Books › Alif the unseen
Alif the unseen
A high-stakes collision of modern cyber-espionage and ancient djinn mythology where survival depends on unlocking the secrets of the unseen world.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like plunging into a shadowy, high-stakes underworld where the glow of a computer screen meets the ancient magic of the djinn. The pace is propulsive, driven by the constant, suffocating tension of state surveillance and the desperate adrenaline of a fugitive on the run. It masterfully weaves the gritty, urgent tone of a cyber-thriller with the sweeping, mystical atmosphere of Middle Eastern folklore. The narrative explores the thrilling intersection of modern information technology and ancient, hidden knowledge, wrapping the reader in a clandestine mood of political rebellion and forbidden romance. It will thoroughly delight anyone who loves seeing contemporary hacking culture collide with mythic fantasy, offering an emotionally charged journey from heartbreak and paranoia to a desperate fight for survival.
- Mood
- clandestine
- shadowy
- high-stakes
- mystical
- Tone
- urgent
- tense
- mythic
- adventurous
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- technology and magic · state surveillance · hidden worlds · ancient knowledge · forbidden love
- The writing
- Blends the gritty, fast-paced vernacular of cyber-thrillers with the sweeping, atmospheric cadence of Middle Eastern folklore.
- The arc
- Moves from the heartbreak and paranoia of a compromised life into a desperate, high-stakes struggle for survival fueled by ancient magic.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave a seamless fusion of contemporary cyber-punk hacking and ancient mythological fantasy set against a backdrop of political rebellion.
Content notes
- state surveillance
- political persecution
- life-threatening situations
About the book
In an unnamed Middle Eastern security state, a young Arab-Indian hacker shields his clients, dissidents, outlaws, Islamists, and other watched groups, from surveillance and tries to stay out of trouble. He goes by Alif, the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, and a convenient handle to hide behind. The aristocratic woman Alif loves has jilted him for a prince chosen by her parents, and his computer has just been breached by the State's electronic security force, putting his clients and his own neck on the line. Then it turns out his lover's new fianceé is the head of State security, and his henchmen come after Alif, driving him underground. When Alif discovers The Thousand and One Days, the secret book of the jinn, which both he and the Hand suspect may unleash a new level of information technology, the stakes are raised and Alif must struggle for life or death, aided by forces seen and unseen.
Description from Open Library.
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