Who is Ahmed Khaled Tawfik?
Ahmed Khaled Tawfik Farag was an Egyptian writer and physician, commonly known as Ahmed Khaled Tawfik. He authored over 500 books in both Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian dialect, pioneering the genres of horror and science fiction in contemporary Arabic literature. He specialized in fantasy fiction, producing graphic novels, short stories, and full-length novels. The late Egyptian author was responsible for some of the most remarkable and best-selling books in the Arab world, with more than 15 million copies sold.
Birth and Early Life of Ahmed Khaled Tawfik
Tawfik was born on June 10, 1962, in Tanta, Northern Egypt. He graduated from the College of Medicine at Tanta University in 1985 and earned his Ph.D. in 1997. Additionally, he served as a professor of tropical medicine at Tanta University. Although Tawfik pursued a career in medicine, he considered writing to be a hobby. Even while producing around twenty books annually, he was able to practice medicine concurrently.
Ahmed Khaled Tawfik’s First Novel
He began his career in 1992 at the Arab Modern Publishing House as a horror author for the “Ma Wara’ Al-Tabi’ah” series. His first novel, titled “The Vampire Legend,” was written during this time. However, publishers were skeptical about the commercial viability of horror novels among Egyptian readers, leading to its initial rejection. They requested that he write a detective novel instead. Undeterred, Tawfik continued to advocate for his work until another committee reviewed the manuscript, resulting in its eventual publication.
Tawfik’s Views on Arab Readers
Tawfik acknowledged that horror literature was not particularly popular among Arab readers during his time. Nevertheless, he chose to pursue his passion, regardless of the financial implications. He once stated, “Generally, Arab readers do not favor horror; they tend to prefer social, romantic, drama, and political narratives, often those that combine romance with drama and politics.” However, he believed that Arab youth were open to such genres, making them his target audience. Consequently, his creative works found a place in the hearts and minds of young readers, who embraced him wholeheartedly.
Ahmed Khaled Tawfik’s Works
Tawfik’s body of work includes numerous novels, series, articles, and short story collections. Here are some of the most notable:
Series
- Ma Wara’ Al-Tabi’ah: Launched in 1992.
- Fantasia Series: Initiated in 1995.
- Safari Series: Started in 1996.
- WWW Series: Released in printed form in 2006.
Novels
- Utopia: Released in early 2008, translated into English, French, German, and Finnish.
- The Gun: Published in 2012.
- Like Icarus: Released in 2015.
- In the Rats’ Corridor: Published in 2016.
- Shababib: Released in 2018.
Short Story Collections or Articles
- Rainbow: Released in 2005 by Leila Publishing House.
- You Are Not Worth a Dog: Released in 2006 by Leila Publishing House.
- Now We Open the Box 1: Released in 2007 by Diamond Book and Leila Publishing House.
- 7 Faces of Love: Released in 2007 by Diamond Book and Leila Publishing House.
- A Mind Without a Body: Released in 2008 by Diamond Book.
- Room 207: Released in 2008 by Diamond Book.
- Adrenaline Lovers: Released in 2008 by Diamond Book.
- My Brain Like This: Released in 2008 by Arab Modern Publishing.
- E.S.P: Released in 2009 by Leila Publishing House.
- Bubbles: Released in 2009 by Leila Publishing House.
- Now We Open the Box 3: Released in 2010 by Leila Publishing House.
- Mint Tea: Released in 2012 by Leila Publishing House.
- Coffee with Uranium: Released in 2012 by Leila Publishing House.
- You Are Not Alone: Released in January 2012 by Spark Publishing and Distribution.
- Aquarelle: Released in 2013 by Sama Publishing House.
- Whispers and Hallucinations: Released in January 2014 by Leila Publishing House.
- A Rude Boy: Released in 2015 by Leila Publishing House.
- Joy of the Graveyard: Released in 2018 by Al Karma Publishing after his death.
- No Place for Boredom: Released in 2019 by Kayan Publishing and Distribution after his death.
- Night Companions: Released in 2019 by Al Karma Publishing after his death.
The Passing of Ahmed Khaled Tawfik
On April 2, 2018, the esteemed writer and physician passed away in Gharbia Governorate at the age of 55 due to a severe heart attack caused by ventricular arrhythmia. He left behind a legacy rich in science fiction, horror, and thrillers.