Nomad's Dream

by August Li

Two men, each with a hidden destiny. Can they defeat a web of deceit and dark magic to ensure their fates intertwine?

Bedouin Isra al-Grayjaab’s dreams lead him to Janan, an amnesiac beggar on the street of Qena—one who steals his heart and starts him on a seemingly hopeless quest. With only their wits, Isra’s knowledge of the desert’s secrets, and the aid of a mercurial djinn, they must recover Janan’s past. But neither can predict his true identity or the lengths others will go to see that his mind remains broken and his true power out of his reach.

In a sweeping romantic adventure that takes them across the Eastern Desert to the modern streets of Cairo and on to the luxurious Red Sea Coast, Janan and Isra seek a truth that will either bring them into each other’s arms or tear them apart forever.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Fantasy

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 29, 2019

About the author

This author originally published as Augusta Li.

Reviews

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Hearts

Impressive with the world building and the setup, this isn’t your typical paranormal romance.

Isra is basically a loner, a wandering soul even amongst his Bedouin people of wanderers. He’s been having recurring dreams about a mysterious man that he can’t ignore and feels the overwhelming need to find this stranger and help him no matter what. Thus, Isra implores his childhood friend, a mischievous fire spirit, for guidance and is forever changed with what he comes across.

Janan has no recollection of any personal history and after being on his own for many months, the kind offer of aid from Isra is just too hard to refuse. What they discover in trying to find out who Janan is, is something more powerful and dangerous than first assumed.

I was really expecting grand adventure and whirlwind romance and though we do get that somewhat, this was also a lot more sedate than anticipated. Truly well written, I liken this to more an ode to the Bedouin lifestyle and culture, a love song really, to freedom - not only physically but spiritually from all the trappings of the modern world. Bridging plenty of faith and religion with lots of commentary about life in general, this was more a thoughtful romance - not only about two people but also towards a way of living and where identity shapes one’s worth and humanity.

Not containing a lot of flash and bang that was wanted and expected but again, more of an introspective study on many things, in and amongst a sweet love story, peppered with some lite smexy, and a penultimate finale. Li for sure mixes up genres and tropes, and I look forward to what may come next.

Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review

[Christelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

How I enjoy discovering a “new-author-to me” who can pull me into his/her writing world. It’s even better when it’s not for a trope I would usually go for.
I first stumbled on a book written by August Li when being asked to read some Christmas stories and I was surprisingly amazed by the world building created in Colina de Lavanda, a paranormal Holiday MM romance.

I was very curious to see if the magic would work again and dug into “Nomad’s Dream”, a “romantic” adventure (don’t expect a lot of steam, but a lot of tender feels) with a touch of paranormal (OK, a good portion of it !). And whoah !!

In today’s Egypt, Isra, a Bedouin, feels the need, fuelled by the Bedouin’s traditions, his vivid dreams and his secret long-time friend Flicker, a Djinn, to offer shelter and companionship to a beggar, Janan, who lost his memory a few months ago. From there, they will form a strong and loving bond, search for Janan’s past, and fight against evil, their adventures finishing with a lovely ending, or, as Janan pointed out, a start.

I took a great delight in August Li’s world building and story telling, the pace of this story, quiet when bonding in the desert and fast and full of action when the truth is unravelling. Add a fairy-tale-isc touch and some compelling secondary characters – how not to be fascinated by Flicker, the devilish and protecting “Arafrit”, full of fire – and I was sold. A successful escapism outside of my usual reading preferences.


ARC of “Nomad’s dream” was generously provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Serena Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

“My desert has all the variety I need. There’s more beauty and wonder than a man could hope to see in a lifetime. When I come to the city, see the way the people here have to live, it reminds me to thank God for letting me be born into the free air, giving me the liberty to go where and do what I like.” — Isra al-Grayjaab, Nomad’s Dream

The contrast between a happy life in the desert, as seen from a nomad’s point of view, and modern Egypt, influenced by business, greed, and power-seeking machinations, is at the center of this sweeping modern-day fairy tale. It features basic Bedouin hospitality, customs, and beliefs versus the modern world, a mysterious man with amnesia, and a slowly emerging plot to silence a man willing to fight for what is right. It’s a true adventure with multiple locations, a sweet romance, and a mystery that needs solving by an eclectic group of characters. Needless to say, I was glued to the pages!


Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Colin Hardy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a book that I struggled to complete. It’s not that the story is particularly bad. There is a clear plot that is understandable and sensible, the problem is in the other major building blocks. Characterization is weak. Individual characters are effectively described but their personalities are wooden, all thought processes are moralistic and quite one-dimensional. They are pleasant enough but there is an insufficient richness to make them interesting. The afrit/jinn character is present throughout and seems to be there as a partial facilitator of actions but also has a role as the voice outside of religion. The two lead characters represent cultural ideals of enlightenment of traditional Bedouin and modern Arab views with strong religious overtones. The plot reflects the same idealistic sentiment and drifts forwards without any real tension despite the fact that there are so many aspects of the story that in another context would result in a lot more angst.

