The Travels of IBN Thomas

Thoma ibn Thomas, the son of a Christian spy to the Muslim world, finds himself in the trail of his father’s life. A life loaded with dangerous encounters, numerous opportunities, and conspiracies. After finishing his formal education as a medical doctor, he embarks on his career in medicine while looking for his father who disappeared many years ago. At the peak of his career as the court physician of the royals in Sicily, he encounters a real blow to his career when he refuses to take up his role as a spy like his father. Torn between Islam and Christianity, he has to use his wit and skills to save himself from the wrath of his enemies. In the twelfth century, his escape routes called for more than his intelligence. His uncles, Yusuf and Assad, and his friends, Roland and Sukman, help him along the way.

 “The Travels of IBN Thomas” is a captivating read in which one experiences the protagonist’s fears, bravery, and vulnerability while taking in lots of lessons from the twelfth century’s ways of life. Although there are many characters and a rather thick plot, anyone who is keen about learning the tides of the twelfth century’s religious wars has a rich gold mine in this book. The author did a fantastic job in world-building and character development that enables the reader to have a fine grip on the different events and scenes. This is a delightful cocktail of prisoners of greed, assassins, ruthless rulers, slaves, captains of ships, religious leaders, and mighty armies tactfully dispensed through the eyes and thoughts of the protagonist.   

JM Lareen