Concluding the story of Shuki - modern day eunuch.

The Shuki Series

The Story of Shuki began in 'Not a Man,'  first published 2011.

 

The book was first seen on the writers' site, Authonomy, run by Harper Collins.  It won a great deal of attention, and there was an offer to publish at almost the same time as it reached the top five books on Authonomy, which earned it a professional review from Harper Collins.

 

The first paragraph of the Harper Collins review - ‘Not a Man’ is an ambitious and insightful novel; it tells the story of Shuki, a young boy from the slums of Elbarada, a fictional area of Arabia, who is castrated against his will at the age of 10. Shuki’s journey is one of great trial but also incredible strength, courage, and determination, and as a hero, he is fantastic, evoking not only sympathy, but aspiration and reverence. I loved the fact that the operation which is supposed to prevent him from reaching manhood is the very thing that makes him strong and mature. The novel is written in a pared down manner; the narrative reminded me of the prose styling of Paulo Coelho: unaffected and matter-of-fact.

 

This review can still be seen in full by accessing 'Not a Man' on Authonomy.  There are over 400 other comments, some good, some bad. 

 

 

Among the Authonomy comments  - 

 

Andrew Wright:  The strength and singular power of your main character are captivating from the off. The sorrow of the story, the opportunity for salvation, the fight for some kind of justice after the rebellion. An enigmatic and enthralling lead whose experiences drew me in from the beginning. 

Joanne Ellis: Absolutely fabulous writing and story.

Rachel Vevers:  This is a book I stayed up half the night to finish. The writing is beautiful and the plot is painful and poignant. The character of Shuki is naive and wise, complex and empathetic.

Ashen Venama:  Not a Man - stunningly original. A consistant gentle voice renders this incredible tale right through. Against all odds, Shuki is a remarkable character. The sexual scenes are shocking yet drawn with enough detachment to not take away from the real process going on for the boy who has the intelligence to overcome his victimhood. Elegant and touchingly surreal. The artist at work. This must be appreciated on many levels. 

Bill Carrigan:  This is beautifully written, fascinating, disconcerting, and moving.  

 

"Not a Man' is set in an unnamed country of Arabia. Shuki is aged ten, and a 'bed-boy.' His master wants his beautiful boy to stay beautiful, so arranges for him to have 'a small operation.' This traumatic event changed forever the life of a clever, determined boy.

Shuki learns to manipulate his master. He learns to read and write, he gets his master into the habit of giving him large sums of money, and he makes friends with the Master's sons.

Shuki becomes more beautiful with every passing year. His master becomes more possessive, more jealous, and Shuki is guarded. When his master takes him to England, he escapes and starts a new life with the money he's saved. He is fifteen.

 Shuki's story continues in 'The King's Favourite.'

 

 

Feroz was viewed as a puppet king. Just sixteen, yet he is the all-powerful monarch of a country in Arabia. When an important and complex trade deal hangs in the balance, his Chief Councillor bargains an extra concession to keep his young king happy. Added to the details of the enormous payment promised was the reference to ‘other considerations.’ Shuki’s freedom is traded away by his own country. He becomes slave and companion to a king.

No cliff-hangers.  I abhor cliff-hangers in a series, and each book has a satisfying conclusion.

 The third book in the series is 'To Love and To Protect.'

 

With a series, one finds that the number of characters mount up.  With this book, I have provided a list of characters at the front of the paperback, and with the ebooks, wherever I think it could be useful,  a reminder of characters at the beginning of some chapters. All the same,  readers are likely to enjoy it more if they have read the first two in the series.

 

 

The third book of the series is called 'To Love and to Protect.'

 

 Shuki is home, and enjoying being home. He loves his wives, he loves his children, and he loves Elei. To the Daouds, he is someone special, theirs to love and to protect, as their father, the Old Master Hassanel, laid down in his will. To Shuki, the Daouds’ home is his home, though he does not regard himself as belonging to anyone - or maybe to Elei, as Elei belongs to him.

He is fond of Hasquitri’s children, the girls and the boys. The girls, at fourteen, are of marriageable age, and are closely chaperoned. They are still permitted to ride their horses when suitably escorted, and Shuki makes a point of riding with them. Alone among the men, he knows what it is to suffer under too much protection.

The boys have a full life, learning about their father’s businesses, travelling, enjoying the hunting and the shooting and the riding. Fifteen-year-old Zahu, in particular, has become a close companion. But when Zahu finds just what Shuki is, the relationship becomes a lot more complicated.

 

 

The fourth and final book in the series is called 'The Frost and the Sunshine.'

The publication date for this book is set at 17th October, 2014.
 
Early in his life, Shuki made a vow to himself never again to leave it too late to run. There were dangers at Naelahin, dangers because of who he was.  But in a new place, a new home, where no-one knows his history, then he would be safe.  Shuki has moved his family to rural Australia.  There, he finds the peaceful life he wants.  
 
For those interested, I have placed Shuki's new home between the small town of Uralla and the university city of Armidale, New South Wales.  The towns have been fictionalised and renamed Bellerusse and Leverson. Shuki teaches at Leverson University. 

 

 

 

 It was particularly interesting writing this book.  I range forward into the future, and it is absolutely spooky that what I wrote is so very much on track with what has happened since the writing of it.

Not all that I wrote as a fictional future will come true, of course. It is interesting that some things are already coming true.



 I have set the publication date at 17th October, 2014, but it will be available on Smashwords probably a week or so before that date. 

To find my books on Smashwords,  go to:   https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Samray
  

The fourth and final of the Shuki books.




The fourth and final of the Shuki series is in progress.

Tentatively called 'The Unauthorised Biography,' tentative finish date April, 2014, tentative publication date, August 2014.  

 

Followers of Shuki will remember at the end of Shuki 3 (To Love and To Protect)  Shuki moved himself and his family to a different place, a safe place - country Australia. He is now with Zahu, Hasquitri's second son, and he has his four wives and two of his stepchildren living with him.

 

Shuki treasures his family, and is very proud of the home he has created for his family. He is a Lecturer at Leverson University (based on Armidale University in NSW) and they live on a property not far from a small town called Bellerusse (based on Uralla, NSW.)  He calls himself Sam Ray, as the name of Shuki Bolkiah has become too well known for his comfort.

 

 

 It is a lovely area of the country, but it can be very frosty on winter mornings.

 

 

And they have space, space to ride horses, space for Zahu to hunt the wild pigs, space for the wives to expand their interests. They call their property Marrin.


Complications arise, Prince Nasir, first son of King Feroz,  comes to live with them for a year.  It is to be a part of his education. He is supposed to be anonymous, not treated with any special distinction.

And in Elbarada, Shuki finds his brother, Mwai, and his sister, Pazhiria.

And then there is Meriam, beautiful and intelligent, just sixteen. She is Pazhiria's youngest daughter, but she is disgraced, unmarried, pregnant, and in danger of being put to death for dishonouring her family. So Shuki brings her to Marrin.

But Meriam looks so much like Shuki and that brings its own complications.

Here is an excerpt.  Remember that this is a work in progress, and things may change. Nasir might even find himself written out, but Meriam will not. 

Excerpt from Shuki 4.

Fifteen minutes later, Rania escorted Meriam to the room where the men were gathered. Again, she was wearing a niquab over a thicker version of the makrebi, stark black like a chador. But Hasquitri swore, said that he couldn't stand women got up as parcels, and pulled down the face-mask. 

Meriam's hands went to her face, but he quite gently pulled them down and ordered, "Look at me, girl."

Meriam timidly raised her eyes, and he touched her face and said wonderingly, "She's just like Shuki."

Zahu was staring. He'd never seen Shuki when he was young, but he'd seen photos. She was just like Shuki, like Shuki as he'd been in his teens. Such long eyelashes. He wanted to caress. He'd forgotten that this was a girl and a stranger. It was like a younger incarnation of his love.

But then he shook himself. A physical likeness was no good reason to betray the one he cared about. And even if Shuki said that he could go his own way if he wished, marry and have his own children, he knew that it would distress him very much if he did. It was not like it had been to begin with. Then he had needed Shuki, but Shuki had not needed him. But now, they were together, and Shuki did need him. But this girl...

It was lucky that Hasquitri was too much absorbed in his own fascination with the girl's appearance to notice how his son had been affected. He was very protective of Shuki. He would have been furious if he'd thought that Zahu might hurt him. He asked, "Have they told you what is planned, Meriam?"

Meriam nodded and said, "Yes, Sir."

"I am Hasquitri Daoud. You address me as Master Hasquitri or just Master."

Meriam said in a voice even more faint, "Yes, Master Hasquitri."

"You are to go to a different country. Your uncle's wives will look after you."

Meriam felt a stir of curiosity. No-one had told her that he had wives. She hadn't thought that far ahead, only that she'd been so very bad that she just had to do whatever she was told. She didn't ask. She had her head down again, and didn't see Hasquitri's searching look, or Zahu, who still stared, fascinated and wishing he had known Shuki when he'd looked like this. Matuel as well. They all stared.

Hasquitri asked, "Have you seen your father, Meriam?" and Meriam shook her head. The last time she'd seen her father was through a haze of fists and noise. She never wanted him to be so angry with her again. She never wanted to be so bad again. He'd never hit her before.

Hasquitri said, "I might have to go and see him, I think. He needs to agree to your leaving."

Meriam said anxiously, "He's a good man, Master Hasquitri. He does what he thinks is right."

"He beat you half to death, girl. Is that right?"

Meriam didn't answer except to herself. It was right. She'd deserved it. She didn't know how she could face him ever again.

Rania asked, "Take her back to her room, Master?"

Hasquitri nodded, "Back to her room."

He watched after her thoughtfully. If he was allowed a fifth wife - to have someone like Shuki, so much like Shuki. And yet female and young. Even if she was a disgraced women. But he'd lose face if he took her. He'd lose face even if he allowed her to return home with him as a kitchen maid or something. He wondered how far along she was. Was it too late for an abortion? He guessed it was too late, no matter how far along she was. It was too late because people knew. The father had to be made to agree. Leaving this country with its strict code of morality - it was the only way. 

He dreamed about the girl that night, all mixed up with Shuki as he'd been. Shuki when they'd just been boys together, before he knew. He'd not always been nice to Shuki then. It had been because he was jealous that he was better at things than he was. But then he'd found out and things were different. He dreamed about making love with him except that then it was the girl, and he made a ceremony of burning her concealing clothing before turning to her. She was waiting for him, smiling... 

Zahu also dreamed about her. It was Shuki, and they were in the gorge, in the thick grass. He loved it there. They were together and he was making love with him. Underneath them was the thick robe because the grass was uncomfortable to lie upon. Was it Meriam then? He/she was face-down and he didn't quite know, but it felt so wonderful...

And then the other one was moaning with pleasure, as Shuki never did. He stroked over her back and there were no ridges of old scars. Her hair, long and glossy black. There were no strands of grey. It was Meriam.

Zahu woke. He was filled with guilt and he was filled with his want. Shuki slept peacefully, while Zahu started rubbing himself.  He would not be able to sleep otherwise. But even after he'd eased his body, he didn't sleep for a long time. It was hard to stifle his desire for the young girl with the face of his love.

*

 

When there is a heavy frost, always, the day after is clear and bright.  I am a believer in happy endings - just that I don't quite know yet what this ending will be.