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Chess with the Doomsday Machine

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Chess with a Doomsday Machine (Template:Lang-fa)
Front cover of English translation of Chess with a Doomsday Machine
AuthorHabib Ahmadzadeh
TranslatorPaul Sprachman
LanguageEnglish
Published2008
Publication placeUS
Media typeBook
Pagesxviii + 268
ISBN1568592159

Chess with the Doomsday Machine (Shatranj ba Mashin-e Qiamat) (Template:Lang-fa) is a novel about Iran-Iraq war by Habib Ahmadzadeh.[1] In the beginning of the war, Iraq invaded Iranian city such as Abadan and many of civilians left their home but a small number of them stayed in siege situation. The story focuses on the experiences of Moosa, a young Abadani soldier defending his hometown. He has been chosen to assist in destroying the enemy’s "Doomsday Machine", a sophisticated radar system.

Publisher

The book was wrote in 1996 and published in Persian by Soreie Mehr Publication Company in 2005.[2] In 2008, the book was translated from Persian to English by Paul Sprachman, a professor at Rutgers university, and published by Mazda Publishers.[3]

Book name

Doomsday Machine is the name of a European advanced radar system. The radar was Cymbeline (radar) that France were prepared for Iraq. The Cymbeline radar could detect Iranian fire position and then by explosion the area changed into hell (doomsday) and was burned. Locating and destroying the radar was important task for Iranian forces and the task was similar to chess game.[4][5]

Narrative

The story set in author hometown, Ahmadzadeh’s native Abadan, during Iran-Iraq war. Abadan is important city for its petroleum industry and its position that located near Persian Gulf. During the early month of the war, Abadan was important target of mass bombing. Iraqi forces used an advanced radar system (in the story known as Doomsday Machine) that was able to detect Iranian city and also fire position and then by heavy explosion the area changed into hell. For this reason, many of civilians left their home and a small number of them stayed in the city. A young soldier, Moosa, has been assigned to locate the enemy’s Doomsday Machine. Moreover, he is appointed to guard the few civilians who remain in the city during the Siege of Abadan. In the story exist four characters in addition to Moosa that included: Armenian priests who believes that God will protected him from bombs; a retired oil refinery engineer who has been abandoned by his family; and a prostitute and her young daughter Pariah’s.[1][6]

Author

Habib Ahmadzadeh is an Iranian author. He has studied theater arts. Ahmadzadeh is the author of collection of short stories called The War Involved City Stories and a novel known A City Under Siege: Tales of the Iran-Iraq War. In 2007, The Night Bus film was directed based on The War Involved City Stories book. Also Talking with the Shadow which directed in 2006 by Khosrow Sinai based on Ahmadzadeh's research.[7][1]

Onelight Theatre adaption

In 2012 the Onelight Theatre,a professional theatre company since 2002 located at Alderney Landing, decided to stage an adaptation of the Iranian novel. [8] After returning home from representing Canada at the Fadjr International Theatre Festival in Tehran, the show made its Canadian premiere on February 6, 2014.[9] The production returned to Canada after first touring ran, with a debut in Abadan, the birthplace of the story and that of Onelight Theatre's Artistic Director, Shahin Sayadi. "Taking this work to stage in the place it all started, my hometown, has truly been an honour," said Sayadi, "I'm looking forward to bringing it home to Canada next month." Written and directed by Shahin Sayadi, Chess With The Doomsday Machine used a combination of English, Persian and nonverbal communication to tell the story of the challenges a young soldier must face.[9] The production was revived at Alderney Landing, for a run between January 19 to February 7, 2015.[10]

Awards

According to experts, the book is one of the most prominent novel about Iran-Iraq war in the recent years in Iran. Chess with the doomsday machine has received and proposed numerous awards that included: [4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Quick overview on Chess with the Doomsday Machine novel". Mazda Publication.
  2. ^ Zohreh Mortaji (6 Jun 2006). "Introduction of Chess with the Doomsday Machine book". Book News.
  3. ^ Staff writers (12 Jan 2007). "Chess with the Doomsday Machine novel translate and publish in United state". Fars News Agency.
  4. ^ a b Staff writers (10 Jan 2010). "Introduction of Chess with the Doomsday Machine". Jahan News Agency.
  5. ^ "Chess with the Doomsday Machine". Downtown Dartmouth. 27 Jan 2014.
  6. ^ "Chess With The Doomsday Machine Canadian Debut presented by Onelight Theatre". Ticketpro Website.
  7. ^ "Book of Iran-Iraq war stories hits U.S. bookstores". Tehran Times. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  8. ^ "Chess With The Doomsday Machine". Onelight Theatre. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Chess with the Doomsday Machine - Opening Night". Halifax Media Co-op. 6 Feb 2014.
  10. ^ "Chess with the Doomsday Machine". Retrieved 17 Nov 2014. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |Author= (help)
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