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A review by read_100_books
Samak the Ayyar: A Tale of Ancient Persia by
5.0
I have been looking forward to reading this book since it was released earlier this year. I have studied mythology and the history of the near east for the past 10 years and it is always wonderful to discover something new that adds to the rich history of that region.
In this novel you will see the typical archetypes you do in Classical Greek or Roman mythos: heroes, villains, romance, betrayal, etc., but now its set in a mythical part of Persia. Rassouli and Mechner have done a spectacular job of taking this ancient tale and bringing it to life. The characters, the settings, the story - I was hooked and was always looking forward to see what clever plan Samak would execute next.
This book won’t be for everybody. There are repetitive moments and the reader could easily become lost between the minor characters and battles but I would encourage anybody and everybody to pick it up at least once. It is an easy and fun read! I can’t wait for the next installment.
Side note: I do hope that one day there will be an audiobook. The Middle Eastern world has always been built on oral traditions - poetry in particular - and I would love to listen to Samak’s story in the way it’s meant to be told.
In this novel you will see the typical archetypes you do in Classical Greek or Roman mythos: heroes, villains, romance, betrayal, etc., but now its set in a mythical part of Persia. Rassouli and Mechner have done a spectacular job of taking this ancient tale and bringing it to life. The characters, the settings, the story - I was hooked and was always looking forward to see what clever plan Samak would execute next.
This book won’t be for everybody. There are repetitive moments and the reader could easily become lost between the minor characters and battles but I would encourage anybody and everybody to pick it up at least once. It is an easy and fun read! I can’t wait for the next installment.
Side note: I do hope that one day there will be an audiobook. The Middle Eastern world has always been built on oral traditions - poetry in particular - and I would love to listen to Samak’s story in the way it’s meant to be told.