The story is about the revelation of who one of the central characters really is and who was responsible for taking away his identity. The plot takes a long while to get there and the uses a magic-driven battle as the denouement. Sadly, the revelation of the baddy and his comeuppance is not particularly exciting and could easily have been done without the magic at all.

The relationship between the two lead characters is similarly disappointing. They are supposed to be moralistic, strong independent characters but there is no emotional growth throughout. They come together; have instant affinity and fall into a relationship without any real hang-ups. Similarly, their relationship seems to have very little impact culturally and they sail through various encounters where their bond is facilitated rather than hampered.

There is no noticeable heat going on, they get emotionally aroused and clearly, there is sex, but it is all handled through ‘fade to grey’. The emotions seem to be affection and a sort of platonic love, but there is no sense of passion.

The story moves steadily from scene to scene, but with no tension, there is nothing to drive it forward at more than a sedate pace.

One of the key themes within the story is about the differences between the two worlds of Bedouin and modern Arab as typified by the two lead characters. However, once all of the other issues are neatly resolved and all that is left are these two characters, the resolution of this tale is a compromise. This is not really surprising, given what has gone before, but there is always the hope that something with a little more substance could have been provided.

This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews

[CrabbyPatty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm truly amazed by this story, a mix of fantasy, myth and magic, set in the timeless deserts where Bedouins traverse the ever-changing landscape on camels. Since the summer, Isra has dreamed of a man walking in an unfamiliar place, always just out of his reach. When Isra finally catches up to the man,

He turned, and when their eyes met, Isra felt like he was watching dawn break over the desert. The man had an elegant beauty to his dark lashes, full lips, longish, straight nose, and smoky quartz eyes, but it was the fear and confusion in his expression that struck Isra hardest.

When Isra (who is around 30 years old) was a young man, he was saved from death by an arafrit, a magical creature in the form of a beautiful youth who "moved like fire, and he burned. The flames danced behind his large eyes and the subtle, swirling marks on his skin. It was as if everything solid were merely a vessel to contain the fire within." Just when you think this story was set in a time long past, you learn that this Bedouin life co-exists with the current time and this tale is a contemporary one. The guiding spirit, whom Isra named Flicker, agrees to help Isra find his mystery man and they locate him in the modern Egyptian town of Qena.

The man has no idea who he is and his life began only a few months prior when he awoke in the city with no shoes and no money. He has wandered the streets as a beggar: "None of them saw beyond his dirty clothing, bare feet and matted hair. Did they even see him as a man with a heart like their own?" Isra, embodying the Bedouin traits of hospitality and honesty, takes the man (whom he names Janan which means "heart" or "soul" in Arabic) home with him to the desert to restore his mind and body. Janan and Isra gradually fall in love and while there are no on-page sex scenes, there is truly the sense that Isra has found his soul mate in Janan and that the way is true for Janan.

While Janan can remember nothing of his past, he is drawn to Cairo and Isra and Flicker accompany him to help him find his answers, and modern-day Cairo is where the later part of the story is set. While the initial pace of the story feels a bit slow, we get the opportunity to know Isra and Janan and their characters through their philosophies and discussions:

God is loving and forgiving, and he wants us to be happy. If we can find happiness, I think he's pleased. Trying to do good is what matters. All the world's great belief systems agree there. God should be a reason to rejoice, never an excuse to feel anger or resentment toward others.

The plot takes unimaginable twists and turns and the characters deal with supernatural events and creatures and modern-day villains, and the ending actually pulls it all together in a unique way that I find simply extraordinary. There is a richness that August Li brings to "Nomad's Dream" that really sets it apart. 5+ stars and a Recommended Read!

I received an ARC from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.

Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews

[Stella ╰☆╮╰☆╮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each time I read a new story by August Li I am in awe by the author’s talent. I already said this but he is one of my favorite authors and his name has become a guarantee, I don’t even read blurbs anymore, I simply go in fan mode and just need the book in my hands. When I saw the cover of this new release, I was very curious about it. Nomad’s Dream is very different from my usual mm readings, starting with the setting and the main characters. Plus I found this novel a little different from what the author usually writes, it was more sweet and romantic, not too much, just that little bit more that perfectly balanced the magical and mysterious part.

The story is set in the desert for two third’s and I completely lost myself among the bedouins tribes, the camels and the dunes. I was deeply engaged with Janan mystery and the love for Isra. I found everything so real and true although the magical elements and the character of Flicker (I adored him and never doubted of his attachment to Isra).

I have to confess my heart went to Isra since the first pages, I saw his clear soul, his loyalty and devotion to his family and himself. I saw how troubled he was until he finally reached the man that was hunting his dreams. And then my heart ached for Janan, being so lost and poor and later seeing him flourishing beside Isra was very heartwarming.

