Shahnameh
The Epic of the Persian Kings
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Shahnameh
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Narrated by:
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Marc Thompson
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Francis Ford Coppola - introduction
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By:
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Ferdowsi
About this listen
The new, impeccable translation and adaptation of the Epic of Persian Kings by Ahmad Sadri brought to life a host of heroic characters and wove their adventures into a thrilling story spanning thousands of years. Containing four grand tragedies and four beautiful love stories, the audiobook is currently going into its fifth edition. It has been a smashing success. We are delighted to present a 12-hour audio experience of this text (performed by the award-winning voice actor, Marc Thompson) against the backdrop of evocative sound design and music editing of Hamid Rahmanian the creator of the Shahnameh project.
Now, make sure you have a good set of headphone/speakers and tighten your seat belts. This immersive audio experience will take you on a journey back to the soundscape of ancient Iranian heroes, monsters, lovers, and warriors. This is going to be one heck of a ride.
About the Book: Shahnameh: The Epic of the Persian Kings is the illustrated edition of the classic work written over one thousand years ago by Abolqasem Ferdowsi, one of Persia's greatest poets. This new prose translation of the national epic is illuminated with over 500 pages of illustrations and will be published in April 2013. The lush and intricate illustrations in this edition have been created by award-winning graphic artist and filmmaker Hamid Rahmanian, incorporating images from the pictorial tradition of the Persianate world from the fourteenth to the nineteenth centuries. The new translation and adaptation by Ahmad Sadri, retells the mythological and epic stories of the original poem in prose format. This Shahnameh is an extraordinary literary and artistic accomplishment.
Published by Liveright , distributed by W. W. Norton & Company Hardcover with slipcase, 592 pages, 500+ four-color illustrations ISBN 978-1-63149-446-8
©2013 Hamid Rahmanian (P)2017 Hamid RahmanianCritic Reviews
"Creating this audiobook breathes new life into the Shahnameh stories. It is an immersive experience, making these ancient tales tangible for those who are new to these incredible heroic stories and a delight for those already familiar with the poem" (Francis Ford Coppola)
What listeners say about Shahnameh
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 13-08-2020
Amazing recreation of Ferdowsi's masterpiece
This is one of the most unique audiobook experiences I have ever had. The sound effects and the lively and emotional narration make it so that the piece plays more like a radio play rather than just a translation of the original text.
Ever since childhood, I was infatuated with the stories of Shahnameh, and would buy, read and re-read retellings and illustrations of Ferdowsi's book aimed at children and youth. After reaching high school, my interactions with the stories of Shahnameh decreased to whatever few verses that were included in Iran's standard high school Persian literature books at the time.
However, when I stumbled upon this audiobook about a year ago, I found that my childish joy and enthusiasm for the Shahnameh and Ancient Iranian mythology bloomed anew, as if I had found part of myself that was lost since I had left high school; and I have listened to this audiobook over three times at the time of writing this review. To me, this rendition of the book powerfully portrayed the epic stories and legends described in the Shahnameh and other pieces of Iranian mythology, and brought to life the vivid images that my young self had formed in his mind after first reading the stories of the Shahnameh.
All that being said, there are two points of criticism that came to mind. Firstly, the background sound effects, while immersive and professionally done, were sometimes too loud and the narrator's voice could be barely heard under the sound of swords clashing and trumpets blowing. Secondly and more importantly, I was a bit disappointed to find that this version of the book ended with the epic part of the Shahnameh. While the epic stories retold in this rendition encompass perhaps some of the most powerful, iconic and awe-inspiring legends of the Shahnameh, I was more looking forward to the historical part of the book, wherein Ferdowsi relates the story of Alexander the Great's invasion into Iran, the historical accounts of the later Parthians who removed the Seleucids, and the history of the Sasanian dynasty that ruled over Iran until the Islamic conquest. However this criticism is more personal to me, as I was more interested in the history of pre-Islamic Iran, specifically the Sasanians, at the time of listening to this audiobook.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 16-07-2021
What a tale!
The whole time I couldn’t help but compare it to the likes of the illiad! Loved the story and the storytelling
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