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The Unfolding - A Scatter Plot
Confronted with the horrifying realization that their mastermage is on death row, a group of Defenders embark on a deadly journey to save him. Labelled as the ‘Traitors of the State’ and with a bounty on their heads, they must stand against an unworthy ruler and the very citizens they are trying to protect. All while guarding a map of gateways between worlds and their Key.
On this fantastical journey, one of the Defenders, Farhaan, is on a path to lock himself in an unknown world—destined by fate but against his will.
On this fantastical journey, one of the Defenders, Farhaan, is on a path to lock himself in an unknown world—destined by fate but against his will.
- GenresFantasy
682 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 21, 2023
6 people are currently reading
568 people want to read
About the author
Noor Amjad
3 books11 followersNoor Amjad is a life-long reader and writer of fantasy fiction. While fiction writing is one of her interests, she is also a chemical engineer by education and is currently working in the tech industry. Beyond writing, her hobbies include painting and photography. Noor is an advocate for pineapples on pizza and prefers her biryani three miles away from potatoes.
She began writing her debut novel, The Unfolding - A Scatter Plot, in Oct 2019. The structure of the book's plot was inspired by the graphical representation of a scatter plot where many points come together to form a line of best fit. The novel starts with characters dispersed in different worlds/settings. As the story progresses, they converge to carry out the plots. Hence, 'All plots must align'.
She began writing her debut novel, The Unfolding - A Scatter Plot, in Oct 2019. The structure of the book's plot was inspired by the graphical representation of a scatter plot where many points come together to form a line of best fit. The novel starts with characters dispersed in different worlds/settings. As the story progresses, they converge to carry out the plots. Hence, 'All plots must align'.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 4, 2024
OOOH BABY WHAT AN ORIGIN STORY! I loved this book.
Spoiler free summary: This book focuses on Farhaan, a young adult raised in Pakistan in modern times. His life is suddenly torn out from under him when his mother picks him up from work, taking him to Islamabad without an explanation. When arriving in Islamad, Farhaan discovers that he is actually from another world, one that parallels Earth, and he is the son of the leader of an attempted. His world as he knows is comes crashing down as he's thrust in the world of Ulruum, a world of magic and unknown along with a group of protectors assigned to keep him safe and continue the revolution.
Review: I was enraptured by this story. Amjad does an excellent job of dropping you in the middle of the action but in a way where you don't feel left out. I feel asleep reading this every night for a week because I couldn't put it down. It was left on a JAW DROPPING cliff hanger that I cannot wait to read. Below are a few of my criteria/rationale for rating it the way I did:
1. Originality - I personally have never read anything like this. It is a completely unique book like no other. Given the amount of literature out there, originality is a feat difficult to obtain
2. Inclusivity - None of the characters are white presenting which is so refreshing, especially in fantasy. While I'm not the best person to comment on this, it's extremely important to get the experience of non-white characters and other cultures. This was done so beautifully. I would've liked to see more queer characters but overall I think the author did well here.
3. World building - you can tell that this world is Amjad's labour of love. The world, it's people, it's culture and it's magic system is SO well thought out. Additionally, Amjad's ability to describe a scene is amazing, especially for a young writer. I felt like I was INSIDE the book at some points.
4. Writing style - I will say I'm divided here. Amjad's ability to describe a scene or emotions (or both) literally brought me to tears multiple times. Amjad is able to tug on your own humanity such that you feel what the characters are feeling. Are there some periods of more telling than showing? Sure, but I think that it suits the story and how the main character is discovering the world of Ulruum and his own history.
My only critique of the writing style, and the book as a whole, is that the dialogue felt very formal, such that it didn't suit the tone of the rest of the book hence the four stars. It was more like it belonged in 16th century England than the modern Middle East. Even then it wasn't enough to pull me out of the story, especially once you get used to it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to seeing how the author matures over time. I hope I can keep reading their work. Thank you Noor for this experience, for trusting me and us with your story as it's not easy putting yourself out there.
