EXCERPT
Omari and the People
by Stephen
Whitfield
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Description
In an ancient time, a people made homeless by a devastating fire are led
across a treacherous desert by a thrill-seeking thief, to a land he doesn't believe
exists - and he started the fire.
In a squalid ancient city on the edge of a desert (based on descriptions
of the African Sahara’s Empty Quarter,) a weary, thrill-seeking thief named
Omari sets his home on fire to start anew and cover his many crimes. When the
entire city is unintentionally destroyed by the flames, the cornered thief
tells the displaced people a lie about a better place to which only he can lead
them, across the desert. With the help of an aged, mysterious woman who knows a
better place actually does exist, they set out. The disparate people must come
together to fight their way through bandits, storms, epidemics, and more. As a
result of Omari's involvement with Saba, a fiercely independent woman who is
out to break him in the pay of a merchant whom he has offended, his ability to
lead - his very life - is jeopardized.
Excerpt
As was his way, bin
Aswad took no part in the celebration, and actually enjoyed his time alone as
everyone else danced, sang and ate. Indeed, he had always found great pleasure
in his love of numbers – calculating expenses, inventories and ultimately,
profits. Despite Omari’s warnings about making money from the needs of others,
bin Aswad had found it profitable to provide specialty clothing for those who
could afford it. He found that some people paid well for themselves and or
their family to look good in new clothing, and he was very clever in the re-use
of old clothes to make new garments, as his cloth supply dwindled. Instead of
being rich in coin, he now had more than his share of food, water, tools and
other valuables.
He was happily
humming a tuneless melody while he sat counting a number of small gems, when
his tent flap flew open. A stunning young woman moved in quickly and stood over
him. Astonished, he scrambled backwards with his eyes and mouth wide open,
spilling the gems onto the tent floor.
“Ho, bin Aswad.
Easy,” said the woman in a husky voice, and a bright smile that revealed white,
even teeth. “I wish you no harm.” She raised her palms to calm his fright and
sat down. “In fact, I believe I might be of some service to you. My name is Saba Khan. Did you drop something?”
No longer terrified,
bin Aswad was still too surprised and embarrassed to form any reply, except to
start picking up his gems while glancing up at the stranger. At first glance,
Saba Khan possessed what might be called an extraordinary beauty – enough to
turn heads, and very pleasing to the eye. In bin Aswad’s lamplight, her
complexion was a satiny smooth, golden brown that seemed to blend into the
darkness. Her finely sculpted face framed dark amber, almond-shaped eyes, which
made him pause. For the brief moment he held her gaze, he was so struck by
their sheer intensity, intelligence and perceptiveness that he stopped picking
up his gems. His attitude changed to awe and he was willing, even eager to hear
what she had to say.
“How do you know my
name?” he mumbled, too awestruck to ask all the questions in his mind.
“You are well-known,
bin Aswad. You have many customers—people you talk to and trade with. Some of
the things you receive in trade are precious gems, such as that one you missed,
just there.” She pointed a slender finger at a ruby behind him.
“That gets people’s
attention. Some of the things you’ve said are bound to get even more attention
– such as the fact that you are unhappy with Master Omari’s leadership.” She
leaned forward and opened her eyes wide. “Allow me to offer you some free
advice – trade your gems away and keep your opinions to yourself.”
Bin Aswad noticed
the hilt of a dagger in her waistband. As the idea of danger began to form in
his mind, beads of sweat broke out on his upper lip. “That’s some strong
advice,” he said, in an effort to sound self-assured. “What do you have to do
with my opinions or my gems?”
Saba Khan chuckled.
“I’m not here to harm you, bin Aswad. I’m here to suggest that I might be able
to help you solve your problem with Master Omari…for the cost of some of your
gems.” She raised her brow and tilted her head to the side. “Are you interested
in seeing someone else in charge of the caravan? Someone more sensitive to your
business interests?”
He frowned and leaned
forward. “And how would you…”
“You don’t need to
know that,” she said. “All you need to
know is if you pay my price, your satisfaction is guaranteed.”
He stared at the
woman in amazement. “What do you do? Are
you some kind of killer? I don’t want to kill anyone.”
“I make things
happen,” she replied. “And don’t worry; you don’t have enough gems for anyone
to be killed. Not even that great blue jewel you have hidden in your robe.”
Bin Aswad’s eyes
widened again. “You know about the jewel?”
“That is why I’m
here,” she said in a low voice.
“Remember my first advice? You’re not going to be able to hang onto such
a stone much longer anyway. Too many people know about it. Right now, all you
have to do is say ‘yes’ to the deal. If you do, I will give you more details
later. Of course, whether you agree or
not, I must refer you back to the second advice – keep your business to
yourself. Now, do we have a deal?” She leaned forward and smiled as if she knew
the answer.
Praise for the Book
"I just loved this book! The story of this people was so fascinating
I had to drop everything else I was reading and concentrate only on this. [...]
This book is highly recommended to anyone looking for an epic adventure, a tale
of friendship, love and betrayals with a touch of magical realism." ~ Book For Thought
" ... if you love an epic novel with a charismatic but
troubled hero and multi dimensional characters around every corner, you can't
do better than this one. I'm keeping this one in my library without a doubt and
can only sit impatiently in the hopes that the author will make a sequel."
~ A. Stacco
"I never thought of myself as an avid reader, but the cover's exotic
artwork and alluring excerpt arose my curiosity; the tension, the romances, the
mysteries, the climax definitely kept my attention." ~ J.J.
"Omari and the People is
an extraordinary epic adventure full of friendship, love, loss, betrayals and
survival. The touch of magical realism is what brings the story full circle.
Beautifully written, the author, Stephen Whitfield has done an amazing job with
his characters and storyline from beginning until the end. He is a gifted
storyteller and I can't wait for another book from him. [...] This is a great
action-packed tale that will stand the test of time. Truly Great Read!!!!
Highly Recommended!!" ~ BookLoverRome
"This is a beautifully written piece. The author does a good job
describing the scenery and the tension with the characters. The book is filled
with suspense and intrigue. It is a captivating piece from cover to cover. This
is not your typical novel. The author successfully integrates the themes of
leadership, love, loss, hope and survival into a smart and engrossing
book." ~ Stephen A. Drake
"This was an action-packed read in an interesting setting with good
character development; a bit of fantasy, adventure, and romance all bundled
into a real page turner. I found myself absorbed in the story, as if
transported to the scene of the events as they unfolded. Would definitely
recommend!" ~ Linda
About the Author
Chicago-born Stephen Whitfield began writing as a Marine Corps print
journalist. His writing has appeared in military publications, as well as the
Kansas City Star and the Jersey Journal. He holds degrees from Loyola
University Chicago, Chicago Theological Seminary, and Indiana University.
Stephen currently resides near Orlando, Florida.
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