Series
Publication
Imprint: New York : Random House, c2010. Edition: First edition. Responsibility: Salman Rushdie. OCLC Number: 515404414. Physical: Text : 1 volume : 218 pages ; 25 cm.
Call number
Fiction / Rushd
ISBN
9780679463368
Original publication date
2010-11-16
Collections
CSS Library Notes
Description: Young Luka travels to the Magic World to steal the Fire of Life needed to bring his storytelling father out of a deep trance.
FY2019 /
FY2019 /
Physical description
218 p.; 25 cm
Awards
Media reviews
Ein Märchen gewiss, aber doch mit einer, wenn auch eher versteckten Moral. In den Zeiten von Reality-Shows, blödelnder Comedians, klein gehackter Nachrichtenschnipsel, zappender ungeduldiger Zuschauer, twitternder Internet-Analphabeten beschwört er die Magie der Geschichten, preist die
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Erzähler, ohne die die Welt grau und traurig aussähe. Salman Rushdies Roman ist eine Beschwörung und zugleich Ehrenrettung der schriftstellerischen Fantasie. Show Less
To save the day, Luka must enter the World of Magic and bring back the Fire of Life. But, Rushdie seems to be wondering, how caught up can a kid get in Promethean questing when his sense of adventure is increasingly guided by virtual derring-do?
Description
Young Luka travels to the Magic World to steal the Fire of Life needed to bring his storytelling father out of a deep trance.
Language
Original language
English
User reviews
LibraryThing member AndrewFH
There are a lot of great young adult books being published these days and a lot of big name authors are trying to tap into this lucrative demographic. However, Salman Rushdie had a more personal motivation behind Luka and the Fire of Life, his second YA novel. Published in 1990, Haroun and the Sea
Much of Rushdie’s fame comes from the controversy surrounding his novel The Satanic Verses. The fatwa and assassination attempts sometimes overshadow how much fun his writing can be. Luka is a celebration of the power and joy of storytelling and the book is crammed full of wordplay and whimsy. Luka’s compatriots include a dancing bear named Dog, a singing dog named Bear, and the Insultana of Ott, the young queen of a people who take such innocent joy in insulting everyone that no one really takes much offence. At one point, the whole group pauses in their quest to watch Aphrodite best Freya in the daily gladiatorial battle of forgotten goddesses of beauty.
Luka is worlds away from the brooding angst of Twilight or the grim politics of The Hunger Games. Neil Gaiman’s books provide better reference points, with either the surreal imagery of Coraline or the mix-and-match mythology of American Gods. Rushdie’s infectious glee will likely appeal to fans of The Phantom Tollbooth.
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of Stories was written for Rushdie’s first son. Twenty years later, Rushdie had another young son asking for a book of his own so the author returned to the world he created in Haroun. In the book, young Luka has heard all about the adventures of his older brother Haroun and yearns for a story of his own. When the boys’ father falls into a magical coma, Luka sets off on a quest to wake him.Much of Rushdie’s fame comes from the controversy surrounding his novel The Satanic Verses. The fatwa and assassination attempts sometimes overshadow how much fun his writing can be. Luka is a celebration of the power and joy of storytelling and the book is crammed full of wordplay and whimsy. Luka’s compatriots include a dancing bear named Dog, a singing dog named Bear, and the Insultana of Ott, the young queen of a people who take such innocent joy in insulting everyone that no one really takes much offence. At one point, the whole group pauses in their quest to watch Aphrodite best Freya in the daily gladiatorial battle of forgotten goddesses of beauty.
Luka is worlds away from the brooding angst of Twilight or the grim politics of The Hunger Games. Neil Gaiman’s books provide better reference points, with either the surreal imagery of Coraline or the mix-and-match mythology of American Gods. Rushdie’s infectious glee will likely appeal to fans of The Phantom Tollbooth.
