Pottermore releases Harry Potter audiobooks in Arabic via Storytel

Harry Potter fans in the Arab world are in for a big surprise this year as European audiobook firm Storytel is set to release the Arabic audio versions of the Harry Potter books.

According to a press release by Storytel, the Arabic audiobook debut was to come in the Cairo International Book Fair, which ran from 23 January until 5 February 2019.

Sweden-based Storytel, which has partnered with the Wizarding World™’s digital publisher Pottermore, said that the Arabic audio format is narrated by top voice-over artist Samaan Ferizali.

The Arabic audiobook of The Boy Who Lived will be offered exclusively via Storytel’s platform.

“The collaboration is expected to expand Storytel’s audience and bring the Harry Potter series to listeners in the Arab world,” Storytel said.

“We are very pleased with Ferizali’s work in this project. It took us several months of auditions and evaluations as well as a series of surveys among Harry Potter fans before we arrived at our final decision. Ferizali is doing a fantastic job in bringing over 150 characters to life in the series,” commented country manager for Storytel Arabia Ammar Mardawi.

He went on to say that the Harry Potter phenomenon has helped many people around the world become regular book consumers by captivating their imagination and emotions.

Storytel will begin with the first book in the series Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and will continue to release the remaining books throughout 2019.

“The debut of the Arabic audiobook version of Harry Potter is a major milestone for Storytel Arabia as it will introduce them to the audiobook experience for the first time. We are announcing the Arabic audiobooks of Harry Potter at the Cairo book fair because of the outstanding Harry Potter fan base among Egyptian young people,” Mardawi added.

Personally, I’ve been to this year’s Cairo Book Fair and haven’t seen any major announcements about the Arabic Harry Potter audiobooks but then again with the fair being relocated from its usual spot to an off-the-beaten-track location, I wasn’t searching for it. Besides, I’ve read all the books in the series in English. But I will try to pursue this and see what people think.

I have, however, read bits of Nahdet Misr Publishing’s translation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone a while back and was highly unimpressed. The translation is more of an abridged version. I’m not sure if there are other Arabic versions of the book and if so, which one Storytel would be using.

But I must say I agree with Mardawi that the Harry Potter books were a world of adventure for me that only brought about the bookworm hiding within.

Geeky Guide to Magical Rings

Everyone loves a little bling, and superheroes are no different. www.custommade.com has created an infographic entitled “Geeky Guide to Magical Rings” detailing some of the most famous rings we’ve seen in literature, along with the characters that wear them.

One of the more famous rings is the Green Lantern Power Ring. In The Green Lantern comic, the Green Lantern’s Power Ring gives the wearer the ability to control the physical world, and was worn by Alan Scott. His original ring was magically powered, however, subsequent rings were created by the Guardians of the Universe.

We take a to The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, where we see Thomas’s wedding ring get magical powers once  he’s transported to “The Land”.

The One Ring debuted in The Hobbit, and was created by Sauron the Dark Lord. The Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit follow up, is the tale of the quest to destroy the ring in order to keep Sauron from finishing his evil plans.

Another ring famous in the Harry Potter series is the resurrection stone, which is able to summon the deceased.

The Wood Between the Worlds Rings were created from magical dust found in Atlantis, and appeared in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. Each ring takes you to a special place.

The Phantom Rings, from The Phantom, also appear in this infographic, with both the good mark and the bad mark being expanded upon.

Feel free to like, share, and comment on this infographic from www.custommade.com entitled “Geeky Guide to Magical Rings”.

Click to Enlarge Image











A Geeky Guide to Magical Rings Infographic by CustomMade

Doxy - Poem by Nada Adel Sobhi

Doxy, you little mean beastie
are you going to hurt me?
An extra pair of hairy legs and arms,
what could you possibly be wanting to harm?
Fairy-like thick wings and human form,
with you around, who could go to their dorm?
Five hundred eggs at a time?
My dear, your reproduction is beyond fine!
Labelled by the Ministry XXX
Can you also perform a hex?
And they sell your yucky droppings
and say we'll get better grades and less failings
Doxy, you mean Doxy!
Get away from me,
and stop trying to hurt me!

This is a REALLY OLD poem of mine inspired by the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, particularly Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them :)

A Doxy is a bit like a Pixie but hairier and much more mischievous.

Doxy artwork from harrypotter.fandom.com