The Terrorists of Irustan

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: "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.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: "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.

Rating:
Summary: Great writing but an equivocal story
Review: First; I must say I really, really love Louise Marley's writing. It has such feeling. She can capture the physical sounds, scents, tastes of a strange world so well. (Her wonderful Trilogy Sing the Light, Warmth, and Receive the Gift is out of print which is sad because it's an excellent set of sci fi novels. )

I hurried to get Irustan as soon as it hit the shelves. I wasn't so enamoured with it as with the Trilogy. While it is written well, and frankly I couldn't put it down, I questioned the actions of the protagonists (I won't say what they did, I don't want to create a spoiler for anyone reading this) but even though the women in the book are oppressed, I don't think they had the right to do what they did. However, the leader does accept punishment for her actions.

Irustan is of course drawn from cultures on Earth that oppress women (similar to Tepper's Singer from the Sea) Even with this derivation, however, there is a lot of originality. However it is not as original as Atwood's Handmaid's Tale nor Tepper's Singer from the Sea.

Should you read it? Yes, because Marley is a fresh, welcome new science fiction writer of great talent. Is it her best work? I think not.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible...
Review: I was skeptical when I first read the plot description for "The Terrorists of Irustan", but Marley pulls it off successfully. Towards the end, this novel becomes a real page-turner. I sped through the final hundred pages in one sitting. Even though the actual plot events are somewhat predictable, each scene is developed with such care that I couldn't stop reading.

The planet of Irustan is a rigidly religious society where women hold no political power and are frequently abused or even killed by their husbands. Of course, we know that there are places on Earth right now where such conditions aren't fictional, but Marley brings the situation to life by taking us inside the head of the female main character. Zahra, a medical professional (medicant) in the main city on Irustan, must treat injured women on a daily basis. The author does a wonderful job of showing her frustration and her determination to fight back against society. Unfortunately, most of the minor characters are largely ignored, but the overall effect of the story is still powerful. I won't explain what Zahra does, but I will say that Marley's analysis of her emotional state throughout the book makes her one of the most memorable characters that I've ever encountered in a science fiction novel. And although there are a few loose threads that don't get tied up at the end, the conclusion is still a powerful scene in its own right. Pick up a copy of "The Terrorists of Irustan"; you won't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: The Terrorists of Irustan
Review: 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!

Rating:
Summary: Lines of reality and fantasy blur
Review: This is a story you will not be able to put down, and certainly it will stay in your mind when you are not reading it. It is science fiction/fantasy that has multiple layers and can lead to some deep questions. The parallels to the Middle East cannot be avoided; but the story is so well crafted, that is not a distraction. Surprises emerge when you think you have the characters and plot figured out. And the characters are so well developed, you really get to understand them. I thought Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" and Walker's "Possessing the Secret of Joy" were the most wrenching books on the repression of women in parts of the world, but Marley is masterful in this book. I can highly recommend this novel and this author. Don't miss "The Glass Harmonica" as well.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: well, what can i say
Review: Well, what makes a great book? when i read this book, it made me wonder, it made me think, it made me really think... I absolutely positively loved it. it has history, it has depth, it has morals- heck, this is one great peice of literature