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LibraryThing member indiereaderhouston
Luka and the Fire of Life is a modern day fairy tale, complete with evil monsters ( such as the Aalim) and beautiful, powerful women ( specifically, the Insultana of Ott). Rushdie does a masterful job of blending together the modern world and the traditional fairy tale, a feat that is mirrored in
The pacing of the novel is a bit slow in some spots, but moves quite quickly in others. It would appear that Rushdie allowed his fascination with the World of Magic that he created to distract him from time to time; rarely will one find a real 12-year-old who is as introspective as Luka. It does not help that there are only eight chapters. Splitting it up a bit would have made the slow spots seem less noticeable.
The novel is classified as young adult. Rushdie, however, has said that he hopes this novel“demolishes the boundary between ‘adult’ and ‘children’s’ literature.” I would say that he has done just that. Where he might have lost a younger reader in some of the mythological references or by sticking to closely to a traditional fairy tale format, he blends their world with that of the their parents by structuring the adventure as a video game, with levels to be completed and multiple lives to be lost. The blend is such that both generations are able to learn something about the other; children are given insight into the way their parents think, and parents are allowed to experience the wonder of the World of Magic in the same way their children do.
In my mind, this book is a perfect candidate for parents to read aloud to their children or vice versa.
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the character of Rashid, Luka's father and a professional storyteller, in his creation of the World of Magic. It is in this world, and not the real one where his father is dying, that Luka's adventure takes place.The pacing of the novel is a bit slow in some spots, but moves quite quickly in others. It would appear that Rushdie allowed his fascination with the World of Magic that he created to distract him from time to time; rarely will one find a real 12-year-old who is as introspective as Luka. It does not help that there are only eight chapters. Splitting it up a bit would have made the slow spots seem less noticeable.
The novel is classified as young adult. Rushdie, however, has said that he hopes this novel“demolishes the boundary between ‘adult’ and ‘children’s’ literature.” I would say that he has done just that. Where he might have lost a younger reader in some of the mythological references or by sticking to closely to a traditional fairy tale format, he blends their world with that of the their parents by structuring the adventure as a video game, with levels to be completed and multiple lives to be lost. The blend is such that both generations are able to learn something about the other; children are given insight into the way their parents think, and parents are allowed to experience the wonder of the World of Magic in the same way their children do.
In my mind, this book is a perfect candidate for parents to read aloud to their children or vice versa.
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LibraryThing member mojomomma
Any book I can sit down and read in one day must be pretty good, even if its far outside what I usually read. It helps that I had nothing planned for New Year's Day except reading. Luka, a 12-year-old, battles the World of Magic and the gods and goddesses of all the mythic traditions of the world
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to save his father's life. If you like Harry Potter you'll like this--its written with similar twists and turns and has a similar type of humor. Show Less
LibraryThing member mej2011
Purchased in Dec, about 100 words in. Charming, but not really compelling.
LibraryThing member kaipakartik
I liked this book. It feels a bit light when compared to Rushdie's earlier works but it's good nonetheless. Rushdie draws from various mythologies and melds it into one cohesive whole.
A sort of modern day fairytale it concerns Luka's quest to save his father from death by stealing the fire of
Rushdie also blends this generation's fascination with video games in this novel. Luka goes through levels and there is the concept of lives and surprisingly it all works.
I would still rate his other works higher especially the enchantress of Florence and Midnight's Children
A sort of modern day fairytale it concerns Luka's quest to save his father from death by stealing the fire of
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life.Rushdie also blends this generation's fascination with video games in this novel. Luka goes through levels and there is the concept of lives and surprisingly it all works.
I would still rate his other works higher especially the enchantress of Florence and Midnight's Children
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LibraryThing member doggonelaura
Alice meets a video game. Pleasant, but as said in another review, not compelling. Luka's impassioned speech at the near end--the best part of the book.
LibraryThing member wortklauberlein
Full of wordplay and the excellent conceit of a quest with many of the trappings of a video game, "Luka and the Fire of Life" is a wonderful book to read aloud to children of, say, 9 to 12. (And yes, please do keep reading to your children years after they are able to read to themselves.)
LibraryThing member capriciousreader
One of my favorite books ever is Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories so when I found out he was coming out with a sequel, I was over the moon. Luckily, Rushdie delivered...for the most part.