The author developed a beautiful plot, there is some action, some mystery, and then there are many times where Isra and Janan are alone in the desert that were my preferred moments. He did a so great job I breathed the peace they were living. I fell in love with quite a few secondary characters too, some of them would deserve their own HEA, they were well defined and interesting, all of them so brave and generous.

I feel to recommend Nomad’s Dream, in my opinion the author delivered another amazing success. I felt a sense of loss when I finished the novel but it gave me some serenity I needed.

The cover art by Tiferet Design is well done, I like the colors and it perfectly fits the book.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

2020/97: Nomad's Dream -- August Li

Isra looked down and saw a set of tracks made by a man in his bare feet, the shape of the heel and toes distinct where they’d pressed into the fine sand covering the old cobblestones. As he had done since the height of summer when his dreams had brought him to this place, he followed those tracks... [loc. 56]

Isra al-Grayjaab is a Bedouin, happy to roam the Egyptian desert with his herds, encountering family and friends as he travels. But lately, he's been haunted by dreams of a mysterious barefoot man. Perhaps he's simply a mirage, a figment of Isra's longing for a true companion. But perhaps he's real.
Since childhood, Isra's has a friend named Flicker (I found this name a bit jarring), who is a djinn or arafrit. When Isra tells Flicker of his dream, Flicker leads him to an amnesiac beggar sleeping rough in a ruined temple. It is, of course, the man from Isra's dream, and Isra bestows the name Janan -- and an offer of help and support -- on his new acquaintance.
The two quickly become close: but Flicker discovers that Janan is under a curse, and when his true identity is revealed, it's clear that the stakes are higher than Isra could ever have suspected.
As a result of reading and discussing this novel, I became more familiar with the term Orientalism (which I'd blithely assumed referred to exoticisation of Far Eastern cultures, rather than the prioritising of 'Western' over 'Arabic' / Islamic culture). Is Isra's life romanticised? Yes, to some extent: but I don't think it's more romanticised than other depictions of those who turn away from late-stage capitalism. (Compare and contrast various tales of rural British life.) And it's important, in the novel, that Isra's world is so very different to Janan's.
I wasn't wholly convinced by the instant attraction and romantic affinity between the two leads: also, I would have expected a little more unease about a homosexual relationship in that cultural setting. (But both are discreet and not especially bothered by social constraints.) An enjoyable read, though: a sweet romance threatened by a family feud and by ancient, supernatural powers, with a happy ending that doesn't involve too much compromise.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

The amnesia trope isn’t one of my favorites because it’s a tricky gimic and needs careful handling. When done poorly, it can be uncomfortable to read, as it can easily turn into one character taking advantage of the other. However, when done well, it adds a dash of mystery and becomes more of a story about a character finding out the truth about themselves, a truth they might not otherwise have had the courage to discover.

Isra is a Bedouin. He has, as is required of all of the men of his tribe, spent two years in the army. He is living in the desert because he loves it — the simplicity, the freedom, and the connection it gives him to his god. He lives with his brother and his brother’s wives and children. His brother would dearly love to see Isra married, not because they need more children (though that’s always a plus), but because he wants Isra to have someone to love him. It’s part of why they go to Qena; one, to sell goats and sheep and two, to get Isra a wife.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

To me this felt much more like a mystery/adventure story, and rather less like a romance. Though Janan and Isra fall in love and spend quite a lot of time together, I was left wanting more. As love stories go this one is rather more mellow than I like as far as feelings & passion go. It reads like an action-filled fairy tale and I prefer my romances a little grittier with MC’s who develop a deep emotional connection and build a life together as couple. We leave our MC’s before they get to do that.

This book has a peculiar mix of paranormal characters on the one hand and very religious characters on the other, which is certainly different from what I’m used to reading. I think the author did an amazing job in describing the Bedouin way of life and the beauty of the desert, and I also liked how she interspersed the story with Arabic terms & customs. Always with a light and respectful touch. I felt like I stepped into a tale of the Arabian Nights.

The story is set in modern-day Egypt which still has quite a way to go in matters like LGBT rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment. These issues are important to the story and I was pleased to see our fictional characters come out on top and pursue a happy and hopeful life together. How that translates into their daily life stays vague, however, they are both still in the closet as far as I know.

The secondary characters are well-written. Flicker, the djinn who befriended and protected Isra, is intriguing and mysterious, and we also get two very strong and independent female characters, Sehrish and Nawra, which was a nice plus.

[Mertel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet with some suspenseful scenes 4.5 stars rounded up.

As a queer poc, I love it when I find a book with a main character who is also a poc. This book featured two and takes place in Egypt so, after reading the blurb, it went straight to my to-read list.

This book was so sweet. I enjoyed the first half of the book the most I think because it was so fluffy. Also, because the first half takes place mostly in the desert (which is a terrain I'm not familiar with), it still felt like an adventure.

The latter half of the book, though also having it's sweet moments, was more fast-paced with some action. It wasn't really my scene but I enjoyed the thrilling buts too.

All in all a great read and I recommend it to mm romance lovers (esp. those who like paranormal mm) and those who crave more diversity in their books.