Genre: Fiction/HistoricalPages: 388
Publisher: Create space
Book Jacket:
A story of redemption and self-examination, The Pahlavi Sword introduces SAVAK security Captain Jamsheed Al-Armaghani, the young, handsome officer who finds himself at risky odds with his immediate supervisor, Commander Farouk Nabizadeh. SAVAK’s systematic torture of Evin Prison’s inmates infuriates and confronts Jamsheed’s conscience and security status to the point of underground resistance. Subsequently, he is publicly branded a fugitive of the law, which compels him to forge a fragile, unlikely alliance with outlawed, anti-regime resistance fighters and political organizations, including the communist-leaning Tudeh Party. His one-year asylum under the protection of Tehran’s Assyrian Church subjects him to a brief romantic encounter with loyal church member Fareeda, an outspoken, nurse and daring Assyrian freedom fighter. He is also conflicted by his own covert actions, constantly questioning whether they are driven by his instinctive desire to seek justice or revenge, particularly when obsessed by an unrelenting crave to embarrass his former commander Nabizadeh before the shah, he blindly admires, and expose him embroiled in multiple scandals, including blackmail, drug trafficking and child kidnapping. As Jamsheed’s world increasingly slips on the fast track of regime change, he and brother Mahmood reluctantly flee Iran before travel restrictions are imposed, as their homeland is poised to welcome its exiled religious leader, the Ayatollah Raola Khomeini, in February of 1979. Whether or not Jamsheed Al-Armaghani returns to Iran is ultimately influenced by Evin’s former inmate, Thuraya Al Gailani.
Book Review:
The Pahlavi sword is the debut book of Jemil metti. To be frank I was reluctant to start this book. I was not expecting this book to be good but now I admit was wrong. Thank god I read this book. I have no qualms in saying this that this book is among one of the finest books I have read in recent time. The author has done an outstanding job.The story gyrates around Jamsheed Al- Armagahi, who was an officer at a low enforcement unit infamous for tortures and rapes, SAVAK. He found his brother Mahmood, Ali and Thuraya in the malicious radar of his senior officer Nabizadeh. Series of events turned Jamsheed into a figurative. After one year asylum at tehran’s Assyria church he starts planning for the unthinkable with his partners which could change the face and future of the country.
The character of Jamsheed is perfect and realistic. Like every other human he enjoys his power and overlooked the wrong until the same wrong happened with him. He was insure, coward, emotional and calculative. Nabizadeh is such an idle negative character, that every reader would want him to be decimated in a nasty way. Every single character of this book was important and impactful.
This book is a roller costar of events. The pace was perfect and will force the reader to turn pages one after another. For me it was difficult to keep this book away from my hands. The book has also wonderfully portrayed the coming of mujahideens, the regime of Shah mohammad reza pahlavi in Iran, Saddam hussain’s regime in Iraq and the revolution of 1979 in Iran which overthrown the Pahlavi dynasty.
Overall, I believe it’s an excellent book with a perfect blend of emotions, cruelty, action and relationships. It’s a must read book.
Rated- 5/5
