The Arabian Nightmare: A Novel

Name: The Arabian Nightmare: A Novel
Price: 13.77 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.3 (60 reviews)
Author: Robert Irwin

by Robert Irwin

Literary Fiction Fantasy

4.3 (60)

4.3 stars from 60 reviews

296 pages~4.9 hr readPublished by Viking AdultPublished 1987-01-01

$13.77At peak price

Last checked: Jun 1, 2026

Price history: $1.99 – $13.77

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Price range: $1.99 – $13.77

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Perfect for you if...

You love metafictional games and nested stories that reward close reading and multiple interpretations.
You're drawn to Middle Eastern settings and Islamic philosophy explored through experimental narrative.
You appreciate prose that's learned and playful at once, mixing scholarly erudition with wry humour.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer straightforward plots with clear resolutions and a protagonist you can root for.
You find experimental fiction frustrating when the form overwhelms the emotional stakes.
You want escapist adventure rather than a book that demands you sit with ambiguity and rethink what you've read.

About this book

The Arabian Nightmare follows an insomniac young man who guides readers through the narrow streets of Cairo, a city characterized by mystery, deceit, and trickery. He narrates a complex web of dreams and imaginings that shift between learned experiences, erotic adventure, and dry humor. The novel blends elements of travelogue, fable, dream narrative, confessional, and fantasy into a single work. It presents a thought-provoking puzzle involving sex, philosophy, and theology, with narrative structures that layer stories within stories. The result is a richly constructed work that reveals new dimensions with each reading, much like an intricate nested box.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$1.99 – $13.77

Price has dropped 28 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 52 days. Typically stays discounted for 29 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #591K in the Kindle store — a niche title.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.3★ from 60 reviews

Review activity has been quiet recently. Rating has dipped slightly from 4.2 to 4.1.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book goes on sale roughly every 52 days. Next drop estimated in about 4 weeks. Typical discount: 86% off.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.