Spoiler free summary: This book focuses on Farhaan, a young adult raised in Pakistan in modern times. His life is suddenly torn out from under him when his mother picks him up from work, taking him to Islamabad without an explanation. When arriving in Islamad, Farhaan discovers that he is actually from another world, one that parallels Earth, and he is the son of the leader of an attempted. His world as he knows is comes crashing down as he's thrust in the world of Ulruum, a world of magic and unknown along with a group of protectors assigned to keep him safe and continue the revolution.
Review: I was enraptured by this story. Amjad does an excellent job of dropping you in the middle of the action but in a way where you don't feel left out. I feel asleep reading this every night for a week because I couldn't put it down. It was left on a JAW DROPPING cliff hanger that I cannot wait to read. Below are a few of my criteria/rationale for rating it the way I did:
1. Originality - I personally have never read anything like this. It is a completely unique book like no other. Given the amount of literature out there, originality is a feat difficult to obtain
2. Inclusivity - None of the characters are white presenting which is so refreshing, especially in fantasy. While I'm not the best person to comment on this, it's extremely important to get the experience of non-white characters and other cultures. This was done so beautifully. I would've liked to see more queer characters but overall I think the author did well here.
3. World building - you can tell that this world is Amjad's labour of love. The world, it's people, it's culture and it's magic system is SO well thought out. Additionally, Amjad's ability to describe a scene is amazing, especially for a young writer. I felt like I was INSIDE the book at some points.
4. Writing style - I will say I'm divided here. Amjad's ability to describe a scene or emotions (or both) literally brought me to tears multiple times. Amjad is able to tug on your own humanity such that you feel what the characters are feeling. Are there some periods of more telling than showing? Sure, but I think that it suits the story and how the main character is discovering the world of Ulruum and his own history.
My only critique of the writing style, and the book as a whole, is that the dialogue felt very formal, such that it didn't suit the tone of the rest of the book hence the four stars. It was more like it belonged in 16th century England than the modern Middle East. Even then it wasn't enough to pull me out of the story, especially once you get used to it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to seeing how the author matures over time. I hope I can keep reading their work. Thank you Noor for this experience, for trusting me and us with your story as it's not easy putting yourself out there.
January 20, 2024
I was contacted by the author and offered a physical copy of her book and promised to write an honest review.
If the Unfolding has many assets, I think I was not the right audience for the book and others might give it a higher rating.
What’s the Unfolding?
The Unfolding centers around young Farhaan who discovers he’s been lied to his whole life and his heritage is not what he was led to believe. People are after him to use him as leverage against his true father who is holding the key to uncover and activate gateways, portals that an evil ruler wants to use to invade and plunder other realms like earth.
Farhaan, unbeknownst to him has been protected his whom life by Defenders, allies of his true father who are determined to save said father and thwart the evil ruler’s plans.
You could divide the story into three sections, beginning with the world building and backstory and ending on a cliffhanger.
The Unfolding seemed like a unique blend of urban fantasy mixed with a whiff of the movie “Taken” with Liam Neeson at the beginning. The presence of gateways reminded me of portals that we can find in fantasy or science fiction. Add to it a lot of running/hiding, secrets and plot twists and you should have a good idea.
As you can see, many assets and that’s even before mentioning what I consider the best part of the story: the world building!
Noor Amjad went all in in that department as we have parallel universe, humans and other creatures, stone magic, a very interesting teleportation system and more.
I could also see that the author took her time writing the story and certainly didn’t shirk the job as her depiction of scenes and characters are extremely polished.
So why not a higher rating for me?
Because if her writing was extremely detailed and mature, the characters reactions and some dialogues seemed very “young” sometimes. Also the third person narrative coupled with more telling than showing made for an uneven pace at time. The very beginning was fast, gripping and then you would stall on some details and extreme description of scenes, places, in short a lot of informations that would somehow make for a chunky pace.
All in all, I think the book has a lot of potential and the author certainly did invest a lot of time writing it! My advise would be to find an editor that would help cut and polish it to offer a smoother reading experience.
If the Unfolding has many assets, I think I was not the right audience for the book and others might give it a higher rating.
What’s the Unfolding?
The Unfolding centers around young Farhaan who discovers he’s been lied to his whole life and his heritage is not what he was led to believe. People are after him to use him as leverage against his true father who is holding the key to uncover and activate gateways, portals that an evil ruler wants to use to invade and plunder other realms like earth.
