Book Review: Twelve Kings in Sharakhai 

By Bradley P. Beaulieu 

4 Stars 

The city of Sharakhai is ruled by twelve kings, each as cruel as the next. Though the citizens have to endure the harsh rules placed upon them, the riches and goods of the city are worth it. Çedamihn Ahyanesh’ala is one such Sharakhani, living in the city with her roommate, Emre, running errands for extra money, and living a chill life. But when she witnesses a message delivered to the leader of the terrorist rebel group, the Moonless Host, her curiosity leads her to broken rules - and hidden secrets. But these secrets have something to do with her lost mother, Ahyanesh Ishaq’ava. If it means that she will finally have the chance to figure out what her mother’s dying wishes had been, Çeda will risk the sun and the moon and the kings themselves.  

In theory, Twelve Kings in Sharakhai was a good idea. Bradley Beaulieu had created a beautiful landscape and world upon which his story was the backdrop. What he failed to properly develop was the foreground: the characters themselves. Oftentimes, I found myself wondering why the characters were making the decisions they did, and I struggled to feel what they were feeling. Most characters exasperated me to the point that I began to wish the main character would fail, and Beaulieu would throw a curtain over his stage with a bad ending. It didn’t matter; that stage was already on fire. If you like a good mystery, rich lore, and don’t care much for a proper series of events or fleshed-out characters, this novel will catch your eye. But if you have an aversion to the things I listed, do yourself a favour and put it down. 

Reviewed by Ayesha 

View in Library Catalogue: eBook