The Unfinished Event

The Unfinished Event is a non-fiction work written by Fatemeh Ali Asghar. In recent years, various non-fiction books have been published that have been well-received by readers. This book addresses a topic that has been the subject of several books and films and is often mixed with legend—the story of Hassan Sabah and the Alamut Castle. “The Unfinished Event” does not limit itself to a short period; it is written and developed to cover a long era, narrating the history of medieval Iran. In autumn of 483 AH, Hassan Sabah goes to Qazvin and Alamut Castle to fight against the tyranny of the Seljuks and Abbasids. The story of Hassan Sabah and Alamut begins here, with digging into the mountain and creating storage units for food so that the food does not spoil, and establishing an irrigation system for the farms around Alamut. These tactics made Alamut resistant to prolonged siege and unconquerable. Fatemeh Ali Asghar starts her narrative from the last successor of Hassan Sabah in Alamut, marking the end of the 170-year Ismaili rule. During these long years, the Seljuk era ended and the Khwarazmshahs rose to power. The Khwarazmshahs also failed to save the Iranian people from oppression, and during this time, Genghis Khan appeared, whose invasion devastated Iran. The author narrates the rise and fall of the Ismailis from their peak to the destruction of Alamut by Hulagu Khan of the Mongols. In “The Unfinished Event,” the author attempts to connect different historical periods of Iran and has conducted extensive research. Some of these studies are presented for the first time and from a new perspective, including archaeological data and conversations with the inhabitants of Gazer Khan, a region where generations have lived for centuries. Alamut Castle is located northeast of the village of Gazer Khan. These interviews are separate from numerous others done with scholars familiar with this historical period. Fatemeh Ali Asghar strives to examine these historical events from multiple viewpoints without dogmatism and avoids portraying characters in black and white. At times, readers empathize with the characters; at others, they feel repulsion. This may be a narrative close to the reality of the Assassins, Hassan Sabah, and the lords of Alamut. The story of Hassan Sabah, Alamut, and the Ismaili government has always fascinated Iranians, especially those interested in Iranian history. “The Unfinished Event” is the latest scholarly and historical account on this topic, free from legendary embellishment, and is highly engaging.