A World Beyond Skyscrapers: Emirati Author Reveals Ras Al Khaimah's Hidden Secrets

The UAE is known for its never-ending skyscrapers and its hustle culture, which is why Emirati entrepreneur and author Dr. Adil Alzarooni wrote the Emirati novel 'The Red Island: The Gatekeeper'. The novel transports readers to 2001 in the Emirates, when a young man sets out to rescue his friend and reunite with his lost love, but jinns and black magic create hurdles in his quest.

'The Red Island' is set in Al Jazirah Al Hamrah, the Red Island, which is a real town in Ras Al Khaimah and is believed to be inhabited by jinns by the local Emirati community. These local stories created the foundation for Dr. Alzarooni’s novel.

“By rooting the story in Al Jazirah Al Hamrah, I was able to create a setting that feels grounded in a real place while remaining open to something beyond it,” the author told UAE Moments.

The island is the only remaining pearling village in the UAE, while the other villages were destroyed with the discovery of oil, which also pushed the island’s inhabitants to emigrate from 1968 to 1971. The village is now on the UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Tentative List because it features traditional architecture, including a fort, watchtowers, a souq, a mosque, and various extensive courtyards. The village features a wide range of dwellings from small homes to two-storey buildings.

A historic site such as the Red Island is not one of the first things people discover about when looking up the UAE online. The Emirates is more renowned for its cosmopolitan cities, but the author chose to write about this rural, abandoned town. “These landscapes hold traces of history, migration, and community life that shape the identity of the region in subtle ways. Exploring them felt like a way of broadening how the UAE is represented, both for local readers and for an international audience, as they may only be familiar with the country’s modern image,” he explained.

“My choice was not about moving away from the UAE that people recognise, but about adding another dimension to it.”

Dr. Alzarooni revealed how expat readers shared with him that “the story gave them a more personal introduction to different aspects of local life and cultural norms.”

'The Red Island' also explores the dynamic Emirati community. “I wanted to capture Emirati family dynamics, traditions and heritage, along with the way people navigate identity in a society that is evolving very quickly,” the author said. One of the cultural elements the Alzarooni has explored is the tradition of Emirati oral storytelling.

“There are moments in the book where elders share stories, where experiences are passed down across generations, and where meaning is conveyed through memory rather than direct explanation… The majlis plays an important role. It is not just a physical setting, but a space where stories, values, and perspectives are exchanged,” the author shared.   

Central to this storytelling tradition are the stories of jinns, about which Dr. Alzarooni says, “Jinn stories are part of a wider cultural and spiritual framework rather than something separate from everyday life.”   

Despite the dominance of short-form content and the rise of AI, readers are still drawn to fantasy stories. Sales of fantasy and science fiction books increased by 41.3 percent between 2023 and 2024, according to a Guardian report. “I think these kinds of stories create space for imagination, and a slower, more interpretive way of thinking. They also provide a kind of cultural grounding in the midst of constant change,” the author said.

In addition to delving into the cultural heritage of the Emirati community, Dr. Alzarooni also explores the clash between the modern world and the traditional values, a phenomenon Gen-Z in the UAE will relate to. 'The Red Island' is set during the 1990s and 2000s, a time period the author grew up in. “Growing up during that time, I was exposed to both worlds simultaneously. There was a strong sense of heritage, community, and continuity, alongside a visible shift towards new lifestyles. . . I do think younger Emiratis can relate to this duality, although the way they experience it today is different. They are more confident in engaging with global culture, while maintaining an interest in heritage and tradition. The duality still exists, but they manage it more consciously,” the writer explained.

Writing a story about the Gulf region was not any easy feat, Dr. Alzarooni revealed that the novel was written over a period of ten years. However, publishing his story was no walk through the park either. 'The Red Island' is a blend of romance, family drama, Emirati culture, and fantasy, which made it a difficult pitch for both local and international publishers. During this process, the author also found that the scope for publishing English-language novels in the Gulf region to be small. The novel did not abide by the frameworks that traditional publishers follow, which led the Emirati writer to opt for the self-publishing route.

After publication, the novel received positive reviews and featured at various regional and international book fairs, including Sharjah, Riyadh, and Indonesia. Dr. Adil Alzarooni also confirmed that the novel is in the process of getting an adaptation. He said, “We are currently in early conversations around potential adaptations, which is exciting.”

Dr. Alzarooni also has another novel in the works, which is based on the story of his step-grandfather, who was the first English-language teacher in the UAE and the founder of its first schools. “Through his story, I want to capture a defining moment in our country’s educational journey and honor the values of curiosity, compassion, and service that shaped generations,” the author said.

With 'The Red Island: The Gate Keeper', Dr. Adil Alzarooni has created a space for Emirati storytelling in the global literary landscape, and we hope he continues to do so with his future works.