Culture & Education | Monday 31 October, 2016 3:20 pm |

Emirati science fiction writer Noura Al Noman will be signing copies of her new novel ‘Cydonia’ during the 35th edition of Sharjah International Book Fair. Taking place on Friday, November 4, the signing session will see sci-fi fans able to pick up a personalised copy of the third part of Al Noman’s debut 'Ajwan’ trilogy, which has established itself as the nucleus of Emirati sci-fi literature.

 

Ajwan takes young readers on an interstellar adventure, with a plot that tells the tale of the eponymous hero, Ajwan, a young woman who narrowly escapes the destruction of her planet and the extinction of her race. Her mission is to save her son, who was taken from her body when she was pregnant with him by a shadowy armed militia.

 

Speaking about the completion of part III of her novel, Noura Al Noman, said; "The Ajwan series was a challenge for me - writing its first part was my own decision and I was able to do it with support from my family and friends. I committed myself to write a certain number of words every day so the novel's events remain at the same pace. Ajwan is a literary adventure because it is the first sci-fi work in the UAE novel scene."

 

Al Noman pointed out that like all genres of literature, Science fiction is a reflection of the reality and mindset of society. She believes that the evolution of Western sciences and future concepts allowed them to take the lead in the sci-fi genre, while the Arab world was occupied by upheavals and transformations. She explained that this landscape is changing thanks to technological advances made in the UAE.

"Today, the UAE is laying strong foundations to become a leader in the space industry and is nurturing a new generation of innovative children. This qualifies us to lead the realm of sci-fi literature and we should take up this opportunity," she added.

 

Noura Al Noman is the first Emirati science fiction writer. The first edition of Ajwan, published in 2012, won the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature for ‘Best Young Adult Book’ in 2013. Al Noman made her first foray into writing with a number of picture books for children; ‘Cotton the Kitten,’ ‘Kiwi the Hedgehog’ and ‘Shamsa and Sushi,’ all of which were published by Kalimat Publishing House. ‘Mandan’ (Vol 2 of Ajwan) was published by Nahdet Misr Publishing House in 2014.