Abu and the Seven Marvels is a 2002 illustrated fairy tale novel by Richard Matheson, and illustrated by William Stout. Abu is a Persian varlet who seeks the hand of Princess Alicia, in a love triangle with the scheming Grand Vizier Zardak. Inspired heavily by Arabian Nights, Abu must seek tokens from each of the seven marvels of the world in order to win Alicia's hand. He is accompanied by a washed-up genie and his little brother Mut.
Reception Publishers Weekly stated that it was "(w)himsical and diabolically clever" and "a gem", ABU AND THE 7 MARVELS, reviewed at Publishers Weekly; published April 15, 2002; retrieved September 11, 2019 while The Guardian called it "charming".Richard Matheson obituary, by Christopher Hawtree, in The Guardian; published June 25, 2013; retrieved September 11, 2019
Art William Stout described his participation in the project as "a labor of love", and noted that his original artwork — "several elaborate and well-researched full color illustrations" — was rejected by Matheson as too "serious".Richard Matheson 1926 - 2013, by William Stout, at WilliamStout.com; published June 26, 2013; retrieved September 11, 2019
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