A KURDISH EPIC
Children of the Zagros
A Kurdish princess is named heir to a throne haunted by an ancestral darkness. A mythic novel of inheritance and the cost of defiance.
THE STORY
Named heir to a throne bound by ancient law, Runak rejects the future written for her. Accompanied by a lone warrior, she turns from the crown to face a landscape where the wisdom of the Simurgh and the secrets of the Shahmaran are not legends, but living forces.
Children of the Zagros is a mythic epic of inheritance and the weight of an ancestral past—a world where the living and the legendary breathe the same mountain air.
A Choice of Agency
Runak rejects the path of silence to forge her own destiny. In a world governed by ancient expectations, her journey is a reclamation of self and power.
An Ancestral Shadow
As the past begins to hunt the living, Runak must confront the secrets her people buried—or be consumed by the legacy she was born to lead.
An unknown darkness from the past haunts her people. Will it swallow the princess and her kingdom? Of will they persevere?
The Kurdish Heart
Rooted in the traditions of Kurdish folklore, this is a world where the Simurgh and Shahmaran are reality. A landscape where history and myth breathe as one.
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Author Bio
Shad Raouf Qazaz
Shad Raouf was born in Kurdistan and raised in the Netherlands. A student of philosophy at Radboud University Nijmegen, his work is defined by inquiry into heritage, identity, and power.
Driven by a desire to reclaim the narratives of his roots, Shad spent years researching the history of Kurdish folklore. Inspired by the magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez and the mythic journeys of Paulo Coelho, Children of the Zagros is his debut exploration of the forces that shape both a culture and a soul.
Frequently asked questions
Children of Zagros is published independently by the author’s LLC, Conceptual, based in The Netherlands.
Yes, Children of Zagros is available online worldwide and in bookstores upon request. Within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the Kurdish and English version can be purchased at these bookshops:
0750 105 0771 | غەزەلنوس لە فامیلی مۆڵ
0770 222 0332 | کتێبخانەی ڕۆمان له نهۆمی سێیەمی تەلاری سیروانی نوێ
0751 533 9353 | کتێبخانەی مەم و زین
To order Children of the Zagros contact this number: 0771 970 7122
No, this book is written for (young) adults. While it features a young princess as a protagonist, the book contains mature themes of sacrifice, political intrigue, and philosophical reflections on death and courage, making it suitable for Young Adults and Adults.
Yes, this book is available in Kurdish. You can select the language on the product page. We cannot ship to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, unfortunately. You can buy the book in select bookshops in Kurdistan which are:
0750 105 0771 | غەزەلنوس لە فامیلی مۆڵ
0770 222 0332 | کتێبخانەی ڕۆمان له نهۆمی سێیەمی تەلاری سیروانی نوێ
0751 533 9353 | کتێبخانەی مەم و زین
To order Children of the Zagros contact this number: 0771 970 7122
The title refers to the ancestral origin of the characters, who were descendants of children abandoned in the Shaneder cave within the Zagros Mountains. It explores themes of heritage, the “darkness” of the past, and the journey to find one’s true source. Kurds have also lived close to and on the Zagros mountains as far as we can tell. The title refers to the characters in the story, as well as the ancestral homelands of the Kurds.
It is a work of Magical Realism. It is set in a world inspired by the ancient and Kurdish folklore (featuring the Zagros Mountains and the Great Zab river), it incorporates mythical elements like the Simurgh and the serpent queen Shahmaran.
These are legendary figures from Kurdish and Iranian mythology. In the book, Simurgh is a giant, wise bird who acts as a mediator between heaven and earth, while Shahmaran is the Queen of Serpents who lives in a hidden underground domain.
Yes, you can buy this book in select bookshops in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Unfortunately, we are not able to ship to the Kurdistan Region. To buy the book in Kurdistan, visit these shops:
0750 105 0771 | غەزەلنوس لە فامیلی مۆڵ
0770 222 0332 | کتێبخانەی ڕۆمان له نهۆمی سێیەمی تەلاری سیروانی نوێ
0751 533 9353 | کتێبخانەی مەم و زین
To order Children of the Zagros contact this number: 0771 970 7122