Zintara and the stones of Alu Cemah

The debut novel by brothers Michel and Dominic Bohbot is a dynamic fantasy tale inspired by the love of speculative fiction instilled in them by their father. This is seen not only in the dedication of ZINTARA AND THE STONES OF ALU CEMAH but also throughout the narrative.

We are taken to another world, one that contains mythical and imaginary creatures alongside human characters. There is a synopsis of many of the characters at the beginning of the novel and I admit I had to refer to it a few times during the reading as there are so many names and relationships for the reader to juggle. The Prologue finds a young Zintara, human in all her features except for the large black wings protruding from her back, being driven out by her mother as her family and her empire fall violently. . The antagonist of this story, Korban — human warrior and sorcerer — is in search of the three Stones of Alu Cemah that will supposedly grant him the ability to rule over all.

M’Hancha, her late father’s best friend, takes Zintara, who raises her and keeps her safe. We see Zintara grow into a young woman, her magnificent wings now displaying a powerful wingspan. She confronts Korban, in possession of one of the three stones, and threatens to kill her the way she took her mother’s life if she doesn’t give him the location of the remaining stones. Zintara runs away from her, but her battle with Korban costs her hand, a fact she will no doubt seek to avenge to the fullest.

While Korban plans to find the other two stones, M’Hancha is doing everything he can to shield Zintara from further confrontation. He also seeks to keep her away from Prince Ardelann, heir to the kingdom of Takla, and the blossoming romance that seems inevitable between them. It isn’t long before a member of her kingdom, the nefarious Duke Galhuri, takes Zintara out and calls her a traitor and a winged demon. He has as evidence a coffin containing a bloody feather supposedly from Zintara and proof that she attacked the sick Prince Ardelann. Zintara has no choice but to flee—on a mission to clear her own name and stop Korban from getting the remaining stones.

M’Hancha advises Zintara to hide on the islands where she will be safe but still within range. It is here that she literally finds herself and this includes an encounter with an ancient dragon that helps her recognize her destiny. Meanwhile, Korban has succeeded in his villainous quest for the Alu Cemah Stones. To show the power they wield, her first act is to create a monstrous armored warrior, a small sample of the abilities the mad sorcerer now possesses. The narrative moves towards the anticipated showdown between Zintara and Korban. He arrives mounted on an impressive dragon steed and, wearing a glove reminiscent of Thanos from the Marvel comics, he displays the three stones that give him power so powerful Zintara may not be able to overcome it. The Bohbot brothers are said to be working on the next novel in this new series that should continue the Zintara saga. ZINTARA AND THE STONES OF ALU CEMAH is an entertaining first effort as a novel, but for me the real winner is Michel Bohbot’s outstanding artwork with illustrations that really bring the story to life on each successive page.