Bassam and the Seven Secret Scrolls

Bassam, Book 1

By: Paul B. Skousen

Narrated by: Mark Deakins

What if you knew the seven most powerful ideas in the world?

For a thousand years rumors spread among the desert peoples that mysterious scrolls containing fantastic secrets had fashioned the Abdali-ud-din into the richest, most powerful trading dynasty in the world. Men would kill for such knowledge. Indeed, they had killed. And then suddenly, the scrolls simply disappeared.

This is the story of the last holder of the scrolls, an old chief named Zafir. Worried that his life was nearly spent, Zafir chose young Bassam to be his heir to the scrolls. Was Bassam ready? To prove the young man Zafir took him on a caravan trek with the intent of teaching him the scrolls. And then, partway into the trip, a startling surprise changed everything.

The scrolls are timeless. Those who come to understand them discover how these simple messages enrich a meaningful life, and disclose the secrets for lasting prosperity.

©2014 Paul B. Skousen (P)2014 Izzard Ink Publishing

Critic reviews

Audible Hidden Gem August 2015 (Audible.com)

"Paul Skousen could be described as the Ayn Rand of the desert. He weaves a surprising message into a tapestry of unexpected threads, placing his protagonist in a very different environment than might be anticipated for a story of individual liberty and self-determination. Read it for yourself, give it to your (older) children, better still, give it to your liberal friends; everyone might learn something useful in addition to enjoying a rollicking good story." (Stefan Bartelski, Host of the Patriot Come Lately Radio Show)

"Paul Skousen shows us he has the gifts of descriptive metaphors and modifiers of all kinds. He makes Bassam and the Seven Secret Scrolls so interesting, so down to earth, that a book one may never have considered reading becomes one which changes one's soul." (Michael J. Thompson - AML)

Throughly Enjoyed This Book Can't Wait for the Second book

This book fed my imagination and it was absolutely delicious. Love the narrator and the story is superb.

Not what I expected... But I loved it anyway!

If you could sum up Bassam and the Seven Secret Scrolls in three words, what would they be?

Words to live by. (Ok... four words :P)

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bassam and the Seven Secret Scrolls?

The heartbreak and encounter at the end of the book.

Which scene was your favorite?

The closing scene.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed. I pondered. I cringed. I reveled.

Any additional comments?

Just listen to the book! You won't regret it.

Very enjoyable

I will be listening to the next in the series. Great listen while commuting in the car

Slow start but a good read!

Would you consider the audio edition of Bassam and the Seven Secret Scrolls to be better than the print version?

This book was a little slow starting but I can't wait to see book 2. The Seven Secret Scrolls are a guide for a successful life, both in the time the store took place and today.

better than expected

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

So i didn't know the author, and so was hesitant to purchase this book. Listening to the first 30 min, I was hooked. I finished it in a little less than 2 weeks. I would recommend this to a friend. My wife has started listening to this book as well and really likes it.

What did you like best about this story?

The adventure. I like the part near the end of the chase through the desert.

Which scene was your favorite?

The chase.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I am an animal lover, so the end was hard for me. The author handled it really well. You could tell that he also loves animals.