Fantasy literature has been undergoing a transformation. Historically dominated by European-centric stories, the genre has been expanding exponentially over the last five years.
Readership numbers have grown and there has also been an expansion of the type of stories being told. Contemporary fantasy outside of the Western canon is reimagining what the genre is capable of.
“If someone is reading about a completely different culture and they are engaged by it and understand it, it broadens their mind,” author Sue Lynn Tan tells The National.
The Chinese-Malaysian national who is lives in Hong Kong was one of the invited authors at this year’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, which concluded in Dubai today. She is the author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess and its sequel Heart of the Sun Warrior.
The novels are Tan’s take on the Chinese myth of Chang'e, a mortal who drank the immortal elixir of her husband, the famed archer Houyi, and became the moon goddess. Tan’s version centres around their daughter, Xingyin, who wasn’t in the original myth, being raised secretly on the moon before she sets off on a journey to discover herself and gets caught up in an epic love story of her own.
According to Wordsrated, an industry-based literature research platform, fantasy book sales grew by 45.3 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022 in the US and 23 per cent in the UK. One of the reasons attributed to the growth has been the quest for new settings, characters, stories and storytellers.
Both of Tan’s novels have become USA Today and Sunday Times bestsellers and have been translated into 16 languages. However, that doesn’t mean that Tan didn’t face challenges when her first book was submitted to publishers.
“It wasn't an easy sell,” she says. “Marketers in publishing didn't see it fitting the mould of what they thought Asian fantasy should be. This was something lives on a Chinese myth with a big romance element. It was something they were not sure about.”
It was the qualities publishers were dubious about that connected with readers. Tan’s approach was to be authentic to the characters and the story she wanted to write, without thinking about its place in the mind of the western reader.
“I simply wrote the story how it was,” she says. “I didn't think about fitting it in so much or what the story was supposed to be. I simply wanted Xingyin and all the characters to feel real. I wanted the world to be something people could easily come to and be immersed in.”
Her approach of not pandering her perspective towards the western reader is one that also worked for Egyptian graphic novelist Deena Mohamed. Another festival guest, she is author of Shubeik Lubeik (Your Wish is My Command). The initially self-published story was awarded Best Graphic Novel at the Grand Prize of the Cairo Comix Festival in 2017.
“My main goal was that I wanted Egyptians who read it to feel impacted, to feel a sense of not simply believability, but a connection to it,” she says.
Set in an alternate Cairo where wishes can be bought and sold, Shubeik Lubeik is an urban fantasy which draws inspiration from Arabic fairytales exploring themes of morality and power. It follows Aziza, a young woman struggling to make ends meet when she discovers a genie in a bottle and must face the consequences of her actions.
Mohamed illustrated and wrote the graphic novel first in Arabic before the English translation rights were acquired by Pantheon Books for North America and Granta for the UK. The English version, translated by Mohamed herself, was published in 2023 and has received positive reviews in The Washington Post and The New York Times. It has a current rating of 4.52 on Good Reads.
Before Shubeik Lubeik, Mohamed’s worked on web comic series that were both in English and Arabic. It was overwhelming to think about how different sets of readers would interpret facets of the story, so Mohamed did not consider westerners when she started work on it in Arabic.
“I don't think it's possible to write when you're constantly feeling like a tour guide for your reader,” she says. "A lot of people who work in both [languages] feel like you have to be an ambassador, but it can be a trap.”
Simply telling a story instead of having the western reader front of mind goes hand in hand with another approach that both authors took in the respective works – translating their own senses of cultural authenticity into the worlds they created.
Tan is a fan of fantasy Chinese dramas, enjoying different elements of stories in books and on screen, including the clothes, palaces, nature and music. These are all important elements in the world she wanted to recreate in her own writing.
“I wrote these books with the love for all these things,” Tan says. “I didn't question, at least not consciously, whether or not people would like or understand this world. I simply found so much to love in it that I wanted to share it.”
Like Tan, Mohamed wanted to give a real sense of place in her graphic novel. The light, colours, streets and buildings of Cairo come alive in Shubeik Lubeik and particularly the kiosks of the city. Mohamed recreated the kiosks of Cairo that sell drinks and confectionery using over-the-top branding. However, in her alternate Cairo, they are places where wishes are also sold.
“Every kiosk is also unique because the owner of the kiosk is the one who built it and I wanted to have these kiosks in my story because I liked drawing them, I like observing them,” she says. “Then I started thinking about what if it's a kiosk that sells a magical object? And what if this magical object is a wish?”
In both Mohamed and Tan’s novels, like other fantasy stories that connect with readers, they begin with an answer to a seemingly simple question – what if? What if the moon goddess had a secret daughter? What if kiosks sold wishes?
“We all have such a long culture of mythology and folklore,” Mohamed adds. “The stories we grew up with, technically, are fantasy. It's almost natural to have this parallel life of storytelling where things are slightly different.”
Whether lives on European legends that have been reimagined and explored countless times, or a story that stems from a culture outside of the Western canon, both Tan and Mohamed agree that there is something particular about fantasy that captivates readers like no other genre.
“Fantasy can be healing,” Tan says. “Sometimes to simply let yourself be transported and to lose yourself in wonder … when you're going to a new place, things are different and anything seems possible.”
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Dunki
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final, second leg (first-leg score):
Manchester City (0) v Tottenham Hotspur (1), Wednesday, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella
Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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GULF MEN'S LEAGUE
Pool A Dubai Hurricanes, Bahrain, Dubai Exiles, Dubai Tigers 2
Pool B Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jebel Ali Dragons, Dubai Knights Eagles, Dubai Tigers
Opening fixtures
Thursday, December 5
6.40pm, Pitch 8, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Knights Eagles
7pm, Pitch 2, Jebel Ali Dragons v Dubai Tigers
7pm, Pitch 4, Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Exiles
7pm, Pitch 5, Bahrain v Dubai Eagles 2
Recent winners
2018 Dubai Hurricanes
2017 Dubai Exiles
2016 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
2015 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
2014 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
British Grand Prix free practice times in the third and final session at Silverstone on Saturday (top five):
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:28.063 (18 laps)
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 1:28.095 (14)
3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1:28.137 (20)
4. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) 1:28.732 (15)
5. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Renault) 1:29.480 (14)
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
RACECARD%20
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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