Samak the Ayyar
A Tale of Ancient Persia
Columbia University Press
Published on 3. August 2021
Book
Paperback/Softback
464 pages
978-0-231-19879-0 (ISBN)
Description
The adventures of Samak, a trickster-warrior hero of Persia's thousand-year-old oral storytelling tradition, are beloved in Iran. Samak is an ayyar, a warrior who comes from the common people and embodies the ideals of loyalty, selflessness, and honor-a figure that recalls samurai, ronin, and knights yet is distinctive to Persian legend. His exploits-set against an epic background of palace intrigue, battlefield heroics, and star-crossed romance between a noble prince and princess-are as deeply rooted in Persian culture as are the stories of Robin Hood and King Arthur in the West. However, this majestic tale has remained little known outside Iran.
Translated from the original Persian by Freydoon Rassouli and adapted by Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner, this timeless masterwork can now be enjoyed by English-speaking readers. A thrilling and suspenseful saga, Samak the Ayyar also offers a vivid portrait of Persia a thousand years ago. Within an epic quest narrative teeming with action and supernatural forces, it sheds light on the lives of ordinary people and their social worlds. This is the first complete English-language version of a treasure of world culture. The translation is grounded in the twelfth-century Persian text while paying homage to the dynamic culture of storytelling from which it arose.
Translated from the original Persian by Freydoon Rassouli and adapted by Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner, this timeless masterwork can now be enjoyed by English-speaking readers. A thrilling and suspenseful saga, Samak the Ayyar also offers a vivid portrait of Persia a thousand years ago. Within an epic quest narrative teeming with action and supernatural forces, it sheds light on the lives of ordinary people and their social worlds. This is the first complete English-language version of a treasure of world culture. The translation is grounded in the twelfth-century Persian text while paying homage to the dynamic culture of storytelling from which it arose.
Reviews / Votes
This ancient Persian tale of adventure and romance comes to marvelous life in Jordan Mechner's fluent, fast-paced rendering of Freydoon Rassouli's modern translation. Epic in its sweep and human passions, it conjures a captivating world of warriors, princesses, renegades, viziers and witches. A treasure of world literature to place beside Gilgamesh, The Odyssey and the Thousand and One Nights. -- Eric Jager, author of <i>The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France</i> This medieval Persian romance which enjoys enormous popularity in the Persian-speaking world is translated in a very attractive way, following the Persian technique of storytelling. Conveying the spirit of the original, Mechner and Rassouli are an exceptional match to carry out this difficult task. Samak the Ayyar will attract a broad readership with different cultural backgrounds. -- Asghar Seyed-Gohrab, author of <i>Courtly Riddles: Enigmatic Embellishments in Early Persian Poetry</i> [F]ast-paced, exciting narratives which retain the interest of the readers and make them wish for more . . . highly recommended. * Asian Review of Books * The text while being very simple and close to spoken language is of particular interest due to the large number of rare and archaic Persian words. * Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies * The first major English-language rendering of these tales, Samak reveals a charmed world fit for a blockbuster HBO series, but more than that, it shows a sweep of heroism, betrayal, and friendship worthy of Gilgamesh or the Odyssey. -- Kevin Blankinship * Los Angeles Review of Books *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 143 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
550 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-231-19879-0 (9780231198790)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Samak the Ayyar
A Tale of Ancient Persia
E-Book
09/2021
1st Edition
Columbia University Press
€33.99
Available for download
Persons
Freydoon Rassouli is an artist, author, and translator whose books include Fusionart, Rumi Revealed, and The Book of Creativity. His artworks have been exhibited widely, and he painted two major street murals in Venice, California, and downtown Los Angeles.
Jordan Mechner is a New York Times best-selling author, screenwriter, graphic novelist, and game designer. He is the creator of Prince of Persia, one of the world's most successful video game franchises, which he also adapted as a feature film. His books include the Eisner-nominated graphic novel Templar (2013).
Jordan Mechner is a New York Times best-selling author, screenwriter, graphic novelist, and game designer. He is the creator of Prince of Persia, one of the world's most successful video game franchises, which he also adapted as a feature film. His books include the Eisner-nominated graphic novel Templar (2013).
Content
Introduction
Part I
Section 1: The Princess of Chin
1. The Sun Prince
2. The Mystery of the Ring
3. The Witch Nurse
4. A Minstrel Maiden
5. The Witch's Dungeon
6. The Vizier's Son
7. A Fatal Banquet
Section 2: The People's Defenders
8. The Grave Robber
9. The Prince of Machin
10. Stone Alley
11. Surrendering the Princess
12. Refuge Among Warriors
13. A Clash of Champions
14. Samak and Atashak
15. The Truce
Section 3: Machin
16. An Impregnable Fortress
17. Reinforcements
18. In the Enemy's City
19. The Brothers
20. Enemy Agents
21. Rescue from Torture
22. New Friends
Section 4: Falaki Fortress
23. An Ocean of Warriors
24. Victory and Defeat
25. The Missing Princess
26. A Brave Envoy
27. The Wedding Thief
28. Sorkhvard's Secret
29. Trail of a Lion
30. Massacre in a Canyon
31. Lovers Reunited
Part II
Section 5: Zafron Plains
32. King's Bargain, Ayyars Dig
33. A Royal Marriage
34. Samak Fears for His Friends
35. Newlyweds Abducted
36. Battle of Princes
37. A Watchman's Reward
38. Samak Is Captured
Section 6: Twelve Canyons
39. An Ayyar's Daughter
40. The Royal Ring
41. The Ayyars of Twelve Canyons
42. Rescued by Her Rival
43. A Clan Divided
44. A Double Rescue
45. An Army Ambushed
46. Wine for a Feast
47. A Locked Gate
48. Message from a Princess
Section 7: Guran Meadow
49. An Ayyar's Reward
50. A Life for a Life
51. In the Giant's Lair
52. Death of a Prince
53. The Stone Warriors
54. A Plate of Halvah
55. Head of a Hero
To Be Continued
Guide to Kingdoms and Characters
Part I
Section 1: The Princess of Chin
1. The Sun Prince
2. The Mystery of the Ring
3. The Witch Nurse
4. A Minstrel Maiden
5. The Witch's Dungeon
6. The Vizier's Son
7. A Fatal Banquet
Section 2: The People's Defenders
8. The Grave Robber
9. The Prince of Machin
10. Stone Alley
11. Surrendering the Princess
12. Refuge Among Warriors
13. A Clash of Champions
14. Samak and Atashak
15. The Truce
Section 3: Machin
16. An Impregnable Fortress
17. Reinforcements
18. In the Enemy's City
19. The Brothers
20. Enemy Agents
21. Rescue from Torture
22. New Friends
Section 4: Falaki Fortress
23. An Ocean of Warriors
24. Victory and Defeat
25. The Missing Princess
26. A Brave Envoy
27. The Wedding Thief
28. Sorkhvard's Secret
29. Trail of a Lion
30. Massacre in a Canyon
31. Lovers Reunited
Part II
Section 5: Zafron Plains
32. King's Bargain, Ayyars Dig
33. A Royal Marriage
34. Samak Fears for His Friends
35. Newlyweds Abducted
36. Battle of Princes
37. A Watchman's Reward
38. Samak Is Captured
Section 6: Twelve Canyons
39. An Ayyar's Daughter
40. The Royal Ring
41. The Ayyars of Twelve Canyons
42. Rescued by Her Rival
43. A Clan Divided
44. A Double Rescue
45. An Army Ambushed
46. Wine for a Feast
47. A Locked Gate
48. Message from a Princess
Section 7: Guran Meadow
49. An Ayyar's Reward
50. A Life for a Life
51. In the Giant's Lair
52. Death of a Prince
53. The Stone Warriors
54. A Plate of Halvah
55. Head of a Hero
To Be Continued
Guide to Kingdoms and Characters