Howard Andrew Jones's "The Bones of the Old Ones"

Howard Jones’s debut historical fantasy novel, The Desert of Souls (Thomas Dunne Books 2011), was widely acclaimed by influential publications like Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly, where it was labeled “a splendid flying-carpet ride.” It made Kirkus’ New and Notable list for 2011, and was on both Locus’s Recommended Reading List and the Barnes and Noble Best Fantasy Releases list of 2011. Additionally, The Desert of Souls was a finalist for the prestigious Compton Crook Award, and a featured selection of The Science Fiction Book Club. Its sequel, The Bones of the Old Ones, hit bookstores this month.

Here Jones shares some insights on casting an adaptation of the new novel as well as a suggestion for the director:

I’d like to say that I was torn over which great Persian and Arabian actors would be cast as the scholarly Dabir and stalwart Captain Asim, because Hollywood had so many great Persian and Arabian actors on call to choose from. But then that would be an even more fantastic world than the one Dabir and Asim are adventuring in during their 8th century exploits. Should I be so lucky as to actually see my characters on screen someday, I hope that some charismatic unknowns of middle-eastern heritage will be cast, rather than some Anglos in brown face.

Directors, though… given the sort of Sherlock Holmes and Watson in 1001 Nights vibe of The Bones of the Old Ones, I could surely imagine Guy Ritchie taking the reins. I think he has a fine sense of pacing with his Sherlock Holmes films, and I was quite pleased that he not only ensured Sherlock was intelligent, but that his deductions made sense. He paid special attention to the unveiling of the plot and the relationships of his characters. Whoever directs my movie, I hope they remember those tips as well!

Learn more about the book and author at Howard Andrew Jones's website.

Writers Read: Howard Andrew Jones.

The Page 69 Test: The Bones of the Old Ones.

--Marshal Zeringue