Farhaan, unbeknownst to him has been protected his whom life by Defenders, allies of his true father who are determined to save said father and thwart the evil ruler’s plans.
You could divide the story into three sections, beginning with the world building and backstory and ending on a cliffhanger.
The Unfolding seemed like a unique blend of urban fantasy mixed with a whiff of the movie “Taken” with Liam Neeson at the beginning. The presence of gateways reminded me of portals that we can find in fantasy or science fiction. Add to it a lot of running/hiding, secrets and plot twists and you should have a good idea.
As you can see, many assets and that’s even before mentioning what I consider the best part of the story: the world building!
Noor Amjad went all in in that department as we have parallel universe, humans and other creatures, stone magic, a very interesting teleportation system and more.
I could also see that the author took her time writing the story and certainly didn’t shirk the job as her depiction of scenes and characters are extremely polished.
So why not a higher rating for me?
Because if her writing was extremely detailed and mature, the characters reactions and some dialogues seemed very “young” sometimes. Also the third person narrative coupled with more telling than showing made for an uneven pace at time. The very beginning was fast, gripping and then you would stall on some details and extreme description of scenes, places, in short a lot of informations that would somehow make for a chunky pace.
All in all, I think the book has a lot of potential and the author certainly did invest a lot of time writing it! My advise would be to find an editor that would help cut and polish it to offer a smoother reading experience.
February 3, 2024
A heartfelt thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
The Unfolding, a well-built, intriguing fantasy novel based around Farhaan, a 20 year old man who has just discovered he has been lied to his entire life. The enemy is after him, planning to use him to get revenge on his true father, a man who holds keys to gateways unlocking other realms of Earth. In the wrong hands, these keys could lead to world destruction.
Farhaan has been protected by the Defenders. He must embark with them on a quest to save his true father and destroy the enemy’s plans.
I was initially confused on the genre of this novel. It is marked as fantasy, but the mention of an advanced world unbeknownst to Earth lead to think Sci-Fi. But then, cell phones and magic were mentioned, and I just accepted I was reading a type of fantasy-sci-fi hybrid.
I adored a lot of the characters in this novel. But I’ll admit, the relationship between the two main characters was not my favorite. Yes, they were cute, but their relationship almost felt forced and slightly rushed in some places.
I’m a victim to shipping characters I’m not supposed to, but give me a break, there’s only a small amount of control I have over myself when Character A shoves Character B into a tree by his collar and orders him not to leave because he doesn’t want to lose him.
As in terms of pacing, the beginning of the novel grabbed me by the collar (hah). The addition of character profiles and maps had me intrigued by this book from the very beginning. That is, until page 150ish, when writing slowly started transferring from action/dialogue to info dump.
It’s usually why I don’t read books in third person - for that reason specifically.
I’ll admit, I skimmed a few pages to force myself through them. There’s only so much “telling not showing” I can take.
But besides the excess info dump, the world created is beautiful. The imagery put into the description of the two realms allowed me to perfectly picture the setting in my mind. And did I mention you get not one, but TWO, maps?
I can clearly see the dedication, time, and effort put into this novel by the author. I appreciated the chance to get to know this story; it has lots of potential. I would definitely recommend for those who love longer, slower paced fantasy novels with romance, found family, and mystical, magical elements.
The Unfolding, a well-built, intriguing fantasy novel based around Farhaan, a 20 year old man who has just discovered he has been lied to his entire life. The enemy is after him, planning to use him to get revenge on his true father, a man who holds keys to gateways unlocking other realms of Earth. In the wrong hands, these keys could lead to world destruction.
Farhaan has been protected by the Defenders. He must embark with them on a quest to save his true father and destroy the enemy’s plans.
I was initially confused on the genre of this novel. It is marked as fantasy, but the mention of an advanced world unbeknownst to Earth lead to think Sci-Fi. But then, cell phones and magic were mentioned, and I just accepted I was reading a type of fantasy-sci-fi hybrid.
I adored a lot of the characters in this novel. But I’ll admit, the relationship between the two main characters was not my favorite. Yes, they were cute, but their relationship almost felt forced and slightly rushed in some places.
