A magnificent and indispensable portrayal of the rich folklore of the Islamic world. According to Islamic tradition, Allah created three types of beings: angels, made of light; humans, made of earth; and jinn, made of smokeless fire. Supernatural, shape-shifting, intelligent and blessed with free will and remarkable powers, jinn have over the ages been given many names - demon, spirit, ghoul, genie, ifrit and shaitan. Believed in by hundreds of millions of people throughout the world and from all faiths, jinn have played a particularly central role in the literature, culture and belief systems of the Middle East and the Islamic world. Legends of the Fire Spirits explores through time and across nations the enduring phenomenon of the jinn. From North Africa to Central Asia, from the Mediterranean to sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, this riveting, often chilling, yet reasoned book draws on ancient testimonies, medieval histories, colonial records, anthropologist's reports and traveller's tales to explore the different types of jinn, their behaviour, society, culture and long history of contact with humankind. It documents their links with famous figures in history such as King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba and illustrates the varied and vivid portrayals of jinn in world literature. In essence, Legends of the Fire Spirits demonstrates the colourful diversity of human culture and the durability of faith and is a magnificent and indispensable portrayal of the rich folklore of the Islamic world.

Impressive important book Silver Wheel In this third volume of the Spirits of the Elements Series, we encounter yet a new perspective of elemental spirits - and find ourselves confronted with all of the passion and intensity, and even the dangers, of the element of Fire. Included in Spirits of the Fire are new aspects of the nature and types of elemental spirits as well as new approaches to elemental spirit magic. Also included are methods for focusing and directing the dynamic forces of Fire spirits, and for evoking the power of the spirit of Fire through ecstatic dance and other methods. Whether we seek the assistance of a spirit of a flame or the potency of the spirit of passion in magic, Spirits of the Fire is an essential addition to the library of any practitioner of elemental spirit magic.

Master storytellers Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson, the team behind Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits, collaborate again to create five captivating tales incorporating the element of fire. In McKinley?s ?First Flight,? a boy and his pet foogit unexpectedly take a dangerous ride on a dragon, and her ?Hellhound? stars a mysterious dog as a key player in an eerie graveyard showdown. Dickinson introduces a young man who must defeat the creature threatening his clan in ?Fireworm,? a slave who saves his village with a fiery magic spell in ?Salamander Man,? and a girl whose new friend, the guardian of a mystical bird, is much older than he appears in ?Phoenix.? With time periods ranging from prehistoric to present day, and settings as varied as a graveyard, a medieval marketplace and a dragon academy, these stories are sure to intrigue and delight the authors? longtime fans and newcomers alike.

'An energy, a pulse form of quantum physics perhaps, alive at the margins of sleep or madness, and more often in the whispering of a single unwelcome thought.' The Economist According to Islamic tradition, Allah created three types of beings: angels, made of light; humans, made of earth; and jinn, made of smokeless fire. Supernatural, shape-shifting, intelligent and blessed with free will and remarkable powers, jinn have over the ages been given many names - demon, spirit, ghoul, genie, ifrit and shaitan. Neither human nor immortal, they roam the earth inhabiting dark and empty places, luring humans to their deaths or demonically possessing them if harmed or offended. Despite the fact they cannot be seen, jinn are said to be strangely human-like - marrying, bearing children, forming communities and tribes, eating, sleeping, playing and facing judgement like any other human. They are ever-present partners in the human experience, causing endless mischief, providing amazing services and sometimes inducing sheer terror. Believed in by hundreds of millions of people throughout the world and from all faiths, jinn have played a particularly central role in the literature, culture and belief systems of the Middle East and the Islamic world. Legends of the Fire Spirits explores through time and across nations the enduring phenomenon of the jinn. From North Africa to Central Asia, from the Mediterranean to sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, this riveting, often chilling, yet reasoned book draws on long-forgotten ancient testimonies, medieval histories, colonial records, anthropologist's reports and traveller's tales to explore the different types of jinn, their behaviour, society, culture and long history of contact with humankind. It documents their links with famous figures in history such as King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba and illustrates the varied and vivid portrayals of jinn in world literature. In essence Legends of the Fire Spirits demonstrates the colourful diversity of human culture and the durability of faith and is a magnificent and indispensable portrayal of the rich folklore of the Islamic world.

For the last two years Ari's life has been anything but normal and on her 18th birthday, when her friends surprise her with a gimmick genie claiming to grant wishes, Ari discovers the truth. The tragic and strange occurrences surrounding her 16th birthday were not coincidental and her life is never going to be the same again. Ari's real parents are not normal. They are not loving. They are not human. They are myth. They are Smokeless Fire. They are Jinn. REVIEWS "I am a brand new fan of the world of the Jinn. Samantha Young created one that is unique and alluring and filled with all kinds of secrets that I want answers to...Smokeless Fire is an utterly riveting must read ..." Fiktshun Reviews "I honestly cannot wait for book 2. Smokeless Fire is unique, exciting, yet so real. This book has just enough fantasy, just enough real world, just enough love triangle, just enough strength, just enough laughs. I couldn't put it down and Samantha has definitely found herself a new fan." Shortie Says Reviews "Smokeless Fire makes for a great read. There is no way I wont be grabbing book 2 as soon as it is released! This YA paranormal romance was an awesome story and one I totally recommend you add to your reading pile very soon!" 5/5 Stars - The Slowest Bookworm Reviews "Smokeless Fire is the beginning to an incredible series surely to capture everyone's hearts. The characters are unique and easy to fall in love with. I hate to say that I am team Jai all the way! I totally recommend reading Smokeless Fire and any book from Samantha Young. " Once Upon a Twilight Reviews "This book was jam-packed with everything that I love, a wholly unique premise...a strong (and snarky) female character, equally strong male characters (both of whom were entirely swoon-worthy)... All in all, this is a book that I know I will be rereading time and time again." Avery's Book Nook Reviews "The whole concept of Jinn (Genies) in Smokeless Fire definitely stood out and made it such a wonderful and enjoying read...I loved all the characters presented in Smokeless Fire, namely Jai, Ari, and Charlie, in that order..Action packed throughout and leading to a cliffhanger ending will leave readers wanting more! 5/5 Must Read! Highly Recommended!" Moonlight Gleam Reviews

This book was written in 1923 and concerns the war roiling in the Tyrol a hundred years earlier. It concerns a young aristocrat who inherits a house in a small village and travels to see it. He becomes embroiled in the politics of the time and area, not to mention several of the women he meets, and hears about the mysterious "Fire Spirits" who haunt the solstice. The book is amazingly frank about sex and class and will draw the reader into the era as well as the plot. John Pelan tells the story of the novel in his introduction and Gavin O'Keefe provides the cover art.