Luka and the Fire of Life returns to the same world and the same family as Haroun and the Sea of
Luka's story is just as magical as Haroun's. Rushdie almost outdoes himself, with all the magic, mystery and pop culture references. Luka's adventure reads a lot like a video game, with power-ups, multiple lives, challenges and bosses he must defeat to go to the next level. Seeing as how this was written for an eleven year old boy (Rushdie's own son, just like Haroun was), this made sense to me. My own nephew (who is six) is obsessed with games and so is my thirty-three year old husband for that matter. Luka himself was just as adorable, resourceful, and as smart as Haroun. Rushdie's writing was just as sharp, intelligent and fun. I can see this being a great book for boys. For ME, Luka hasn't reached the beloved status of Haroun, but that is simply because I haven't read it as many times as Haroun, yet. I definitely will.
Haroun and Luka both are great introductions to Rushdie, especially if like me, you're too scared to read him. His writing is so much fun for a reader. The word play is fun, and the the themes for love and loyalty are things all readers love. Definitely start with Haroun and get acquainted with Salman Rushdie.
Luka and the Fire of Life returns to the same world and the same family as Haroun and the Sea of
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Stories. Haroun is now a grown man and now has a little brother, Luka. Luka has grown up hearing about the adventures Haroun had when he was eleven and now that Luka is eleven himself, he wants an adventure of his own. When he insults a strange man in the street and his father, the legendary storyteller of Kahani, falls into a deep sleep that no one can wake him up from, it looks like Luka will get his wish. Luka must travel to the Magic World and steal the Fire of Life to save his father.Luka's story is just as magical as Haroun's. Rushdie almost outdoes himself, with all the magic, mystery and pop culture references. Luka's adventure reads a lot like a video game, with power-ups, multiple lives, challenges and bosses he must defeat to go to the next level. Seeing as how this was written for an eleven year old boy (Rushdie's own son, just like Haroun was), this made sense to me. My own nephew (who is six) is obsessed with games and so is my thirty-three year old husband for that matter. Luka himself was just as adorable, resourceful, and as smart as Haroun. Rushdie's writing was just as sharp, intelligent and fun. I can see this being a great book for boys. For ME, Luka hasn't reached the beloved status of Haroun, but that is simply because I haven't read it as many times as Haroun, yet. I definitely will.
Haroun and Luka both are great introductions to Rushdie, especially if like me, you're too scared to read him. His writing is so much fun for a reader. The word play is fun, and the the themes for love and loyalty are things all readers love. Definitely start with Haroun and get acquainted with Salman Rushdie.
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LibraryThing member bibliophyte
This is a deliciously written book with a story you can sink into and drift along on. It is rich with mythological figures and tales, as well as many original characters directly from the author's imagination. Luka and the Fire of Life is whimsical and dreamy, even recalling Alice in Wonderland at
There are lots of issues broached that have a universal appeal as well, the main issue being the nature of time. In this book time is represented as a river flowing away from the mists of the past and toward the mists of the future. Luka wrestles with the idea of predestination: does the future already exist so that the course of the river follows a predetermined path? Or can our actions shape, even change, the river's flow? Luka is also told that "...if you want to travel up the River, Memory is the fuel you need." This is a very important concept to plant in the mind of a young reader to help him or her realize that memories are much more than the static remains of the past. Rather, they are the seeds of the future and memories are absolutely vital if a person is to grow and reap knowledge from prior experiences. Towards the end of Luka's journey he begins to reflect on something his father had said that before sounded like nonsense: time is not a constant marching forward, one precise second after another. Rather, it speeds up and slows down depending on what you are doing, and it does not mean the same thing to everybody as each person experiences life differently. There are several other issues presented to the reader for consideration, including whether tyranny is excusable or not if created and maintained in the name of respect, if exemption from consequences when following orders is acceptable or not, and how justifiable the sacrifice of innocents is, even if perceived as benefiting the greater good.
I love how thought-provoking this novel is, particularly for young readers, and that the author brings issues to the forefront that are not usually discussed in Young Adult literature. I also appreciate that he does not neatly resolve each issue, allowing the reader to come to his or her own conclusions.
The only problem a reader may run into is the fact that the story does move a little slowly. It is definitely a book you need to fully immerse yourself in and forget about the page numbers. Simply read it to enjoy the experience and the journey.
