The Sphere of Destiny starts off quite slowly as Al-Khidr goes tomb raiding and finds certain artefacts that, because of having no material value, are deemed worthless by the Caliph. Al-Khidr gains them as a reward for services rendered, and so begins his epic adventure.
Once the action starts, this becomes quite an enthralling novel. We have a two-fold story where Al-Khidr is ignorant of anything other than the now of Egypt 832 A.D. And then he suddenly has knowledge thrust upon him as he travels to this alien planet.
He goes from Tomb Raider to Buck Rogers in a relatively short period of time. The main protagonist has to adapt or die, as they say. I liked the main character Al-Khidr because he has that naive charm about him. Especially early on in the narrative when you can see the pit-falls well before they happen, and yet our luckless hero does the whole fools rush in where angels fear to tread scenario.
The more the narrative progresses the more Al-Khidr as a character goes to another level entirely. The supporting cast of characters make interesting reading, as names become instantly recognisable, yet they are not of this world.
The descriptive writing is excellent and well crafted. Maybe not to everyone's liking, but it added an ancient and futuristic dialogue in equal measure.
The author has researched his material well in order to cover all aspects of the Egyptian detail present in the narrative. Being a little negative and selfish, I would have loved to have seen some pictures of the pyramids, Sphinx, statutes etc. But then again, it is a novel, not a reference book, so I googled them instead.
The author has created an intriguing and inventive blend of fantasy and science-fiction. Which makes for a fascinating and refreshingly different read.
This is definitely a little different and fully deserving of a read.

The “Sphere of Destiny” by Nassim Odin is the book one of “The Sphere Trilogy”. It is an amazing story, that blends his firsthand experience, and knowledge of ancient civilizations, pyramids, and artifacts which takes the reader on an interesting journey across ancient Egypt.
The novel smoothly flows through 24 chapters evolving the curiosity of the reader. The story revolves around an alchemist and explorer, Al-Khidr, who finds an orb during the exploration of artifacts inside the pyramids of Giza.
Al-Khidr stepped into his new life as a student of House of Wisdom in Bagdad with highly exuberant hopes to dig the knowledge of mathematics astronomy, philosophy, and alchemy which were the heart of knowledge of Egypt civilization. Through House of Wisdom, Al-Khidr gets the opportunity to explore the pyramids of Giza where he finds an orb, in addition to many other items. The orb transported the hero to alien planet by creating a wormhole.
There are plenty of characters involved in the sci-fi novel while it slowly flows through the valleys of human nature, emotions, impressions that all almighty of God, and the harsh deserts. Nassim, the author has used a brilliant writing style with simple language and vivid details leaving ample space for the reader’s imagination. While reading this I felt like I’m having a live experience in ancient Egypt.
This story shows that having a clear purpose enables a person to undertake and succeed in even the hardest tasks despite having to face the most unfavorable conditions and circumstances.
It’s a great book by Nassim Odin and I highly recommend this book to readers who would love a different kind of sci-fi novel and eagerly waiting for book 2 of the trilogy.
Thank you, Nassim Odin, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Hope you all enjoy the read.

Amazing first book of the trilogy!
This is my first book downloaded from NetGalley and I have to say I am literally blown away by this book. It is so well written and the plot is very nicely and well woven. Not only are the main character’s adventures incredible, but they are particularly vividly described. It’s as if you step into the book’s world and experience every step of the protagonist’s journey.
The story follows Al-Khidr, an alchemist, who is assigned as mission to be part of the team who first entered the Pyramid of Giza. Upon the exploration of the pyramid, the team finds three unusual artefacts, which appeal tremendously to the Al-Khidr. He gets permission from the Caliph to keep them and so his life changed irremediably. Curious to find their secret, Al-Khidr messes with the artefacts until he activates them by mistake and is transported onto another planet. Unbelievable? You bet! That is why the plot is so thrilling! You wouldn’t expect such a development! And so his adventures as an alien begin (yes, you read that correctly! A human being is the alien in the story! I think it’s an awesome idea!).
There are plenty of things I like about this book (the plot, the characters are likable, the mix of fiction and sci-fi, the fact that the new and the old intertwine naturally etc.), but let me tell you about some details that made the difference for me: all the Arabic names, words and expressions have the translation written in brackets right next to them, not in footnotes. Makes it so much easier to understand and even remember them, so hats off to the author for writing it like that. Also, this brings a lot of authenticity to the story. Then, (spoiler alert!) I loved the names of the aliens from the Lyra planet :) They are easily recognizable and they are all related to Ancient Egypt, which again, brings more realism to the story and it’s a bit thought-provoking, too.
To be very direct: it’s a wonderful Sci-Fi book, which I enjoyed tremendously and which deserves to be read from cover to cover. It’s definitely in my top 3 sci-fi books! I am very much looking forward to the next two parts of the trilogy!

