Saddam Hussein’s ‘Game of Thrones style’ novella is getting an English translation

Saddam Hussein may not have predicted the future too well when it came to provoking the West, but it seems he was firmly ahead of the game when it came to the literary world.

You may not know, but Hussein published six books - three under the pen name "The Author", with three further books under his own name. Unsurprisingly, all six of them were on the Iraqi school syllabus.

Now, a novella written by the dictator and finished just before the 2003 Iraq war (just as well really) is going to be translated into English for the first time. The independent publisher Hesperus will release the book in December, marking the tenth anniversary of his execution.

It's been described as "a mix between Game of Thrones and the UK House of Cards-style fiction", featuring lots of political intrigue, which means that a) Saddam accurately predicted two of the most successful genres of the current era, almost a decade before everyone else and b) it's probably going to read quite similarly to the recent events in the Conservative Party.

The 186-page novel has previously been published in other languages with titles including Get Out, You Damned One, Devil's Dance and Begone Devils, with the storyline dealing with a tribute living by the Euphrates river 1,500 years ago, which drives out an invading force. The English title is still to be announced. Hopefully they'll go with Between Iraq and a Hard Place.

The manuscript only survived the Iraq War after it was taken out of the country by Saddam's daughter Raghad Saddam Hussein; she attempted to publish it in Jordan in 2005 but authorities there banned its sale.

Perhaps they could get the South Park guys to do the audiobook?

[via Flavorwire]

(Image: Rex)