FEATURED BOOK
Altana
International Author, Speaker & Cultural Commentator
A Young Adult Fantasy About Identity, Courage, And The Ancient Power Of Belonging.
OVERVIEW
A Story of a Place and Its People
Altana is a coming-of-age fantasy novel that follows a young girl’s journey from quiet concealment to extraordinary purpose. It is a story about identity shaped by place, about the courage that comes from belonging to something larger than yourself, and about the worlds that exist just beyond the edge of what is visible. It is adventure fiction with a moral heart.
SYNOPSIS
A Story of Courage, Loss & Resilience
Kandiya lives in a remote Amazon village, careful and watchful, aware that she is different in ways she has learned not to name. When two supernatural creatures arrive in Altana and shatter the peace of her community, she is drawn into a power struggle in the hidden city of Coralia – a conflict far older than anything she was prepared for. Faced with choices that will determine the fate of two worlds, she must confront her deepest fears, uncover the dark secrets of her people, and find within herself the courage to reunite what has been torn apart.
THEMES
Profound Themes. Timeless Questions.
Identity
Discovering who you are when the world is working to define you before you can.
Courage
Not the dramatic kind - the kind required in your own home, among your own people.
Belonging
What it means to carry a community inside yourself, and to fight for it.
Truth
The ancient secrets beneath Altana that everyone has agreed to stop asking about.
CHARACTERS
Unforgettable People. Unforgettable Journeys.
Meet the characters whose lives, choices, and relationships bring the story to life.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
A Nation at a Crossroads
The Amazon setting carries within it a deep and largely untold history – of ancient communities, of ecological memory, of the kind of knowledge that does not appear in archives. The novel draws on this world with care, placing its characters inside an environment that is itself a living presence in the story.
BEHIND THE BOOK
A Personal Crossroads
“I have always been interested in the stories that belong to young people – particularly young people who discover that the world is larger, stranger, and more demanding than anyone told them. Kandiya is that discovery. Altana is the world she learns to be worthy of.”
TESTIMONIALS
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
Voices that reflect the impact, depth, and emotion behind Siwar Al Assad’s work.
“Palmyre Pour Toujours is quietly devastating. it changes the way you think about what we lose when we lose history.”
Cultural Heritage
Reader Review
“Le Temps D’une Saison has the pace of a thriller and the heart of a love story. it transported me completely.”
Historical fiction
Reader Review
“A rich and imaginative world brought to life with warmth and moral seriousness. Altana stays with you.”
Young adult fiction
Reader Review
“A Coeur Perdu Is A Thrilling, Lyrical, And Deeply Human Debut. Siwar Al Assad Writes With Emotional Precision And Philosophical Depth.”
Marianne Duval
Reader & Blogger
“Each of Siwar Al Assad’s books unveils a different layer of the human condition. His work is unified by compassion, depth, and an unwavering voice for peace.”
Karim Saidi
Literary Critic
“Guard Thy Heart Captures The Emotional Gravity Of Love, Loss, And Ethical Awakening. A Beautifully Crafted Novel.”
Joseph Turner
Reader & Reviewer
READER GUIDE
For Deeper Conversations
Discussion questions, themes, and resources to help readers explore the novel’s ideas, characters, and historical context.
INSIDE THE GUIDE
- Discussion Questions
- Key Themes
- Historical Context
- Activity Ideas
- Further Reading
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common Questions.
Find answers to common questions about the book, the author, and the ideas behind the story.
Memory, history, and the quiet courage of ordinary people navigating extraordinary circumstances.
Born in Damascus, educated across Europe – shaped by many places, rooted in one.
Identity, belonging, love, cultural memory, and the moral weight of the choices we make under pressure.
Use the speaking inquiry form on the Speaking page to share your event details.
All titles are available through major international retailers. Visit the Books page for direct links.
GET YOUR COPY
Available Worldwide
Find Altana at your favorite retailer.
CONTINUE THE JOURNEY
More Stories to Explore
Discover other books by Siwar Al Assad and step into new worlds of history, love, and unforgettable people.
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