What do you think?
Rate this book
Islam Quintet #1-5
The Islam Quintet: Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree, The Book of Saladin, The Stone Woman, A Sultan in Palermo, and Night of the Golden Butterfly
Five nuanced and powerful historical novels depicting the clashes among Muslims, Christians, and Jews from the Crusades to twenty-first-century London.
Celebrated British-Pakistani journalist and author Tariq Ali takes a mind-expanding journey through the ages with these five acclaimed works of fiction, available now in one collection.
Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree: “Ali captures the humanity and splendor of Muslim Spain” in “an enthralling story, unraveled with thrift and verve” (The Independent). For the doomed Moors, the fall of Granada and the approaching forces of Christendom bring not peace but the sword.
The Book of Saladin: After Saladin reclaims the holy city of Jerusalem from the Crusaders, he turns to a Jewish scribe to record his story, which Edward Said calls “a narrative for our time, haunted by distant events and characters who are closer to us than we had dreamed.”
The Stone Woman: “Ali paints a vivid picture of a fading world,” proclaims the New York Times Book Review, as a distant descendant of an exiled Ottoman courtier suffers a stroke in Istanbul, and his family rushes to his side to hear his last stories.
A Sultan in Palermo: In “a marvelously paced and boisterously told novel of intrigue, love, insurrection and manipulation,” cartographer Muhammad al-Idrisi is caught between his friendship with King Roger of Sicily and the resentments of his fellow Muslims (The Guardian).
Night of the Golden Butterfly: A Lahore-born writer living in London is called back to his homeland by an old friend who, at seventy-five, has finally fallen in love. “If Pakistan is a land of untold stories,” writes the New Statesman, Ali is “the country’s finest historian and critic.”
Celebrated British-Pakistani journalist and author Tariq Ali takes a mind-expanding journey through the ages with these five acclaimed works of fiction, available now in one collection.
Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree: “Ali captures the humanity and splendor of Muslim Spain” in “an enthralling story, unraveled with thrift and verve” (The Independent). For the doomed Moors, the fall of Granada and the approaching forces of Christendom bring not peace but the sword.
The Book of Saladin: After Saladin reclaims the holy city of Jerusalem from the Crusaders, he turns to a Jewish scribe to record his story, which Edward Said calls “a narrative for our time, haunted by distant events and characters who are closer to us than we had dreamed.”
The Stone Woman: “Ali paints a vivid picture of a fading world,” proclaims the New York Times Book Review, as a distant descendant of an exiled Ottoman courtier suffers a stroke in Istanbul, and his family rushes to his side to hear his last stories.
A Sultan in Palermo: In “a marvelously paced and boisterously told novel of intrigue, love, insurrection and manipulation,” cartographer Muhammad al-Idrisi is caught between his friendship with King Roger of Sicily and the resentments of his fellow Muslims (The Guardian).
Night of the Golden Butterfly: A Lahore-born writer living in London is called back to his homeland by an old friend who, at seventy-five, has finally fallen in love. “If Pakistan is a land of untold stories,” writes the New Statesman, Ali is “the country’s finest historian and critic.”
1720 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2014
218 people are currently reading
569 people want to read
About the author
Tariq Ali
137 books804 followersTariq Ali (Punjabi, Urdu: طارق علی) is a British-Pakistani historian, novelist, filmmaker, political campaigner, and commentator. He is a member of the editorial committee of the New Left Review and Sin Permiso, and regularly contributes to The Guardian, CounterPunch, and the London Review of Books.
He is the author of several books, including Can Pakistan Survive? The Death of a State (1991) , Pirates Of The Caribbean: Axis Of Hope (2006), Conversations with Edward Said (2005), Bush in Babylon (2003), and Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity (2002), A Banker for All Seasons (2007) and the recently published The Duel (2008).
