WISHING MOON, by Michael O. Tunnell, 2004, Dutton, 266 pages, $17.99.
The Arabian Nights is a collection of a thousand and one tales accumulated over centuries from many parts of the Middle East and India.
The thread that strings them together is Scheherazade, who tells a tale all night long that enraptures her royal audience. When dawn approaches she leaves the narrative at a climax unfinished, assuring participation a second night, and the next and the next.
One of the myriad of stories is "Ala Al-din (Aladdin) and the Wonderful Lamp," where the son of a poor tailor procures an old oil lamp harboring a jinni that, upon command, fulfills wishes of the owner.
Brigham Young University professor Michael Tunnell has taken this ancient tale as a springboard to a modern fantasy, combining traditional lore and magic with hints of contemporary gusto. "This story is about power," said Tunnell in a recent interview. "Having power as Aminah does with a magic lamp requires personal responsibility. That's a classic theme in literature. I've added a modern flavor to it."
When Aminah is left orphaned as a street beggar in Al-Kal'as, she pleads for help from Princess Badr. But the ill-humored Princess — married to the mysterious Aladdin — dismisses Aminah by throwing a lamp at her, a magic lamp.
"Aminah held the lamp in the crook of her arm, and with the hem of her shawl and a little sand . . . she began to rub the tarnished brass. . . . It belched and erupted puffs of steam that shone with an eerie purple light . . . the lamp bounced and clattered against the stones, hissing and spewing . . . it seemed to swell, and just when Aminah feared a terrific blast, the lamp stopped and came to rest. Then it exploded . . . 'Say whatso thou wantest!' a deep voice thundered. 'Thy slave is between thy hands!' "
At first appearances this might be a traditional demonic jinni cast from the mouth of the brass lamp in gossamer purple smoke. But he is not a classical jinni who follows the iconoclastic rules; he makes rules as he goes along. He will not grant wishes that are "good deeds," they make him weary. He eats massive amounts of food without grace and sleeps at will. He plays chess and even resembles Aminah's Uncle Omar.
He admits to a former self, even human perhaps, but resists finding out the entire truth. He is rarely an optimist, nearly always a cautionary pessimist ("the lamp is too great a temptation. Heed my words. To possess it, I have seen sons turn against fathers. Daughters against mothers. And brothers against sisters.")
He can see the past and the future ("New York City was once a rainbow of neon") and uses contemporary dialogue that perplexes the other characters. He has the ability to sense the feelings and moods of everyone around him.
Jinni is no static minor character in "Wishing Moon." He carries the fast-moving plot with humor and pathos. Sometimes we jeer him but most often cheer him on, hoping that his intuition is strong enough to protect Aminah and Barra, the cook, who has been graced with the wish for lifelong health.
Tunnell has flawlessly interwoven authentic Middle Eastern words and phrases (jubba, suq, zakah) into text without skipping a beat or patronizing the young reader with tedious explanations and definitions. He is confident that they'll "get it!," and they will.
For young readers who are thriving on magic elements in books these days, the author has combined many components besides a lamp with magic wishes. The reader will find orbs that transport the holder to other worlds, iridescent cloth, jars that never empty and a tailor who stitches so fast his hands are barely visible — which are consistent with the mythical setting of Al-Kal'as.
"Wishing Moon" has provided Tunnell the latitude for creative language that his former non-fiction ("Brother in Valor" and "The Children of Topaz") did not allow. For example, the descriptions of scenery are impressive:
"Her dreams were like dervishes, twirling and winding in a meaningless jumble, and she was awakened more than once — or so she thought — to hear the rustling of leaves stirred by nights breezes or the fluttering of finch wings against the wicker bars of the their cages."
Tunnell admits that the historical research from the Middle East, "the cradle of civilization," was rewarding as it supported his fascination with the Arabian Nights and the individual stories within. I suspect the question posed to him will be about a sequel. Jinni is too tremendous a character to put back in the lamp and let him lie there!