Ah yes, one more thing I'd like to share: my favorite passage... "Man is the Storytelling Animal, and...in Stories are his identity, his meaning, and his lifeblood. Do rats tell tales? Do porpoises have narrative purposes? Do elephants ele-phantasize? You know as well as I do that they do not. Man alone burns with books."
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certain points. I loved it when a little "white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and looking worriedly at a clock" popped up on the bank of the River of Time, for instance. There are lots of issues broached that have a universal appeal as well, the main issue being the nature of time. In this book time is represented as a river flowing away from the mists of the past and toward the mists of the future. Luka wrestles with the idea of predestination: does the future already exist so that the course of the river follows a predetermined path? Or can our actions shape, even change, the river's flow? Luka is also told that "...if you want to travel up the River, Memory is the fuel you need." This is a very important concept to plant in the mind of a young reader to help him or her realize that memories are much more than the static remains of the past. Rather, they are the seeds of the future and memories are absolutely vital if a person is to grow and reap knowledge from prior experiences. Towards the end of Luka's journey he begins to reflect on something his father had said that before sounded like nonsense: time is not a constant marching forward, one precise second after another. Rather, it speeds up and slows down depending on what you are doing, and it does not mean the same thing to everybody as each person experiences life differently. There are several other issues presented to the reader for consideration, including whether tyranny is excusable or not if created and maintained in the name of respect, if exemption from consequences when following orders is acceptable or not, and how justifiable the sacrifice of innocents is, even if perceived as benefiting the greater good.
I love how thought-provoking this novel is, particularly for young readers, and that the author brings issues to the forefront that are not usually discussed in Young Adult literature. I also appreciate that he does not neatly resolve each issue, allowing the reader to come to his or her own conclusions.
The only problem a reader may run into is the fact that the story does move a little slowly. It is definitely a book you need to fully immerse yourself in and forget about the page numbers. Simply read it to enjoy the experience and the journey.
Ah yes, one more thing I'd like to share: my favorite passage... "Man is the Storytelling Animal, and...in Stories are his identity, his meaning, and his lifeblood. Do rats tell tales? Do porpoises have narrative purposes? Do elephants ele-phantasize? You know as well as I do that they do not. Man alone burns with books."
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LibraryThing member rmckeown
Salman Rushdie has a reputation for prose that tends to be dense to the point of un-readability. I believe this view has developed solely from The Satanic Verses, which is, admittedly, a difficult read. But lately, Rushdie has published a number of books that are not only eminently readable, but
Luka’s father, Rashid, has an unparalleled talent for telling stories. He has created whole worlds full of interesting characters, places, and ideas, which become real for Luca, when he actually travels to “The World of Magic.” One day, Rashid falls into a deep sleep, which puzzles the doctors. Luka, concerned for his father, takes an errant step, and slips into the world his father created. The wraith, Nobodaddy, slowly absorbs Rashid’s life forces, and, should he absorb all of them, he will die. Luka decides if his father dies, his stories, and the world he created, will die with him. The young boy embarks on a classic hero’s journey to steal the fire of life, restore his father to health, and save the World of Magic.
Rushdie has bathed this novel in the art of storytelling. In fact, the entire story is about stories and the lessons they teach us. Luka also fits nicely into Joseph Campbell’s keys to his theory of myth. Luka reluctantly answers the call to adventure, he has helpers and supernatural assistance, he must cross the threshold of The River of Time, he must complete the last leg of his journey alone, and he returns to his home. But will he make it in time to save his father?
Another interesting and fun aspect of this work includes the numerous embedded cultural references that seem way out of time and place in the World of Magic. For example, while looking at “The River of Time,” Luka sees,
“Running along the bank was a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and looking worriedly at a clock. Appearing and disappearing at various points on both banks was a dark blue British police telephone booth, out of which a perplexed-looking man holding a screw driver would periodically emerge. A group of dwarf bandits could be seen disappearing into a hole in the sky. ‘Time travelers,’ said, Nobodaddy in a voice of gentle disgust. ‘They’re everywhere these days’” (60-61). Alice in Wonderland, Doctor Who, and Monty Python all in one breath. This story can be shared by the whole family.
In fact, this novel is about storytelling, and the importance of myth and imagination. Rushdie does it with style, grace, and a prose so spectacular, he never ceases to amaze me. I have read eight of his eleven novels, and I have the other three which I am eagerly waiting to devour. If you have never read Rushdie, Luka and the Fire of Life is a grand place to start. 5 stars.
--Jim, 1/5/13
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interesting and thoroughly entertaining. His 2010 novel, Luka and the Fire of Life proves this point.Luka’s father, Rashid, has an unparalleled talent for telling stories. He has created whole worlds full of interesting characters, places, and ideas, which become real for Luca, when he actually travels to “The World of Magic.” One day, Rashid falls into a deep sleep, which puzzles the doctors. Luka, concerned for his father, takes an errant step, and slips into the world his father created. The wraith, Nobodaddy, slowly absorbs Rashid’s life forces, and, should he absorb all of them, he will die. Luka decides if his father dies, his stories, and the world he created, will die with him. The young boy embarks on a classic hero’s journey to steal the fire of life, restore his father to health, and save the World of Magic.
Rushdie has bathed this novel in the art of storytelling. In fact, the entire story is about stories and the lessons they teach us. Luka also fits nicely into Joseph Campbell’s keys to his theory of myth. Luka reluctantly answers the call to adventure, he has helpers and supernatural assistance, he must cross the threshold of The River of Time, he must complete the last leg of his journey alone, and he returns to his home. But will he make it in time to save his father?
Another interesting and fun aspect of this work includes the numerous embedded cultural references that seem way out of time and place in the World of Magic. For example, while looking at “The River of Time,” Luka sees,
“Running along the bank was a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and looking worriedly at a clock. Appearing and disappearing at various points on both banks was a dark blue British police telephone booth, out of which a perplexed-looking man holding a screw driver would periodically emerge. A group of dwarf bandits could be seen disappearing into a hole in the sky. ‘Time travelers,’ said, Nobodaddy in a voice of gentle disgust. ‘They’re everywhere these days’” (60-61). Alice in Wonderland, Doctor Who, and Monty Python all in one breath. This story can be shared by the whole family.
In fact, this novel is about storytelling, and the importance of myth and imagination. Rushdie does it with style, grace, and a prose so spectacular, he never ceases to amaze me. I have read eight of his eleven novels, and I have the other three which I am eagerly waiting to devour. If you have never read Rushdie, Luka and the Fire of Life is a grand place to start. 5 stars.
--Jim, 1/5/13
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LibraryThing member bluepigeon
Nov 22, 2010 I saw Salman Rushdie read Luka and the Fire of Life at the 92 Street Y. The reading told me that Luka's story is told in the smart and funny way Haroun's was told. Perhaps, again, a bit too wordy at times, and perhaps a bit too smart at times, but certainly a good, thought-provoking
Nov 28, 2011 Well, it's been a year and I finally read Luka. As expected from the reading a year ago, the book is too wordy and too smart at times, perhaps even more than Haroun (though not as bad as The Enchantress of Florence.) However, the parallel world is exquisite. The side characters are hilarious and interesting. The storyline is classic, as it is meant to be, where Rushdie employs all the conventions of storytelling expertly. There are times where the plot is a bit crazy, but Rushdie is too smart to let the reader down. It is interesting that in the book the two brothers lead a relatively happy life with their father and mother, whereas in real life Rushdie has been married four times and the sons are from different mothers (with a greater age difference.) He had mentioned that he wrote the book partly because he was nervous about being a father at such an old age and knowing that he may very well die in his son's early life. It is particularly interesting how Rushdie deals with this issue in the book from the point of view of Luka. It is also interesting that in Haroun, the mother is completely absent whereas in Luka, she is present and essential throughout the book. All in all, Luke and the Fire of Life was a fun read and a good story.