He is the author of several books, including Can Pakistan Survive? The Death of a State (1991) , Pirates Of The Caribbean: Axis Of Hope (2006), Conversations with Edward Said (2005), Bush in Babylon (2003), and Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity (2002), A Banker for All Seasons (2007) and the recently published The Duel (2008).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 22, 2021
These are five discrete novels unlike Paul Scott's Raj Quartet, Galsworthy's Forsyte Chronicles, or Trollope's Barchester Chronicles and, as such, can certainly be read as stand-alones. The reader will surely prefer some stories more than others. The Stone Woman was the least satisfying for me.
The author is better known as a journalist, non-fiction writer, and documentary filmmaker, and the reader will not find the beautiful literary prose of a Paul Scott with his elegant phrasing and subtle changes in tone. However, I enjoyed these stories as portrayals of Islam in different locations and historical periods.
The author is better known as a journalist, non-fiction writer, and documentary filmmaker, and the reader will not find the beautiful literary prose of a Paul Scott with his elegant phrasing and subtle changes in tone. However, I enjoyed these stories as portrayals of Islam in different locations and historical periods.
August 15, 2015
This isn't an author I was familiar with and I enjoyed reading these stories in Spain where the back and forth of history is really evident. These are about people on the edges of change and how they with it. The stories in the book quintet series (about Muslim communities on the fringes of Islamic culture/society and their relationships with non-Muslims they are in contact with--throughout five different times and places) are in general I think NOT familiar to most readers. And they should be. Ali has chosen fascinating times to write about and the history is good and pretty compelling in terms of education about why and how societies change. I can't say much for the characters and there is a lot of interest in bodily functions. The plot developments of all the books aren't of much interest to me, but they aren't boring. And they allow for a great education regarding these "edges" of empire history.
I think there is something lost in translation here, since Ali's first book won a literary prize in Spain.... I'm willing to acknowledge that.
I think there is something lost in translation here, since Ali's first book won a literary prize in Spain.... I'm willing to acknowledge that.
February 5, 2017
The first four books were truly superb, hence the five-star rating. They were magnificent evocations of Islamic life at different times and places in history, complete with all its richness and thoughtfulness. For those alone, I'd highly recommend the series.
The fifth book, however, was a huge disappointment: the contemporary setting and unappealing characters were like a Pakistani take on Salman Rushdie, but without the charm. You can skip it, and you won't have missed anything.
The fifth book, however, was a huge disappointment: the contemporary setting and unappealing characters were like a Pakistani take on Salman Rushdie, but without the charm. You can skip it, and you won't have missed anything.
Read
July 31, 202016 JUL 2020 - end of Book 1. Truth ... I was offended by the remarks made regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. But, I took a deep breath and continued on. I am glad I did - this family's story is interesting and worth reading about. I will start Book 2 on Saturday, 18 JUL 2020.
21 JUL 2020 - DNF of Book 2. No! The writing style is still good, the subject matter - Saladin - is interesting. However, this Book 2 is not one which I care to continue. I thought this would be an education on Saladin; instead, Book 2 provides me with affairs of the heart between everyone (and I do mean everyone). I am not a prude - I just do not want to read about bestiality! No! On to Book 3.
31 JULY 2020 - I am giving up on my reading of The Islam Quintet. It is just not for me.
21 JUL 2020 - DNF of Book 2. No! The writing style is still good, the subject matter - Saladin - is interesting. However, this Book 2 is not one which I care to continue. I thought this would be an education on Saladin; instead, Book 2 provides me with affairs of the heart between everyone (and I do mean everyone). I am not a prude - I just do not want to read about bestiality! No! On to Book 3.
31 JULY 2020 - I am giving up on my reading of The Islam Quintet. It is just not for me.
May 2, 2018
Not bad
Except for the last book, the other four books were not a bad read. The last book, I could not finish and gave up about half way. Of all these, the fourth one, Sultan of Palermo, I liked best - it closely follows the accepted history.
