The Satanic Verses

By: Salman Rushdie

Narrated by: Sam Dastor

Length: 21 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Inextricably linked with the fatwa called against its author in the wake of the novel’s publication, The Satanic Verses is, beyond that, a rich showcase for Salman Rushdie’s comic sensibilities, cultural observations, and unparalleled mastery of language. The tale of an Indian film star and a Bombay expatriate, Rushdie’s masterpiece was deservedly honored with the Whitbread Prize.

The story begins with a bang: the terrorist bombing of a London-bound jet in midflight. Two Indian actors of opposing sensibilities fall to earth, transformed into living symbols of what is angelic and evil. This is just the initial act in a magnificent odyssey that seamlessly merges the actual with the imagined. A book whose importance is eclipsed only by its quality, The Satanic Verses is a key work of our times.

©1988 Salman Rushdie (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"No book in modern times has matched the uproar sparked by Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses, which earned its author a death sentence. Furor aside, it is a marvelously erudite study of good and evil, a feast of language served up by a writer at the height of his powers, and a rollicking comic fable." (Amazon.com review)

"A rollercoaster ride over a vast landscape of the imagination." ( The Guardian)

"A masterpiece." ( The Sunday Times, London)

brilliantly told, brilliantly acted

I cannot express how much I loved this audiobook. the narration was versatile, crisp, well paced, dynamic, and wonderfully performed. the text itself is imaginative, compelling, deft, and in turns hilarious, irreverent, awe filled, and tragic. will definitely listen to again.

Bought to see what the fuss was.

Seriously wasn't anything I'd ever have read if such a fuss wasn't made about it. But I'll give money to anybody who writes a book so provocative they get attacked over it.

A beautifully written, and read, book.

I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. I was swept up with the fantastical story. Will definitely recommend this.

Worth All the Hype

Huge, sprawling, and at times confusing, I absolutely adored this book. Mr. Dastor brought it masterfully to life.

Makes you think

this is not an easy read, especially if you don't take it at surface level. the narrator did a great job reading and, as always, salman rushdie created an amazing piece of literature here

Very Complicated

Omg! If complexity can be measured on the scale from 1 to 10, it's a 10! I actually had to Google what this book was about to understand it. I would recommend it to anyone who likes James Joyce or Thomas Mann. If you look for an easy weekend read, this is not it!

terribly performed

couldn't finish beyond the first two chapters, the over-exaggerated Indian accent is not only offensive but makes it harder to understand what is being said.

Now I understand why Salman Rushdie is such an acclaimed author. A classic for the ages

Now I understand why Salman Rushdie is such an acclaimed author. A classic for the ages.
I wish I could find a class that goes paragraph by paragraph through the book. It is so rich with history, many religious and secular story references. He shows that history repeats and we do not learn by telling stories years ago that could be happening today just as easily. This book could be ready many times and still spark something new. It is so richly packed with so many references from so many varied sources connecting the dots of how complex we are as individuals and even more so when placed together in a society. The reading as a simple tale of good vs evil reveals so much more. Each sentence seems curated in such beautiful imagery. Anyone opposing this book is not willing to look inside their own heart and see what makes them and us all human.
Thank you to the author.

The journey into a new world.

This book,unlike anything I've ever encountered before expounds a universe so full of depth and enjoyable characters that I was inspired to I read it twice.

The question of what is evil was handled beautifully.

Without a deep background in Hindu and Islam, culture and beliefs, I found this book very difficult to follow at times. There were a lot of characters keep track of, and it seemed to bounce around a lot.