I’m a victim to shipping characters I’m not supposed to, but give me a break, there’s only a small amount of control I have over myself when Character A shoves Character B into a tree by his collar and orders him not to leave because he doesn’t want to lose him.
As in terms of pacing, the beginning of the novel grabbed me by the collar (hah). The addition of character profiles and maps had me intrigued by this book from the very beginning. That is, until page 150ish, when writing slowly started transferring from action/dialogue to info dump.
It’s usually why I don’t read books in third person - for that reason specifically.
I’ll admit, I skimmed a few pages to force myself through them. There’s only so much “telling not showing” I can take.
But besides the excess info dump, the world created is beautiful. The imagery put into the description of the two realms allowed me to perfectly picture the setting in my mind. And did I mention you get not one, but TWO, maps?
I can clearly see the dedication, time, and effort put into this novel by the author. I appreciated the chance to get to know this story; it has lots of potential. I would definitely recommend for those who love longer, slower paced fantasy novels with romance, found family, and mystical, magical elements.
January 18, 2024
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest & truthful review !! I always pinch myself when I get messages from authors or publishers.
2.5 ⭐️s
—YA/NA political fantasy book (leans more to the younger side of NA/older side of YA)
—Multiple worlds x dystopian x magical powers
—third person narrative
—multiple character focus
—chosen one type energy
—cliffhanger
Farhaan (20) has grown up in Pakistan his whole life selling fruit to help keep his family afloat. Recently, his parents have become stressed & not long after he is pulled into a group of ‘Defenders’ who were chosen to protect him on Earth. Farhaan soon learns that his parents aren’t really his parents & that he was not born on Earth but Zemnizus: a world that is on the other side of the Unfolding (a gateway between worlds), and one which has imprisoned and framed his biological father for a murder he did not commit.
Strengths: the world, its building, and the time & effort involved in all the appendices (maps & character profiles). YAY the fantasy book has maps, PLURAL!
I was really impressed by the amount of time that went into the world and world building. It was clear & there was plenty of information given to the reader early on. Whilst it was clunky & impacted the reading, I was glad to have all the information. The author has done a lot of work in this aspect!!
This book also felt like a NA/YA fantasy based on the dialogue & some moments which felt over the top. I originally went into this thinking it would be an action packed heist to rescue Farhaan’s biological father but instead it was a slow paced novel which unpacked the lore first of the gateways and then the other worlds. You could divide the book into 3 sections: the first part which was the lore, then the second which focused on the ‘Name Stone Bearer’ part, and the last near the end about the Breaches where it ends on a cliffhanger and leads to the second book. This makes sense as the first book has set up the series with all the lore & characters in place.
Weaknesses: the world building made the writing blocky at times, mostly “telling” rather than showing, and the pacing was a bit inconsistent
2.5 ⭐️s
—YA/NA political fantasy book (leans more to the younger side of NA/older side of YA)
—Multiple worlds x dystopian x magical powers
—third person narrative
—multiple character focus
—chosen one type energy
—cliffhanger
Farhaan (20) has grown up in Pakistan his whole life selling fruit to help keep his family afloat. Recently, his parents have become stressed & not long after he is pulled into a group of ‘Defenders’ who were chosen to protect him on Earth. Farhaan soon learns that his parents aren’t really his parents & that he was not born on Earth but Zemnizus: a world that is on the other side of the Unfolding (a gateway between worlds), and one which has imprisoned and framed his biological father for a murder he did not commit.
Strengths: the world, its building, and the time & effort involved in all the appendices (maps & character profiles). YAY the fantasy book has maps, PLURAL!
I was really impressed by the amount of time that went into the world and world building. It was clear & there was plenty of information given to the reader early on. Whilst it was clunky & impacted the reading, I was glad to have all the information. The author has done a lot of work in this aspect!!
This book also felt like a NA/YA fantasy based on the dialogue & some moments which felt over the top. I originally went into this thinking it would be an action packed heist to rescue Farhaan’s biological father but instead it was a slow paced novel which unpacked the lore first of the gateways and then the other worlds. You could divide the book into 3 sections: the first part which was the lore, then the second which focused on the ‘Name Stone Bearer’ part, and the last near the end about the Breaches where it ends on a cliffhanger and leads to the second book. This makes sense as the first book has set up the series with all the lore & characters in place.
