Time Travel With a Magic Pen
Have you ever felt that your life is off course, you want to set it on the right track, but don’t know how? Meet Harold Duncan, an early 20th century law clerk living in Edinburgh, Scotland. He holds a dead-end job giving him little satisfaction. Then one day he uncovers an ancient storefront. Since he loves to collect old pens, quills, and antique writing instruments, he enters the creepy store.
An elderly shopkeeper shows Harold a dark, ebony pen longer than most with a grip curved to fit his hand. Harold leaves the shop happy with his purchase, a gift to himself that will change his life.
At home, Harold pulls out a sheet of paper to try out the new pen. However, when he writes, the pen does all the thinking for him and scrolls out a story in ancient Arabic. At midnight, Harold falls asleep, and unbeknownst to him, all of the unfamiliar letters and words fly off the page and into his ear. Thus begins Harold’s very realistic dream about Ah-Hamid Akbar, a slave living in 1300 AD in an Egyptian desert. What Harold hears in his head is Al-Hamid’s narration of his life story, a story Harold will follow throughout the novel.
Dennis Galloway uses a unique time-travel idea to entwine Harold to Al-Hamid’s life as he learns the wisdom the boy acquires to advance from slave to Sultan, ruler of the Bashihin desert.
The Pen: Sultan’s Wisdom tells two stories. First, we learn about a wisdom Al-Hamid learns and Harold applies this knowledge to his own life, with success. Some of the wisdom Harold learns can be applied to our 21st century lives. For example, our characters learn that in every transaction, make sure all involved benefit and achieve what they want. Otherwise, the people involved will feel disappointed, or worse—cheated.
The author uses many visualization techniques for his readers to absorb. Early in the novel, Al-Hamid learns to draw out a picture of what he wants. When Harold witnesses the boy obtaining his dream sandals, Harold draws a picture of his dream portfolio.
The Pen is a wonderful time-travel adventure with ideas for personal development knitted into the fabric of the book. Highly recommended.
About the Author
Dennis Galloway has lived in a variety of countries where he has experienced many different cultures which he sews into the fabric of his work. Born with a vivid imagination, Galloway uses that gift in videos, photography, public speaking, and the books he writes. His novels, articles, and short stories cover a wide range of venues from children’s stories to adult fiction.
I like the advice in the book that “in every transaction, make sure all involved benefit and achieve what they want”.