The Brides' Fair [Paperback]

Hal Fleming (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 12, 2008

The Brides’ Fair, an annual folkloric event in the Mid Atlas Mountains of North Africa, serves as an exotic setting for a novel of international intrigue and terrorism. Americans, mountain Berbers, Moroccan Arabs and those of a rebel faction converge on the festival, and it soon becomes clear that their fates are interwoven. The plot is driven by attempts to forestall an act of terrorism, while sub-plots tell of the tangled love interests of the Americans; the frantic efforts of a young Berber girl to escape a forced marriage; the trials of local officials in dealing with threats to their country’s national security; and the obstacles faced by a small band of terrorist in carrying out their mission to disrupt the fair. A major disaster is averted at the last minute with the revelation that one giving aid to the terrorists was an American of the diplomatic community.

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: PublishAmerica (May 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605637068
• ISBN-13: 978-1605637068
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,692,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hal Fleming was raised in New England by parents of West Indian and Irish heritage. After earning degrees from Brown and Columbia Universities, he worked for a business magazine in New York, while also teaching in the evening sessions of CUNY. The US Government soon tapped him to become a Foreign Service Officer on Peace Corps staff. After assignments in West Africa, he moved to the US Agency for International Development(USAID) and served as Misson Director for Morocco. This five year tour inspired his first novel, The Brides' Fair, a tale of diplomatic intrigue and terrorisim. Reviews of this book and other background can be found at his web site, www.halflem.com. Hal also served as a US delegate to the United nations, a senior officer at UNICEF headquarters, and as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. He has also published shorter works and award-winning poetry. He now lives in Northern Virginia with his wife Arlene, a leading expert on the protection of cultural property, and their dog, Bogie, an avid hunter of deer and squirrels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Thrilling Moroccan Tale!, July 8, 2008

By 

Robert Mark Ward (Chevy Chase, MD, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Brides' Fair (Paperback)

I sat up till two this morning reading The Brides' Fair! Couldn't put it down! It's so well-constructed - weaving together all the different strands of the story, each of which contains possibilities which might emerge, tantalizes the reader with clues, and then ties them together at the end with surprises you never thought of!

One senses that the author has really lived it on the ground and knows whereof he writes. With all the really authentic insights into foreign intrigue, terrorism, the romance of the diplomatic life, exotic sex and shoot-em-up violence - it's surely a winner!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting, exotic, contemporary, fascinating characters, August 22, 2008

By 

Ronald Springwater (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Brides' Fair (Paperback)

A marvelous adventure set in Morocco's Mid Atlas mountains. The plot unfolds quietly, steadily, and dramatically, leading to an exciting conclusion. The author blends an intimate understanding of the U.S. diplomatic community with a rich presentation of Islamic historical references, and - stay seated - a terrorist plot.
What makes this combination work so well, apart from the author's beautiful descriptive passages about Morocco --its history and its people -- is the array of characters whom the reader meets. I especially enjoyed the resolute courage and conviction, from different perspectives, of the young women: Maleka, Jamila, Karen, and Monique. In sum: a most enjoyable read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Winner, August 1, 2008

By 

D. S. Conlon "world traveler" (Sarasota, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Brides' Fair (Paperback)

Set in a beautiful remote part of Africa, The Brides' Fair takes us to visit a traditional Berber festival. There's an extended cast of diplomats, expats, Moroccan officials and mountain people whose lives end up interwoven in a complex tale of intrigue and danger. Descriptions of the region vie with the developing plot to keep us absorbed and mystified. Although the book is fiction, it gives an authentic peek into the interactions within an Embassy in a developing country. A winner!