Ali the Book Seller is a novelist and owner of the local bookstore on the Isle of the Crown, Ali's Books.
Background[]
Ali is an honest, myopic shopkeeper, and friend of Hassan the Ferryman. His intelligent eyes are blurry from long nights spent reading by candlelight. Ali has basic knowledge of the the surrounding islands, having studied about them from his prolific reading, but not experience. His shop bears the merchant's crest above its door. Business is steady enough for him, but could be better; people are losing interest in reading. It is a sign of the times. Ali thinks things could be better, if he could only finish his manuscript. He only wishes he had more time to read.[1] The clown Jollo is one of Ali's regular customers.
Ali keeps his bookstore neat and cozy, inviting visitors to stay and read in addition to browsing the shelves. He features children's books, cookbooks, poetry, and other topics. Magic and humor are rare additions to his collections.
When Alexander visited the store, Ali allowed him to keep a poem which had fallen out out a book of poetry he had been reading. He also traded Ye Olde Spell Booke for a rare book of riddles Alexander had procured from the Isle of Wonder. The spellbook proved to be much help to Alexander in his quest to save Cassima.
Personality and traits[]
Ali is a friendly fellow, full of valuable information and good advice. He's always willing to strike a bargain with an interested buyer. He is an old lifelong bachelor[2]. The book shop owner is a thin, middle-aged man. His intelligent eyes are slightly blurry from long nights spent reading by candlelight.
Behind the scenes[]
Ali's title, Ali the Book Seller, originates from the KQ6 hintguide, though he is certainly referred to as Ali in the game.
He and Hakim the Pawn Shop Owner may be named after Ali Hakim, the chauvinistic Persian peddler from Rogers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!".
However, while Ali's name is mentioned in KQ6, the name Hakim is not. So it could be a coincidence, or that the author and editors of the King's Quest Companion, decided to add the reference.