My friend suggested I read this book and so I got a copy from Net Galley. And wow! This is an amazing fictional novel that must have taken a lot of time and resources to develop. The story has been written meticulously and the story's flow is purely out of this world. I have fully gripped me from the first chapter and the story kept me high to the end. I loved how the author takes a new perspective on the story by using a real component (Pyramid of Giza) as the foundational element of the fictional tale.

Are you a fanatic for sci-fi? Well, if you are one, here is one book that you will definitely need to add to your collection. I am privileged to have read a copy before the official release date and I must say, I am awed by the read. Each word turned to reality as if watching a film on big screen. The characters are given life with simple yet precise descriptions, and even as the events unfold, you can see the depth of research put into this book, commanding a great balance between mediaeval history and ‎sci fiction. The world building is beautiful and ‎realistic drawing you into the book with ease, surely even a child would enjoy the read. What is a sci-fi without a twist? As you get to know the characters, you grow attached to them, and well, who doesn’t like sci-fi suspense? This is the first of three, I just cannot wait for the other parts of this trilogy.
Be sure to read this one. You will not regret it.

Sharp characterization boosts this leisurely paced but engrossing SF series opener.

Amazing first book of the trilogy! This is my first book downloaded from NetGalley and I have to say I am literally blown away by this book. It is so well written and the plot is very nicely and well woven. Not only are the main character’s adventures incredible, but they are particularly vividly described. It’s as if you step into the book’s world and experience every step of the protagonist’s journey. The story follows Al-Khidr, an alchemist, who is assigned as mission to be part of the team who first entered the Pyramid of Giza. Upon the exploration of the pyramid, the team finds three unusual artefacts, which appeal tremendously to the Al-Khidr. He gets permission from the Caliph to keep them and so his life changed irremediably. Curious to find their secret, Al-Khidr messes with the artefacts until he activates them by mistake and is transported onto another planet. Unbelievable? You bet! That is why the plot is so thrilling! You wouldn’t expect such a development! And so his adventures as an alien begin (yes, you read that correctly! A human being is the alien in the story! I think it’s an awesome idea!). There are plenty of things I like about this book (the plot, the characters are likable, the mix of fiction and sci-fi, the fact that the new and the old intertwine naturally etc.), but let me tell you about some details that made the difference for me: all the Arabic names, words and expressions have the translation written in brackets right next to them, not in footnotes. Makes it so much easier to understand and even remember them, so hats off to the author for writing it like that. Also, this brings a lot of authenticity to the story. Then, (spoiler alert!) I loved the names of the aliens from the Lyra planet :) They are easily recognizable and they are all related to Ancient Egypt, which again, brings more realism to the story and it’s a bit thought-provoking, too. To be very direct: it’s a wonderful Sci-Fi book, which I enjoyed tremendously and which deserves to be read from cover to cover. It’s definitely in my top 3 sci-fi books! I am very much looking forward to the next two parts of the trilogy!

I congratulate Mr. Nassim Odin for his book, which I found fascinating to read. During the reading I often felt cut off from my surroundings, As the events are intertwined and the meticulous description incites your brain to the imagination by making you dive into the story, with the famous main character AL-khidr and his various adventures which do not cease to put you in suspense. I would definitely recommend the book to my students.

The story is unique blend of mediaeval history and ‎sci fiction. The world building is beautiful and ‎realistic and it had a magnetic influence on me that ‎I never put it down. Nassim’s story telling is unique ‎and fresh breeze and he has a very different ‎approach from other sci fi books. The characters ‎have strong personalities and each one of them ‎have their own unique way of understanding the ‎situations. So there are multiple POVs. The first half ‎reminds me the Indiana jones like movie and I wish ‎that it goes on and on forgetting that the story will ‎change. As soon as the main protagonist landed in ‎alien planet the atmosphere changed completely ‎which has its own unique gripping effect. The story ‎has many twists and suspense is too high in the last ‎few chapters. The antagonist Hatathor is – Oh my ‎he is so vocal and strong character. Looking ‎forward to listen the audiobook and I am sure that ‎it would be great. I wish that a movie is made on ‎this trilogy!

Highly enjoyable read! Came across this first installment of the trilogy on NetGalley and decided to give it a try. Having been recently reacquainted with this genre of writing, I thought I’d give this intriguing premise a go. The thoughtful treatment of the book’s concept and its underlying themes were well executed and certainly did not disappoint for a beginner’s foray into science fiction. Tight pacing in the unfolding of the plot and strong character development kept me engaged throughout. The story’s world was well fleshed out and characters complex and 3-dimensional with interesting backstories. Good balance of sci-fi elements and human quality to ground the narrative whilst giving heart to the story. The intricate turn of events, jam-packed with action sequences and fight scenes for tension, resulted in a thrilling and entertaining read.

Writing style is easy and engaging making the first installment in this trilogy the perfect summer read for those who enjoy this genre. Looking forward to get started with the next one!

The Sphere of Destiny tells an engaging science-fiction story unlike anything I’ve read before. It shows great respect for a culture rarely depicted in science fiction. This is a trilogy I am excited to keep following.