Book Review by Christine Bode
Publishing Information
Title: The Sufi Surfer
Author: Sharif Khan
Publisher: Self-published
Released: August 8, 2026
Pages: 342
ASIN: B0GX34WNZL
Stars: 4.0
“Oh, I may be pudgy, and a little fudgy, but I’m in love with meeee, and my bodacious bodeeee, and so should you be, with humanity! “Oh, I do admit, I must submit, I’m a Sufi, and a Surfer, and a Sinner.” ~ Amer Fatah
I’ve been following Sharif Khan, author of The Sufi Surfer, on LinkedIn for many years. When I learned about his new book there, it sparked my curiosity, so I bought it on Kindle.
Meet Amer Fatah
The Sufi surfer is an accident-prone, twerking, whirling dervish, toad venom-tripping, frog-like, Pakistani-Italian man with a flatulence problem, and a heart of gold. Amer Fatah professes that he comes from a long line of Italian Sufi saints. He lives in a tent on the Big Sur beach, where he sleeps on his surfboard.
We first meet Amer as he saves his soon-to-be co-worker Ayo. Ayo is a depressed Nigerian man who has lost his will to live. Thankfully, Amer stops him from taking his own life because he’s a great character. Soon after, Amer is recruited to the In-Sight Institute—a New Age spiritual organization founded by a wealthy “guru” named Dod Sen—a perfectly realized antagonist—who just might be a fraud. Nevertheless, Amer becomes his top salesman.
Finding His Place at In-Sight
Amer’s closest friend at the Institute is a beautiful young trans woman named Karima. Karima grew up in meditation retreats and is now the Institute’s Director of Content. They become best friends after Amer also saves her from killing herself. When he learns about her challenging history, Amer commits himself to supporting LGBTQIA rights at In-Sight.
Hijinks ensue as the cast of colourful characters expands. We meet Liban, Oscar, Barakah, and Feza, who are also searching for meaning in their lives and a way to achieve their dreams. As he embarks on his spiritual pilgrimage, Amer seeks to reunite with his divine double, Adnan.
Searching for Meaning Amid the Madness
Beneath all the absurdity, The Sufi Surfer has something sincere to say about authenticity, friendship, belonging, compassion, and personal growth. Amid the outrageous situations and cheeky humour, the novel invites readers to consider where happiness and purpose come from—and what ultimately gives our lives meaning.
A Satire Unlike Any Other
The ending was a complete surprise and utterly fantastical. Moreover, this may be the most unique and farty novel I have ever read. Wildly imaginative, irreverent, and full of heart, The Sufi Surfer takes readers on a chaotic, unconventional journey through friendship, spirituality, and the search for meaning.
The Sufi Surfer has also been described as The White Lotus meets Siddhartha. It also successfully investigates the “Holy Fool” archetype in a highly corporate world.
Amer’s desire for “the world to be a more accepting and loving place, for all people” will appeal to readers, as it champions marginalized people. Moreover, the book debuted as an Amazon #1 New Release in Literary Satire Fiction across North America.
A Few Reservations
The author is excellent at setting scenes, developing characters, and pacing. However, he often describes what each character is wearing, and I’m not sure how important that is to the plot. I also found several editing errors, though they didn’t detract from my enjoyment. I would have liked to know what happened to Ayo and his girlfriend Innocent, Dod Sen, and Oscar and Liban in the end. Maybe someday we’ll find out. The Sufi Surfer was delightful all the same.
Who Will Enjoy The Sufi Surfer?
I would recommend The Sufi Surfer to anyone looking for an eclectic cast of characters who offer genuinely humorous moments. It also includes a few intentional cringe-worthy moments, along with spiritual wisdom and loving insight, for readers to enjoy.
If you love to read book reviews, you might appreciate my latest speculative fiction reviews: The Day the Sky Died by Jason Garman and The Observances by Luna Aslil Kolcu. Or if you love autobiographies, my most popular book review is for Vagabond by the late, great Tim Curry. As always, thanks for reading My Bodacious Blog!