Except for the last book, the other four books were not a bad read. The last book, I could not finish and gave up about half way. Of all these, the fourth one, Sultan of Palermo, I liked best - it closely follows the accepted history.
January 9, 2022
Moorish Spain is a very interesting period (and Granada and southern Spain in general are wonderful places to visit) with many popular histories ranging from the romantic perspective of Ornament of the World to more pragmatic views depicting an uneasy coexistence of the Big 3 Western religions through 700 years of Islam in al-Andalus. Tariq Ali chose the former interpretation as context for this historical fiction.
In Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree we get a deliberately-paced story of one family's divergent attempts to come to terms with dramatic changes taking place around them in the wake of the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula. This is a narrative, and what action there is typically takes place "off screen." The characters are well-developed; I found myself empathizing with them in the painful decisions they had to make, although I have no experiences in my life remotely similar to this I can draw from.
A well-written story, in spite of any liberties taken with the historical rendering. I don't remember how/why I came across this series, but I already have Book 2 waiting for me to crack it open... I think I will.
In Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree we get a deliberately-paced story of one family's divergent attempts to come to terms with dramatic changes taking place around them in the wake of the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula. This is a narrative, and what action there is typically takes place "off screen." The characters are well-developed; I found myself empathizing with them in the painful decisions they had to make, although I have no experiences in my life remotely similar to this I can draw from.
A well-written story, in spite of any liberties taken with the historical rendering. I don't remember how/why I came across this series, but I already have Book 2 waiting for me to crack it open... I think I will.
June 3, 2024
An enjoyable set!
The first four books were very fun and educational. The last one was a bit boring for me. I am glad I finally read them.
The first four books were very fun and educational. The last one was a bit boring for me. I am glad I finally read them.
June 30, 2024
A mesmerizing journey through various epochs of Muslim civilization. I thoroughly enjoyed reading every bit of it."
November 12, 2018
These are historical fiction featuring real people who can be found in history books, during the last couple of centuries of Islamic Empire. They are thoroughly romantic, and Islam positive novels that will appeal to the Islamic disapora, starved of positive imagery of their faith and history.
That said the novels offer a curiously colonial in viewpoint. Ali appears to believe the conquered peoples of Europe thought the Caliphate just a bunch of wonderful guys and had no grievance - that indeed the grievance is for the soon to be evicted conquered Faithful. This is a rather curious point of view given the Arabic and Middle Eastern determination to free themselves from Western domination currently.
And it does rather elide over the sundry injuries and atrocities committed when conquering Spain for example, or expanding into France. That Christianity was capable of beastliness is unquestioned. But whether or not the courtly, sensitive educated knights stopped by Charles Martell were offering "civilization" to the conquered is certainly debatable. That the peoples of France and Spain could manage uprising and war against the Umayyad Dynasty seems to indicate all was not sweetness and light within Al Andalus.
That said the novels offer a curiously colonial in viewpoint. Ali appears to believe the conquered peoples of Europe thought the Caliphate just a bunch of wonderful guys and had no grievance - that indeed the grievance is for the soon to be evicted conquered Faithful. This is a rather curious point of view given the Arabic and Middle Eastern determination to free themselves from Western domination currently.
And it does rather elide over the sundry injuries and atrocities committed when conquering Spain for example, or expanding into France. That Christianity was capable of beastliness is unquestioned. But whether or not the courtly, sensitive educated knights stopped by Charles Martell were offering "civilization" to the conquered is certainly debatable. That the peoples of France and Spain could manage uprising and war against the Umayyad Dynasty seems to indicate all was not sweetness and light within Al Andalus.
March 19, 2016
These five novels aren't perfect, but they're an excellent voyage through historical Islam (it's not all terrorists and mujahideen, people). My only criticism would be that, concerned as we know left wing political writer Ali is, he could have had more characters from the "common people." Ali's non-fiction is even better -- check it out.
Read
April 19, 2015good
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews