Enter the world of fantasy
The 75-page The Wayfall Kidnapping is a villainous caper-crime fantasy novella – the creative talent's first attempt at the sub-genre.
'I wanted to try a story with more villain-centric characters,' the 32-year-old told GulfWeekly, explaining his experience with the style.
'All the stories I write take place in the same fantasy world, but independent of each other, and while all have a focus on action and adventure, their characters are not necessarily all heroic. Writing a caper-crime novella added more fun and flexibility in my storytelling.
'The challenge was coming up with a more straightforward story while maintaining some fun and excitement, especially with the focus on villains as main characters. I felt this was something different, and I found the experience very enjoyable,' he added.
A caper story is a type of crime fiction and, unlike straight crime, has elements of humour, adventure or unusual cleverness – the main character often exhibits comical idiosyncrasies and law enforcement individuals are typically incompetent.
Wayfall Kidnapping is set in the glittering city of Wayfall. The story explores a daring team of women, each with an unapologetic history involving crime, who are brought together for a job that might catapult them to fame or the darkness of death.
The novella is part of Bader's Daedalusian Legends series, which currently comprises seven titles, including the new books.
'Writing these fantasy fictions has been a journey of weaving intricate plots, crafting more or less morally complex characters, and balancing the thrills with the depth of world-building,' said the IT-systems analyst and holder of a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology and Security from NYIT.
'One of the greatest highlights has been watching the story evolve, seeing characters surprise me, twists unfold naturally, and the world take on a life of its own.
'The biggest challenge? Ensuring the mystery remains sharp while keeping the fantasy elements immersive and believable.
'I've been working on these stories for over a month or more, refining every detail to make the adventure as gripping as possible.'
Blending action, adventure, and other tropes of traditional heroic fantasy, sword and sorcery, His Heroic Worth is a 54-page short story and tells the tale of Prince Ronvid of Novidraken and Princess Philippa of Corniashire, who have long been betrothed – their union arranged to unite two neighbouring kingdoms.
As the day of their long-awaited wedding draws near, the young couple temporarily escapes courtly life for a private retreat.
But their idyllic getaway turns into a disaster when a vicious wyvern descends from the skies, abducting Philippa, setting the stage for 'a crucible of devotion, valour and chivalry', one that will truly test Ronvid.
Bader has been passionate about fantasy and science fiction ever since he was a young boy, which inspired him to write stories of his own. His books are a testament to his 'wild imagination', which he dreams of sharing with others.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Weekly
a day ago
- Gulf Weekly
Silver screen sensation
Scottish-Bahraini thespian Ghazi Al Ruffai's latest thriller film 28 Years Later is entertaining audiences worldwide, shining a bright spotlight on the kingdom's cinematic talent. The 25-year-old, who attended St Christopher's School, is also set to star in the sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which will release in January next year. 28 Years Later is the third instalment in the series, following 28 Days Later (2002) and 28 Weeks Later (2007), and explores the second outbreak of the 'Rage' virus. There are plans for a fifth film 28 Years Later Part 3. A group of survivors from the first outbreak live on a small island. When a member of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers a mutation that has spread to not only the infected, but other survivors as well. 'Filming 28 Years Later was simply wild! Everything was very tight-lipped during the audition process, so I never knew I'd be playing a key role,' said the former Riffa resident who currently lives in London and brings 'Jimmy Snake' alive on the big screen. During the initial outbreak of the virus, Jimmy (played by a different child actor) flees from his house after his family gets infected. While taking shelter at a local church, he finds his father, a local vicar, who gives him a necklace and urges him to escape, succumbing to the virus in the process. 