Weaknesses: the world building made the writing blocky at times, mostly “telling” rather than showing, and the pacing was a bit inconsistent
January 15, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🔮My thoughts:
Diving into the pages of this fantasy novel, I found myself engrossed in the tale of Defenders facing the daunting challenge of rescuing their mastermage from death row. The group's dynamic was a highlight, with banter and camaraderie weaving through the chapters, creating a sense of genuine friendship that resonated with me.
Farhaan's character development was a one of my favorite elements of this book, as his journey unfolded in a compelling way, drawing me deeper into the story. The magic system crafted by the author added a layer of complexity to the world, and I felt thoroughly immersed in!
The inclusion of a romance subplot and the interweaving political intrigue were done so well and some of the reasons why I loved this book. Twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning pages to uncover the fate of the Defenders labeled as 'Traitors of the State.'
However, it's worth noting that the occasional info dumps and instances of excessive detail did momentarily interrupt the otherwise smooth flow of the narrative. Despite this, the overall experience was immensely enjoyable! I highly recommend picking up with book as one of your 2024 reads!
A heartfelt thank you to the author for graciously providing me with a copy in exchange for this review. It was a captivating journey, and I look forward to the next book in the series!
🔮My thoughts:
Diving into the pages of this fantasy novel, I found myself engrossed in the tale of Defenders facing the daunting challenge of rescuing their mastermage from death row. The group's dynamic was a highlight, with banter and camaraderie weaving through the chapters, creating a sense of genuine friendship that resonated with me.
Farhaan's character development was a one of my favorite elements of this book, as his journey unfolded in a compelling way, drawing me deeper into the story. The magic system crafted by the author added a layer of complexity to the world, and I felt thoroughly immersed in!
The inclusion of a romance subplot and the interweaving political intrigue were done so well and some of the reasons why I loved this book. Twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning pages to uncover the fate of the Defenders labeled as 'Traitors of the State.'
However, it's worth noting that the occasional info dumps and instances of excessive detail did momentarily interrupt the otherwise smooth flow of the narrative. Despite this, the overall experience was immensely enjoyable! I highly recommend picking up with book as one of your 2024 reads!
A heartfelt thank you to the author for graciously providing me with a copy in exchange for this review. It was a captivating journey, and I look forward to the next book in the series!
June 24, 2024
3 ⭐️
This is a South Asian-inspired fantasy/urban fantasy/sci-fi novel and I was immediately intrigued by the concept of parallel worlds. Traveling between different realities is one of my favorite things to read about and alongside the cool magic system, I had a great time reading The Unfolding. I also appreciated that this is a fantasy book not built around ancient European culture which is something frequently seen in this genre. This book contained many elements I love reading about but it also had a few things I wasn’t a huge fan of.
Pros:
- Cool magic system
- Found family
- Interesting character dynamics
- Parallel worlds!!!
Cons:
- This book takes place in modern times and considering this, I felt like the writing was a bit too formal and clashed with the setting.
- I felt like Farhaan’s true identity was revealed too quickly. I feel like it would’ve been interesting to see the mystery behind his real life take a little more time to get revealed.
- As other reviewers have mentioned, I also felt like there was a lot of telling and not showing which took away some intrigue.
Overall, it was a good book and I’m looking forward to seeing more from the author.
Thank you to the author for reaching out and gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a South Asian-inspired fantasy/urban fantasy/sci-fi novel and I was immediately intrigued by the concept of parallel worlds. Traveling between different realities is one of my favorite things to read about and alongside the cool magic system, I had a great time reading The Unfolding. I also appreciated that this is a fantasy book not built around ancient European culture which is something frequently seen in this genre. This book contained many elements I love reading about but it also had a few things I wasn’t a huge fan of.
Pros:
- Cool magic system
- Found family
- Interesting character dynamics
- Parallel worlds!!!
