Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses follows two men, Gibreel Farishta and Saladin Chamcha, whose lives are fantastically altered after surviving a plane explosion. The surreal narrative explores themes of faith and identity through Gibreel’s prophet-like visions. The book's controversial portrayal of religious figures led to global outrage, including a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death, and its banning in many countries.