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yet smart and fun read. The interview was hilarious. Rushdie commented on the video-game nature of the parallel magical world. He said he got dangerously good at Super Mario back in the day and rescued the princess in the end, even. He joked that he should certainly add that in his CV, between the Booker Prize and having won a fatwa for his head. He also joked about a certain best-selling author; apparently he imagines her to be swimming in a large pool of money a la Uncle Scrooge. At the signing, I asked him which of his books are his favorites. He told me, "You know, probably these two." I was getting my copy of Haroun and the Sea of Stories signed.Nov 28, 2011 Well, it's been a year and I finally read Luka. As expected from the reading a year ago, the book is too wordy and too smart at times, perhaps even more than Haroun (though not as bad as The Enchantress of Florence.) However, the parallel world is exquisite. The side characters are hilarious and interesting. The storyline is classic, as it is meant to be, where Rushdie employs all the conventions of storytelling expertly. There are times where the plot is a bit crazy, but Rushdie is too smart to let the reader down. It is interesting that in the book the two brothers lead a relatively happy life with their father and mother, whereas in real life Rushdie has been married four times and the sons are from different mothers (with a greater age difference.) He had mentioned that he wrote the book partly because he was nervous about being a father at such an old age and knowing that he may very well die in his son's early life. It is particularly interesting how Rushdie deals with this issue in the book from the point of view of Luka. It is also interesting that in Haroun, the mother is completely absent whereas in Luka, she is present and essential throughout the book. All in all, Luke and the Fire of Life was a fun read and a good story.
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LibraryThing member briealeida
Not as good as 'Haroun and the Sea of Stories' but still a wonderful book! The video game theme all throughout is delightful!
LibraryThing member fitakyre
Haroun and the Sea of Stories was my very first Rushdie book, and I have come to fall in love with his work. Haroun is very different from his other novels though, and Luka continues in the same vein as Haroun. I think nobody expected Luka to be as great as Haroun, so the end result is a very
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entertaining wordplay-filled book for children. What I liked most about the novel is all the mythological gods that Rushdie managed to cram in, it's great when the world is reminded of old stories. That being said, I much much more strongly recommend Haroun and the Sea of Stories. Show Less
LibraryThing member aziz_zabidi
Fantasi Salman Rushdie dalam Luka and The Fire Of Life ialah fantasi seorang tukang cerita yang cuba menanamkan kepada pembaca-pembacanya terutama pembaca muda bahawa dunia tanpa cerita ialah dunia kosong yang harus dilawan habis-habisan.
Dengan menggabungkan fantasi moden (melalui penggunaan
Dengan mendedikasikan novel ini kepada anaknya Milan, tidak dapat tidak warna penceritaan fantasi dunia magis ini adalah warna ceria dengan plot-plot mudah serta pengakhiran happy ending. Tapi, Salman Rusdie tidak akan merendahkan bakat penceritaannya dengan menjadikan tugas penceritaan semudah itu. Kekuatan sebenar novel ini ialah kekuatan bahasa Rusdie sendiri selain imaginasi tinggi beliau dalam melukiskan perjalanan Luka di alam World of Magic bagi mencari (atau mencuri) Fire of Life iaitu satu-satunya penawar ayahnya Rashid Khalifa iaitu seorang pencerita ulung yang tiba-tiba tidak sedarkan diri.
Terdapat berdozen ayat-ayat yang menunjukkan kelincahan bahasa Salman Rusdie. Sedikit contoh:
- "There is a boy named Luka who had two pets, a bear named Dog and a dog named Bear. The bear was an expert dancer, able to get up onto his hind legs and perform with subtlety and grace the waltz, the polka, the rhumba, the wah-watusi, and the twist, as well as dances from nearer home, the pounding bhangra, the twirling ghoomar (for which he wore a wide mirror-worked skirt), the warrior dances known as the spaw and the thang-ta, and the peacock dance of the south."
- "Magic is fading from the universe. We aren't needed any more, or that's what you all think, with your High Definitions and low expectations. One of these days you'll wake up and we'll be gone, and then you'll find out what it's like to live without even the idea of Magic."
- "You of all boys should know that Man is the Storytelling Animal, and that in stories are his identity, his meaning, and his lifeblood. Do rats tell tales? Do porpoises have narrative purposes? Do elephants ele-phantasize? You know as well as I do that they do not. Man alone burns with books"
-"Shining schools of little cannyfish could be seen below the surface, as well as the brightly colored smartipans, and the duller, deepwater shrewds. Flying low over the water’s surface were the hunter birds, the large pelican-billed scholarias and the bald, bearded, long-beaked guroos. Long tendrils of the lake-floor plant called sagacity were visible waving in the depths. Luka recognized the Lake’s little groups of islands, too, the Theories with their wild, improbable growths, the tangled forests and ivory towers of the Philosophisles, and the bare Facts. In the distance was what Luka had longer to behold, the Torrent of Words, the miracle of miracles, the grand waterfall that tumbled down from the clouds and linked the World of Magic to the Moon of the Great Story Sea above" - Diskripsi Rusdie tentang The Lake of Wisdom.
Dan banyak lagi kelincahan bahasa Rusdie yang membuat pembacaan sangat menyeronokkan. Dan jika anda mempunyai imaginasi seorang kanak-kanak, dunia fantasi World of Magic ialah dunia yang sangat mengiurkan untuk advancer.
Dengan menggabungkan fantasi moden (melalui penggunaan
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unsur-unsur permainan video) dan fantasi silam (penggunaan mitologi sebagai sebahagian watak dalam dunia magik), Rusdie menghamparkan sebuah dunia ciptaan beliau sepertimana Lewiss Caroll dengan Wonderland, C.S Lewis dengan Narnia atau Tolkien dengan Underworld.Dengan mendedikasikan novel ini kepada anaknya Milan, tidak dapat tidak warna penceritaan fantasi dunia magis ini adalah warna ceria dengan plot-plot mudah serta pengakhiran happy ending. Tapi, Salman Rusdie tidak akan merendahkan bakat penceritaannya dengan menjadikan tugas penceritaan semudah itu. Kekuatan sebenar novel ini ialah kekuatan bahasa Rusdie sendiri selain imaginasi tinggi beliau dalam melukiskan perjalanan Luka di alam World of Magic bagi mencari (atau mencuri) Fire of Life iaitu satu-satunya penawar ayahnya Rashid Khalifa iaitu seorang pencerita ulung yang tiba-tiba tidak sedarkan diri.
Terdapat berdozen ayat-ayat yang menunjukkan kelincahan bahasa Salman Rusdie. Sedikit contoh:
- "There is a boy named Luka who had two pets, a bear named Dog and a dog named Bear. The bear was an expert dancer, able to get up onto his hind legs and perform with subtlety and grace the waltz, the polka, the rhumba, the wah-watusi, and the twist, as well as dances from nearer home, the pounding bhangra, the twirling ghoomar (for which he wore a wide mirror-worked skirt), the warrior dances known as the spaw and the thang-ta, and the peacock dance of the south."
- "Magic is fading from the universe. We aren't needed any more, or that's what you all think, with your High Definitions and low expectations. One of these days you'll wake up and we'll be gone, and then you'll find out what it's like to live without even the idea of Magic."
- "You of all boys should know that Man is the Storytelling Animal, and that in stories are his identity, his meaning, and his lifeblood. Do rats tell tales? Do porpoises have narrative purposes? Do elephants ele-phantasize? You know as well as I do that they do not. Man alone burns with books"
-"Shining schools of little cannyfish could be seen below the surface, as well as the brightly colored smartipans, and the duller, deepwater shrewds. Flying low over the water’s surface were the hunter birds, the large pelican-billed scholarias and the bald, bearded, long-beaked guroos. Long tendrils of the lake-floor plant called sagacity were visible waving in the depths. Luka recognized the Lake’s little groups of islands, too, the Theories with their wild, improbable growths, the tangled forests and ivory towers of the Philosophisles, and the bare Facts. In the distance was what Luka had longer to behold, the Torrent of Words, the miracle of miracles, the grand waterfall that tumbled down from the clouds and linked the World of Magic to the Moon of the Great Story Sea above" - Diskripsi Rusdie tentang The Lake of Wisdom.
Dan banyak lagi kelincahan bahasa Rusdie yang membuat pembacaan sangat menyeronokkan. Dan jika anda mempunyai imaginasi seorang kanak-kanak, dunia fantasi World of Magic ialah dunia yang sangat mengiurkan untuk advancer.
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