'I make my first appearance at the end of the first film as part of the cliff-hanger, and the lead-up was intense. We had weeks of stunt training, which consisted of fight choreography, acrobatics and weaponry,' he added. Elaborating on his experience filming, the creative talent who lived in Bahrain for 19 years before moving to the UK said: 'The whole thing was so surreal; I still pinch myself about it. Above all, to be directed by Danny Boyle, a true legend that I have admired for so long, was a dream come true. Being able to work with legends such as Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell was like witnessing a masterclass in acting daily. On top of that, my fellow Jimmies and I truly became a family. We all just clicked instantly that it felt like we had known each other for years.' Ghazi has always had the 'acting bug' in him and was an 'expressive' child growing up, forcing his siblings to join him and put on shows for their parents. However, he did not think it could happen. That changed during his years studying at St Christopher's School. 'At St Christopher's, I was able to explore drama in an academic setting. The drama department was incredibly supportive, and that encouragement helped me take acting a bit more seriously,' he said. However, a real turning point came when Ghazi joined the Makan School of Speech and Drama and met its founder and acting instructor Ruqaya Aamer, who helped him hone his craft and find his voice as an actor. 'I credit so much of my growth and success to her,' he noted. The actor, who visits regularly, was in Bahrain in January this year when he visited St Christopher's and gave a talk to Year 12 and 13 drama and acting students, sharing his journey and offering tips. After graduating school, Ghazi moved to the UK in 2018 to pursue acting professionally and trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and the Guildford School of Acting. Towards the end of his studies at Guildford, he landed an agent and it has been 'go go go' ever since. His past projects include Layla (2024), and the docudrama Lockerbie: A Search for Truth (2025), in which he portrayed Khaled Megrahi. In addition to his screen work, Ghazi is a prominent content creator on social media, where his comedic and character-driven videos have built a dedicated following of more than 200,000. He is passionate about using his platform to challenge stereotypes and spotlight under-represented voices in the industry.
Gulf Weekly
a day ago
- Gulf Weekly
All dolled up!
Labubu mania has reached Bahrain's shores, with fans and collectors across ages tapping into the viral trend. So, what is it about the ubiquitous monster doll that makes it so covetable? Read on to find out. For the uninitiated, Labubu is a plush toy and figurine, which is part of 'The Monsters' series created by Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung. Based on Nordic mythology, it is known for its playful, mischievous nature, has a vinyl face and no tail. Some would even say it flaunts an eerie smile that is hard to miss. Other characters in the universe include Zimomo, Tycoco, Spooky and Pato. Introduced 10 years ago as part of a picture book series, the doll gained popularity after Pop Mart started selling it in 2019; the key ring accessory is available on their official website for more than $100 a pop. A selection of online and physical stores in Bahrain are also selling the toy and limited editions of it – the original ones are priced between BD18 and more than BD25 a piece, while the knock-offs can be purchased for as less as BD1.500. It will also be available at the Bahrain Summer Toy Festival being staged at Exhibition World Bahrain, Sakhir, until August 5. Recently, social media influencers have been opening the mystery boxes they come in online, promoting the Exciting Macaron range as a handbag accessory, further boosting the doll's rise to global fame and marking its entry into the world of fashion. Some celebrities who have been spotted with the toy dangling on their handbag are the Grammy Award-winning Rihanna, American socialite Kim Kardashian, Grammy and Brit Awards-winning Dua Lipa and Bollywood Gen Z heartthrob Ananya Panday. With the trend sweeping across the Gulf, digital influencers and well-known personalities in the region have also posted their love for Labubu on their social media pages. Arab beauty brand owner Huda Kattan, who founded Huda Beauty, also unboxed a Labubu on her TikTok page and, most recently, posted a reel of herself eating a 'Labubu Dubai chocolate', while putting the longevity of one of her lip products to the test. Bahraini collector Samar Busheri, who has been collecting vintage dolls and has an online store for Labubus, observed that the trend started in Kuwait. Bahrain caught on around two months ago. 'Adults and children in Bahrain are buying Labubus now but this trend is an old one – I got mine three years ago,' the graffiti artist from Manama told GulfWeekly. 'The adults who buy for themselves are in the age group of 18 to 40 and others buy it to make their children happy,' she added. Bahraini mother-of-one Maryam Husain believes that Labubus are a harmless little joy, and there's nothing wrong with children getting excited about it. 