Brothers Michel and Dominic Bohbot’s first novel 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 Y LAS PIEDRAS DE ALU CEMAH but also throughout the narrative.
They take us to another world, one that contains mythical and imaginary creatures along with human characters. There is a synopsis of many of the characters at the beginning of the novel and I admit that I had to resort to it several times during the reading, as there are many names and relationships for the reader to juggle. The Prologue finds a young Zintara, human in all features, apart from the large black wings that protrude from her back, being driven away by her mother when her family and empire fall violently. The antagonist of this story, Korban — human warrior and sorcerer — is in search of the three Stones of Alu Cemah that supposedly will give him the ability to rule over everything.
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 is confronted by Korban, in possession of one of the three stones, and threatens to kill her the way he took her mother’s life if she does not give him the location of the remaining stones. Zintara escapes, but the battle with Korban costs him his hand, a fact that he will undoubtedly seek to avenge to the fullest.
While Korban plans to find the other two stones, M’Hancha is doing his best to protect Zintara from further confrontation. He also seeks to keep her away from Prince Ardelann, heir to the kingdom of Takla, and the burgeoning romance that seems inevitable between them. It isn’t long before a member of his kingdom, the infamous Duke Galhuri, overtakes Zintara and calls her a winged demon and a traitor. She has as evidence a coffin containing a bloody feather supposedly from Zintara and proof that she attacked the ailing prince Ardelann. Zintara has no choice but to flee, on a mission to clear her own name and prevent Korban from obtaining the remaining stones.
M’Hancha advises Zintara to hide in the islands where she will be safe but still within reach. 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 been successful in his evil search for the Alu Cemah Stones. To show the power they wield, their first act is to create a monstrous warrior in armor – a small sample of the abilities the insane wizard now possesses. The narrative moves toward 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, displays the three stones that give him such powerful power that Zintara may not be able to defeat him. 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 exceptional artwork with illustrations that truly bring the story to life on each successive page.