Anubis
#8263.51 adjusted 3.88 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 2002 Reading commitment Low Ibrahim al-Koni Last reviewed 2026-11-04
Overview
Anubis (أنوبيس) is a standalone novel by the Libyan Tuareg writer Ibrahim al-Koni, first published in Arabic in 2002 and translated into English by William M. Hutchins (American University in Cairo Press, 2005, subtitled A Desert Novel). It retells a Tuareg folk legend of Anubis, a boy with no known father who goes in search of him in the Sahara. The story draws on desert myth, with spectral figures, jinn, prophecy and the legendary lost oasis of Targa, and follows the hero's changing relationship to tribal law as his own son later takes up the same search.
Mythic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
Anubis Ibrahim al-Koni
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| أنوبيس; English translation by William M. Hutchins, American University in Cairo Press, 2005. | 2002 | 1 | core | 3.51 (168 ratings) |
A standalone mythic desert novel retelling a Tuareg legend.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Anubis? Anubis's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is Anubis finished? Complete (2002).
- How much reading does Anubis take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book).
- How is Anubis ranked? #826 in this site's official ranking, based on 168 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #826?
Ranked #826 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.51 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (168 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.35 behind #825, The World of Vonahr.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 1 book · Complete · 168 ratings · Ranks #826 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment mythic fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- No awards found for this universe.
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Suggestions computed from what Anubis and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
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- Rusalka Historical fantasy / Mythic fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.60
- The Buried Giant Historical fantasy / Mythic fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.59
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.51 across 168 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 20 universes from the candidate register; 2 candidates ruled out accepted 2026-11-04
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Banipal review of Anubis Tier 2
- Wikipedia: Ibrahim al-Koni Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-11-04
Rule: Core Canon = Anubis (2002).