Silent Trees is an enthralling political and personal fiction that gives the reader what Shansab calls "a glimpse inside the soul of Afghanistan and the dangers of the unchecked pursuit of power." Written in English for a Western audience, its themes are as much about the human condition as they are about Afghanistan. And if "fiction is the best tool" to convey them meaningfully to a wide audience, as Shansab argues, then the author has succeeded wonderfully.— Masatoshi Asaoka, Diplomatic Courier