Synopsis – Beni’s Game
‘Beni’s Game’ is a short story about a small boat crossing to the UK, and a deportation flight back to Albania. Three people are waiting for Beni at the airport; two of them are armed; one has a matter to settle with him.
‘As the lights were dimmed for the descent, Beni glanced around him; there were so many British officials on board. He felt the pocket of his rucksack and the flat, oblong form inside to check it was still there. No one’s found it, he thought. He wiped the moisture on his palms along his thighs.’
‘Beni’s Game’ is based on characters in two novels by Paul Alkazraji ‘The Silencer’ and ‘The Migrant’
Author Bio
Paul Alkazraji (first name Muthena) worked as a freelance journalist in the UK from the mid-nineties. His articles were published in Christianity Magazine, The Christian Herald, The Church Times, The Baptist Times and other publications. His travel articles were also published in The Independent. His first book Love Changes Everything, a collection of seven testimonies, was published by Scripture Union in 2001. His second book Heart of a Hooligan, a biography of ex-football hooligan Dave Jeal, was published by Highland Books in 2000. His third book Christ and the Kalashnikov, a biography of missionaries Ian and Caralee Loring, was published by Zondervan in 2001 (all on goodreads).
From 2004 to 2010 he was editor and publisher of Ujëvarë magazine in Albania. His thriller ‘The Silencer’, set in Albania, Greece and Turkey, was published by Highland Books in 2012. His new novel, ‘The Migrant’, set in Albania and Athens during the austerity troubles, was published by Instant Apostle in February 2019. He likes listening to music, being by the Aegean Sea or Ohrid Lake, and skiing when the snow comes.
My Review
This is an interesting short story. Beni’s story focuses on Beni’s journey back to Albania from England. There are several people waiting for him at the airport. The characters are found in other stories by the author, novels The Migrant & The Silencer. I liked the inclusion of the Albanian words at the start of the story.
The story is brief so not able to get the full picture. However, it is enough to engage the reader and have them looking forward to learning more by reading one of the novels that feature these characters. I look forward to reading more.
