	* WideEyedIdealist: Prince Sammari, the Heir. Then again, he is nine.

Context Literature / TheCrescentMoonKingdoms