The Crescent Moon Kingdoms
#7963.65 adjusted 3.67 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Ongoing 2012–present Reading commitment Low Saladin Ahmed Last reviewed 2026-09-28
Overview
Saladin Ahmed's sword-and-sorcery series set in an Arabian-Nights-inspired world of djenn, ghuls, holy warriors and heretics. Throne of the Crescent Moon (2012), his debut and so far the only published novel of the series, follows Doctor Adoulla Makhslood, the ageing, tea-loving last ghul hunter of the great city of Dhamsawaat, his pious young dervish assistant Raseed and the lion-shifting tribeswoman Zamia as a wave of supernatural murders coincides with a brewing rebellion against the Khalif. It won the Locus Award for Best First Novel and was a finalist for the Hugo and Nebula awards; two announced sequels have not yet appeared.
Sword & sorcery · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
The Crescent Moon Kingdoms Saladin Ahmed
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Throne of the Crescent Moon | 2012 | 1 | core | 3.65 (11,975 ratings) |
Sword-and-sorcery in an Arabian-Nights-inspired secondary world: the ageing ghul hunter Adoulla Makhslood and his companions against a supernatural threat to the city of Dhamsawaat. Only the first book has been published; two sequels were announced but have not appeared.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Crescent Moon Kingdoms? The Crescent Moon Kingdoms's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is The Crescent Moon Kingdoms finished? Ongoing (2012–present).
- How much reading does The Crescent Moon Kingdoms take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book · ~304 pages).
- How is The Crescent Moon Kingdoms ranked? #796 in this site's official ranking, based on 11,975 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #796?
Ranked #796 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.65 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (11,975 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #795, Household Gramarye (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 1 book · Ongoing · 12k ratings · Ranks #796 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment sword-and-sorcery universe that's still ongoing, with new books still coming.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- Locus Award (Best First Novel), 2013: won: Throne of the Crescent Moon
- Hugo Award (Best Novel), 2013: nominated: Throne of the Crescent Moon
- Nebula Award (Best Novel), 2012: nominated: Throne of the Crescent Moon
- David Gemmell Morningstar Award (Best Fantasy Newcomer), 2013: nominated: Throne of the Crescent Moon
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.65 across 11,975 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: The Crescent Moon Kingdoms (Saladin Ahmed) accepted 2026-09-28
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Wikipedia Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-09-28
Rule: Core Canon = Throne of the Crescent Moon (2012), the only published novel; further Crescent Moon Kingdoms novels join when published.