{"product_id":"fortress-of-the-forgotten-ones","title":"Fortress of the Forgotten Ones","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSynopsis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWinner of the Armory Square Prize for South Asian Literature in Translation, \u003cem\u003eFortress of the Forgotten Ones\u003c\/em\u003e transports readers to fifth-century Ctesiphon at the height of the Sassanian Empire. Blending meticulous historical detail with sweeping storytelling, Fahmida Riaz follows Mazdak—the revolutionary reformer often described as history's first socialist—as he challenges entrenched systems of power and inequality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRich with Persian history, political intrigue, and philosophical debate, the novel brings to life a world of royal courts, Zoroastrian traditions, and ordinary people struggling under empire. Both epic and deeply human, \u003cem\u003eFortress of the Forgotten Ones\u003c\/em\u003e is a powerful meditation on justice, memory, and the enduring struggle against oppression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFahmida Riaz (1946–2018) was one of Pakistan's most influential writers, poets, translators, and human rights activists. Renowned for her fearless critiques of authoritarianism, religious extremism, and social injustice, she spent years in exile after opposing General Zia-ul-Haq's military regime. Her work helped reshape modern Urdu literature through its political courage, feminist vision, and lyrical power. This edition is translated by Sana R. Chaudhry, a Pakistani writer, translator, and editor dedicated to bringing South Asian literature to English-language readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOpen Letter Books\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eApril 3, 2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaperback\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePages\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e215\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSubjects\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical Fiction · Fiction in Translation · South Asian Literature · Persian History · Political Fiction · Literary Fiction\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9781960385512\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Old Post Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45306937082038,"sku":"9781960385512","price":24.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0731\/2264\/4150\/files\/9781960385512.jpg?v=1785506245","url":"https:\/\/oldpostbookshop.com\/products\/fortress-of-the-forgotten-ones","provider":"Old Post Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}