The Laws of the Lost Era

About the Book

The novel, which was written by a 16-year old writer, discusses some events that took place in a town ruled by a number of kings without mentioning certain places or specific time.

The novel addresses many issues such as persecution, wealth, poverty, freedom and justice crisis. We see that through the laws of Justice which king Ronil made.

On the other hand, the novel discusses what people want from their ruler through presenting four different kings; these kings are Ronil, Donis, Romer, and Moral.

King Ronil loved his people, established the laws of justice then left the throne later for king Donis who did not do anything useful for the people; he only killed the innocent Moral. King Romer tried to make useful things for the town but that was his end. King Moral was the last king who, despite his tyranny, people remained silent.

On the other hand, the novel points to the influence of people on the four kings. The novel also highlights the position of "Minister" which Arthu exploited to steal the people's property of the town. He utilized his closeness to the king to do that.

MAIN CHARACTERS OF THE NOVEL:

1- King Ronil: The first king who made the laws.
2- Minister Arthu: The only minister of the town during King Ronil’s ruling.
3- Moral: The son of Arthu (Johtar) who became the king later.
4- Moral: The son of Raul who was killed later.
5- Letssa: The Private maid of Arthu’s son.
6- Manu: Arthu’s servant.
7- Reteenia: the woman who took in Moral (son of Arthu).
8- King Donis: The king who ruled after king Ronil.
9- King Romer: The king who ruled after King Donis.

SECONDARY CHARACTERS OF THE NOVEL:

1- Raul: Moral’s father.
2- King Zandar.
3- Killer of Raul.
4- King Zriab.
5- The Minister of King Zriab.
6- Farmers.
7- The Poet.
8- The kidnappers of Moral.
9- The salesman of sculptures.
10- The ministers of King Romer.
11- The killers of King Romer.
12- The ministers of King Moral.
13- The sculptor.
14- Guards, soldiers and servants of the Kings.

About the Author

The writer is Arabic comes from an area called "Al Jiftlik", Al Far'a Valley to the west of the Jordan River, and the Bedouin clan "Arab Almasaeid ("Alamara" The Princes of Al Jiftlik; AlDamen Almasaeid.). YASMIN ALDAMEN has written six novels and one play in Arabic language. "THE LAWS OF THE LOST ERA" was her first novel which she wrote at the age of sixteen and translated into English. She became the youngest novelist in Jordan in 2003. Yasmin started writing at age of 10 while in the fifth grade; she wrote a story, the name of which was ‘’The Conflict between Good and Evil’’. When students at school were asked to write an Arabic composition, she gave a rein to her imagination to starting writing using metaphors and figures of speech. "I wrote my first novel at school in the tenth grade in 2002 and I'm as a young writer too self-satisfied about my first novel, which I wrote with little experience at that time. I grabbed a pen and some papers then started writing. I felt that it was an outlet through which I can express what I want." YASMIN said. I was very enthusiastic about it, especially because I love writing. I was writing every day. When I finished my first novel, I began the second then with the third then the fourth, without stopping; the ideas were breaking on the beach of my mind. YASMIN'S VISION: THE NOVEL IS THE SANCTUARY OF EXPRESSION AND CHANGE As a young person who is surrounded by many issues, from which she could not be detached, she chose novelistic work to discuss and put a spot light on important issues because writing is not only for pleasure, it is for making us more sensitive and aware of the reality of many things, reflecting many of life's problems. Novel writing is an attempt to change people and societies, cultural development and provide support for solutions to other issues. Writing, for me, is one of the greatest and highest contributions to societies. When the writer reflects what she/he feels and puts on the paper, embodying a novel, a play or a story from her/ his imagination with actual events and facts reflect the importance of writing for expression and change. One of the most beautiful feelings is when a person sits, gripping a pen and over their a paper with an idea in their mind, sitting with these simple tools to discuss complicated issues through characters and certain events and plots. I feel happy because I found writing as a device to find myself, with my simple tools: paper, a pen and ideas. I didn't concentrate on the quantity of my novels, but I concentrated on the quality of them; on the highness of their ideas and issues. Maybe they contribute in changing or correcting something in societies by putting a spot-light on it. When my novels had a Deposit Number and publishing permission from the National Library in Jordan, I thought the matter finished and I thought also that it is easy to find support for the novels. But that was the thinking of an ambitious kid; dreams and sees everything in the world unjaded. I didn't know that the difficulties began appear before I reach my goals. Year after year, I realized that my dream may escape from me, but I never withdrew, I was determined to achieve it. Maybe others ask themselves while they are reading this, why was that difficult? In short, because I didn't have enough money to pay for publishing and distributing, especially when I was a student at school and didn't want to make my father pay the expensive cost, which may have make financial problems to him. But he insisted on printing them and designing covers for them. Surely, it is easy to find or hear people talk about supporting creative or talented people. But it is difficult to convert their words into action to help you reach your dreams. I never forgot my dream; I kept it and my determination increased day after day. Even when I approached them, roadblocks were appearing in my way which deferred the dream days, months and even years.