City of the Plague God: The Adventures of Sik Aziz, Book 1
By Michael Berry,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Action-packed tale of Middle East myths, magic, monsters.
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What's the Story?
As CITY OF THE PLAGUE GOD begins, Sik Aziz discovers that his parents' deli has been destroyed in a fire and that a plague has been unleashed in New York City. The demon Nergal takes credit for the disaster and demands that Sik turn over a treasure taken from Iraq and hidden by Sik's missing older brother, Mo. Sik is initially protected by the goddess Ishtar and her adopted daughter Belet. But what are Sik and Belet to do when Ishtar is killed, something they never planned on? Sik must make his own journey into the land of the dead and face the most dangerous demons in existence.
Is It Any Good?
The mythology of the Middle East rarely inspires fiction for teens, but this action-packed tale based on Mesopotamian folklore will likely please a wide range of young adult readers. In City of the Plague God, author Sarwat Chadda puts an original spin on Middle Eastern monsters, gods, and demons, finding both intense suspense and dark humor in nearly every scene. Sik is an appealing protagonist: realistically cautious when dealing with supernatural menaces, but determined to rescue his family. The novel seems timely and self-contained, focused on telling a compelling story rather than on setting the stage for a too-long fantasy saga. Readers who want something different from the usual zombies, vampires, and shape-shifters will relish City of the Plague God.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how City of the Plague God uses Mesopotamian mythology as a springboard for a contemporary fantasy novel. Why are readers still interested in ancient folklore?
How has our own society adapted to a pandemic? Is a pandemic a topic that should be mentioned in all post-2020 fiction?
How does diversity help people understand one another? What can be done to foster better communication between ethnic and religious groups?
Book Details
- Author: Sarwat Chadda
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Great Boy Role Models , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
- Publication date: January 12, 2021
- Number of pages: 400
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: August 30, 2023
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