Book: The Emir’s Falcon

by Matt Hughes
Published by Shadowpaw Press Premiere
Review by Toby A. Welch

The Emir's Falcon is a fascinating story from page one to its gratifying conclusion. It centres around Skyrider, a peregrine falcon that university student Bernie has been tending to at a Canadian Wildlife Service facility. Bernie learns that the Government of Canada has decided to give Skyrider to the son of a Persian Gulf emir as a diplomatic gift. To say Bernie isn't thrilled with the decision is a massive understatement.

I appreciated that this book was told from three different points of view, keeping things spicy. You have Bernie, the young biologist-in-training who is attempting to save Skyrider from what he sees as a horrific fate. Then there's petroleum engineering student Nasur, the emir's son. Rounding out the trio is Rosie, a fascinating Métis woman whose main goal in life seems to be day-to-day survival. As the chapters bounce from one to the others and back again, Hughes does a superb job of telling this unique story from so many angles.

The aspect of this book that I loved most is that we are exposed to aspects of three diverse cultures. There's the young man born and raised in a rural community in Alberta with Ukrainian ancestors. We see life vicariously through Sheikh Nasur bin Mukhta al-Bagri, a young man destined to take over his father's throne in the modern Middle East. Seventeen-year-old Rosie works trap lines, immersed in the Métis traditional life. All three of them have a way of life unlike the other characters. It was interesting learning about having body servants, a normal thing in Nasur’s culture. Rosie's near daily activity of skinning animals is not something I imagine most of us do regularly but it's commonplace for her. You get the picture.

It was clear from chapter one that this book was written by someone with serious writing skills. Sure enough, Hughes is a multiple award-winning author who has twenty-four published novels as well as almost 100 works of short fiction in professional markets behind him. He has also been inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association’s Hall of Fame. It's no surprise that Hughes has such an impressive writing resume as The Emir's Falcon is a pleasure to read.

I love that this story was inspired by events that took place when the author was an assistant to the Minister of Environment. In the late 70s, the Canadian government gifted two peregrine falcons to a Middle East potentate as a diplomatic move. Readers are the beneficiaries of Hughes wondering how that government decision affected the people who worked with the two gifted birds.

I highly recommend The Emir’s Falcon for all ages. A thought-provoking story with characters that successfully draw you into their lives is a win-win for any reader, young or old.

THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM