# Alif the Unseen - Paperback

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by **G. Willow Wilson** (Author)

**"G. Willow Wilson has a deft hand with myth and with magic, and the kind of smart, honest writing mind that knits together and bridges cultures and people. You should read what she writes."--Neil Gaiman, author of _Stardust_ and _American Gods_**

"Driven by a hot ionic charge between higher math and Arabian myth, G. Willow Wilson conjures up a tale of literary enchantment, political change, and religious mystery. Open the first page and you will be forced to do its bidding: To read on."--Gregory Maguire, author of _Wicked_ and _Out of Oz_

In an unnamed Middle Eastern security state, a young Arab-Indian hacker shields his clients--dissidents, outlaws, Islamists, and other watched groups--from surveillance and tries to stay out of trouble. He goes by Alif--the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, and a convenient handle to hide behind. The aristocratic woman Alif loves has jilted him for a prince chosen by her parents, and his computer has just been breached by the state's electronic security force, putting his clients and his own neck on the line. Then it turns out his lover's new fiancé is the "Hand of God," as they call the head of state security, and his henchmen come after Alif, driving him underground. When Alif discovers _The Thousand and One Days_, the secret book of the jinn, which both he and the Hand suspect may unleash a new level of information technology, the stakes are raised and Alif must struggle for life or death, aided by forces seen and unseen.

With shades of Neal Stephenson, Philip Pullman, and _The Thousand and One Nights_, _Alif the Unseen_ is a tour de force debut--a sophisticated melting pot of ideas, philosophy, technology, and spirituality smuggled inside an irresistible page-turner.

**"\[A\] Harry Potter-ish action-adventure romance \[that\] unfolds against the backdrop of the Arab Spring. . . . Improbably charming . . . A bookload of wizardry and glee."--Janet Maslin, _The New York Times_**  

### Author Biography

G. Willow Wilson was born in New Jersey in 1982 and raised in Colorado. She is also the author of a memoir, _The Butterfly Mosque_, and the critically acclaimed comics _Air_ and _Vixen_. She divides her time between Cairo and Seattle.

**Number of Pages:** 456

**Dimensions:** 1.3 x 8 x 5.4 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** April 02, 2013

## Details

- **Price:** 23.0 GBP
- **Vendor:** BooksCloud
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books, Contemporary, Fantasy, Fiction, Literary, Price Written on Book, Technological, Thrillers

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 23.00 GBP | In stock |

## Images

- Alif the Unseen

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> Updated: 2026-08-22