Cons:
- This book takes place in modern times and considering this, I felt like the writing was a bit too formal and clashed with the setting.
- I felt like Farhaan’s true identity was revealed too quickly. I feel like it would’ve been interesting to see the mystery behind his real life take a little more time to get revealed.
- As other reviewers have mentioned, I also felt like there was a lot of telling and not showing which took away some intrigue.
Overall, it was a good book and I’m looking forward to seeing more from the author.
Thank you to the author for reaching out and gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2024
It was a slow read for me because I was coming out of a reading slump, but it was also a lot of information. You can tell that this authors puts so much thought into the world she has created and I love that. It is not rushed but it is a little bit hard to understand which is why she has information in the back of the book. The story is good but somewhat difficult to get into. Overall I liked the plot and characters. Would recommend to people who can easily follow fantasy books!
August 31, 2024
This is a spoiler free review
⭐Thank you so much for existing (to the author)!!
I honestly loved this book it was my type dark and mysterious . I will not lie it is a big book but for me reaching to the was totally worth it . In every free ounce of time all I wanted was to sit back make some coffee and enjoy this book . For the time being I am am waiting impatiently for the second part to come👌👌
⭐Thank you so much for existing (to the author)!!
I honestly loved this book it was my type dark and mysterious . I will not lie it is a big book but for me reaching to the was totally worth it . In every free ounce of time all I wanted was to sit back make some coffee and enjoy this book . For the time being I am am waiting impatiently for the second part to come👌👌
January 10, 2024
Absolutely loved it. Can't wait for the next book to come out. It will definitely be put on my wishlist once it is released.
February 29, 2024
The biggest highlight of this book is the intense and descriptive world-building that fills this whole book up. It was impressive how much was created and thought through for this book and its world, and the magic system is truly unique and amazing. There is a little bit of info dumping that messed with the flow of the story, but at the same time, it contained important information for this fantasy world. Overall the world-building was a vivid creation and was the most notable aspect of this book!
I really found the cast of characters to be intriguing and captivating, and there were definitely some that I was really fond of! Their personalities, motives, actions, and character arcs were realistic and very well developed. There are a ton of characters to keep track of though and sometimes I did find myself forgetting who was who.
This is a huge story with a lot of world-building, a large cast of characters, and an intense and varied plot. Overall it was a very enjoyable read and I had a great time with this captivating novel!
Thank you to the author who sent me a copy for my honest review!
I really found the cast of characters to be intriguing and captivating, and there were definitely some that I was really fond of! Their personalities, motives, actions, and character arcs were realistic and very well developed. There are a ton of characters to keep track of though and sometimes I did find myself forgetting who was who.
This is a huge story with a lot of world-building, a large cast of characters, and an intense and varied plot. Overall it was a very enjoyable read and I had a great time with this captivating novel!
Thank you to the author who sent me a copy for my honest review!
January 17, 2024
* 3.5 rounded up to 4 *
Thank you author Noor amjad for this gifted book in exchange for my review!
“You look the same." Burak took a deep breath. As mesmersing as before, he thought, as elegant as ever. The words in his head never parted from his mouth. Nervously, he shuffled on his feet, put his hands into his pocket, and then took them out again. There was a long silence between them, until Burak asked what he always wanted to know. "Did I ever cross your thoughts?"
A fantasy with love, conflict and banter plus a gorgeous cover. How can I refuse?!
This book follows a group of “defenders” who are confronted with the horrifying realization that their mastermage is on death row. These defenders embark on a deadly journey to save him. This was such an action packed read with great banter and found family.
Thank you author Noor amjad for this gifted book in exchange for my review!
“You look the same." Burak took a deep breath. As mesmersing as before, he thought, as elegant as ever. The words in his head never parted from his mouth. Nervously, he shuffled on his feet, put his hands into his pocket, and then took them out again. There was a long silence between them, until Burak asked what he always wanted to know. "Did I ever cross your thoughts?"
A fantasy with love, conflict and banter plus a gorgeous cover. How can I refuse?!
This book follows a group of “defenders” who are confronted with the horrifying realization that their mastermage is on death row. These defenders embark on a deadly journey to save him. This was such an action packed read with great banter and found family.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews