Customer Reviews

The Terrorists of Irustan

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I picked up this book because the author wrote to my sf/f book group to introduce herself. I wanted to see what her books were like, and now I intend to seek out more. I expected the book to be like "The Handmaid's Tale," but, though the themes were similar, I thought Marley's writing was more full-blooded than Atwood's (perhaps because she is more familiar with the science fiction genre). The book is beautifully written--Marley has a distinctive writing voice--and ultimately heartbreaking. I did cry at the end. The characters are subtly and fully drawn. Although not without a few small faults (I didn't quite buy Qadir's conversion), I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading thoughtful, thought-provoking science fiction.

Marley's beautiful, compelling science fiction novel is at once heartbreaking and uplifting, as it follows the frustrated lives of women living in a repressive religious society. The world of Irustan is detailed, subtle in its range of customs, and wholly believeable. The empowerment of a small group of women through acts of biological terrorism is exciting in its inexorable unfolding.

I absolutely could not put this book down!

It is impossible to read this book without the perspective of 9/11 and the subsequent "war on terror". "Terrorists of Irustan" raises a slew of uncomfortable questions that have gained startling relevance in the last several years, many of which, unfortunately, have been stifled and deflected to the point we're encouraged not to think about them. For this reason, I think "Irustan" - which deals with Islam, women's rights, terrorism, and self-defense vs. pre-emptive action, among other things - has gained in depth and meaning since its original writing.

On the planet of Irustan, Muslim fundamentalists who follow the "Second Prophet" have created a society that's just to the right of the Taliban. One of the peculiarities of Irustani society is the focus on the mind and soul to the exclusion of the body, which means that medicine - with its fixation of disease and imperfection - is seen as a practice fit only for women. Zahra ibSada is a medicant who has had it up to here with patching up abused women and children and sending them back to the husbands and fathers who own them, so when a friend comes to her in desperation because her young daughter is about to be given to a man who has already killed two wives, Zahra steels herself to do the unthinkable.

At first, Zahra tries to limit her actions to self-defense, acting only to save the lives of her friends and their children. Soon, however, she realizes that simply reacting will not be enough. She must seek to outright change her society if the abuse is to stop, and that's when she moves into the tricky realm of terrorism. She starts choosing victims carefully, hoping to send a message, knowing all the while that each step could be her last.

Putting such a human face on terrorism is a bold move, and forces us to question the one-dimensional portrayal we usually accept. When you're absolutely powerless, when you live your life in virtual slavery, the "property" of another human being, what other choice do you have? Is it terrorism for a slave to harm her owner? To harm another slave's owner? How does a slave change the institution of slavery? What happens when terrorism is not only the only answer, but the right one?

As always, I am supremely impressed by Marley's abilities to craft complex, nuanced characters and to make us genuinely care for them. Her vision of Irustan makes it easy to understand the mixed feelings of so many characters; an alien world that is beautiful and harsh, traditional and unforgiving. This book is highly recommended reading for anyone who refuses to accept sound-bite explanations of the current situation in the Middle East or simplistic answers to the most difficult dilemmas facing us today.

This was the first book in a new book club some friends and I formed. The book was chosen in August, 2001, but it wasn't until after 9-11 that I actually picked up the book to read. It was very odd and disconcerting to read at that time due to the title and subject matter, but I think in a way it helped me deal with emotions I was going through in the aftermath. As someone who has a degree in Anthropology, I'd previously ended up reading little bits and pieces of depictions of Islamic life - and fundamentalist Islamic life - enough that it was pretty obvious Marley did her homework prior to writing this. But it brought ethnography to life in a metaphorical context. It took what could have been a story easily played out here on Earth, and isolated it away enough to take it soley on its own terms.

In a previous review here, someone said this is not her best work. If it's not, I'm impressed - this book was enough to make me want to read pretty much anything else she puts in print.

I picked this up at the library on a whim and found I couldn't put it down. Other reviewers have covered the plot summary, so I won't elaborate on that. I will say that the powerful emotions evoked by the darkly realistic tale kept me awake and thinking. Midway through the book, the events play out somewhat predictably, but the focus of the book is, rightly, not so much about the plot as it is about making the reader think. A powerful story, it reminds one of how women have been treated throughout the ages, first as property and later, as lesser citizens until today, when such repression still occurs in parts of the world. Yet it's such a well-written book that I'd recommend it even to the non-feminists among us. It's a story of one woman, one character who fights against her world in order to change it. The author has fashioned a masterly portrayal of the protagonist that will be remembered by the reader long after the book has been put down.

This is one of those books I'll hold onto and read again in a couple of years. I picked this book up quite some time ago, after someone mentioned Ms. Marley was local author and that it was a good read. "Good Read" doesn't really begin to describe it! I don't believe I've felt such a connection to a set of characters since I read Barbara Kingsolvers book "The Bean Trees" -- I can't recommend it enough.

This book was a true pleasure to read; although classified as sci fi or sci fantasy, it appealed to me, one who normally reads more mainstream. It parallels the injustices on Earth that women face at the hands of their "religion" and the men who created the religion. The main character is brave, stoic, smart, and true-to-life. She slowly moves from acceptance of her fate to challenging the powers-that-be on behalf of her sisters. The plot is satisfying and worth the time spent. Check it out!

If you want a quick, scary trip of the imagination, try Irustan, Marley's finely detailed, dark world. The dystopian setting is relieved by spunky, brilliant women to care about. Salted with moral dilemmas and startling plot turns, this is feminist science fiction at its best!

Zahra IbSada is a compelling heroine in an untenable position. This novel is a dark, compelling look at a society that is an analog of the most repressive of Earth's cultures--only science fiction allows authors to explore in this way. The characters will live on in your mind after you close the book, so watch out!

"The Terrorists of Irustan" is a novel set in the future on a planet distant from Earth, but it has a rather timeless, almost present-day feel to it. Comparisons with the Middle East are hard to ignore.

Irustan is a planet where women have no rights whatsoever. The story interweaves the tales of two women: Zahra, a "medicant" (doctor), who lives on Irustan, and Jin-Li Chung, a woman from Earth who works on Irustan and who is masquerading as a man. When Zahra becomes sickened, frustrated, and horrified by the abuse she sees happening around her, she takes matters into her own hands.

Character development is excellent here, and the plot moves briskly along. At times this story is gut-wrenching and hard to take, but it's nevertheless a real page turner.