'But it's also a good chance to remind them that happiness isn't about buying things or always wanting more,' the 38-year-old added. Bahrain-based Russian expatriate and artist Alexandra Novik-Khamis believes that Labubus' 'odd and slightly creepy but cute' appearance makes them highly shareable on social media. 'There is the element of exclusivity, making it a collectable,' she said. 'When certain versions are limited edition or hard to find, it adds to the hype and desire,' added the 36-year-old, who has always loved toys and miniature collectables and, though she is not a big fan of the Labubu character, she owns one and finds the popularity surrounding the toy 'fascinating'. Like everything, Labubu also has two sides to the coin, with criticisms surrounding the hype – 'they're scary', 'they're too expensive'... Many have tagged the trend as capitalist and feeding a culture of overconsumption, especially since it is packaged as a blind box, 'forcing' buyers to make repeat purchases until they get their desired Labubu. The fashion world is also divided on the trend, with Sarah Jessica Parker, who is known for her style, especially after playing the lead character in the long-running series Sex and the City, offering an 'amused' and 'bewildered' look when asked about the ring accessories. American personality Alexandra Cooper, who hosts the popular podcast Call Her Daddy, asked the celebrity about the trend to which she responded, 'What is that?', sparking several debates that question if Labubus as an accessory are 'sophisticated' or 'polished' enough.
Gulf Weekly
a day ago
- Gulf Weekly
Enter the world of fantasy
Bahraini author Bader AlSadeqi's new titles, The Wayfall Kidnapping and His Heroic Worth, are set to hit the shelves this month, transporting readers to a fantastic world of dwarves, elves, knights, princesses and more. The 75-page The Wayfall Kidnapping is a villainous caper-crime fantasy novella – the creative talent's first attempt at the sub-genre. 'I wanted to try a story with more villain-centric characters,' the 32-year-old told GulfWeekly, explaining his experience with the style. 'All the stories I write take place in the same fantasy world, but independent of each other, and while all have a focus on action and adventure, their characters are not necessarily all heroic. Writing a caper-crime novella added more fun and flexibility in my storytelling. 'The challenge was coming up with a more straightforward story while maintaining some fun and excitement, especially with the focus on villains as main characters. I felt this was something different, and I found the experience very enjoyable,' he added. A caper story is a type of crime fiction and, unlike straight crime, has elements of humour, adventure or unusual cleverness – the main character often exhibits comical idiosyncrasies and law enforcement individuals are typically incompetent. Wayfall Kidnapping is set in the glittering city of Wayfall. The story explores a daring team of women, each with an unapologetic history involving crime, who are brought together for a job that might catapult them to fame or the darkness of death. The novella is part of Bader's Daedalusian Legends series, which currently comprises seven titles, including the new books. 'Writing these fantasy fictions has been a journey of weaving intricate plots, crafting more or less morally complex characters, and balancing the thrills with the depth of world-building,' said the IT-systems analyst and holder of a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology and Security from NYIT. 'One of the greatest highlights has been watching the story evolve, seeing characters surprise me, twists unfold naturally, and the world take on a life of its own. 'The biggest challenge? Ensuring the mystery remains sharp while keeping the fantasy elements immersive and believable. 'I've been working on these stories for over a month or more, refining every detail to make the adventure as gripping as possible.' Blending action, adventure, and other tropes of traditional heroic fantasy, sword and sorcery, His Heroic Worth is a 54-page short story and tells the tale of Prince Ronvid of Novidraken and Princess Philippa of Corniashire, who have long been betrothed – their union arranged to unite two neighbouring kingdoms. As the day of their long-awaited wedding draws near, the young couple temporarily escapes courtly life for a private retreat. But their idyllic getaway turns into a disaster when a vicious wyvern descends from the skies, abducting Philippa, setting the stage for 'a crucible of devotion, valour and chivalry', one that will truly test Ronvid. Bader has been passionate about fantasy and science fiction ever since he was a young boy, which inspired him to write stories of his own. His books are a testament to his 'wild imagination', which he dreams of sharing with others.
