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Both alternate history and future history have long and honorable backgrounds, especially in the science fiction field, where modern alternate history started with L Sprague de Camp's LEST DARKNESS FALL in 1939. If we jump ahead, those of us who grew up reading SF instead of mystery, remember Ward Moore's BRING THE JUBILEE and Philip K. Dick's THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE. More recently, after jumping to the thriller/crime fiction genre, we have Robert Harris' FATHERLAND, both of Jasper Fforde's series, and books by many other mystery writers including G Miki Hayden, John Maddox Roberts and Barbara Hambly. There is also the future history sub-genre. Robert A Heinlein's complete oeuvre fits into the timeline he devised. But in the mystery/SF crossover field, we also have JD Robb's . . . IN DEATH series, set in the near future in New York. Now we have a thriller set in the near future which could fall into either group. In 2015, New York City and DC are blown up by nuclear devices. Mecca also has an explosion but of a very dirty bomb which poisons the air, thereby causing many generations of pilgrims to die after they have made their holy trip to that site. The story takes place in 2040, after the Muslim victory. The capital of the Muslim states is in Seattle. The Christians still hold the bible belt and there are a few regions, such as Nevada, which are independent. There are several factions in the Muslim states, from highly religious (the Black Robes), who hold unproportional power to moderate and modern. Catholics are tolerated in the Muslim states but find it hard to gain any positions of power. Any Jews that remain alive have been driven underground. Redbeard, head of state security, gets in touch with Rakkim, the man he raised from the age of nine, and with whom he has had a falling-out. Sarah, Redbeard's niece, whom he had also raised after the death of his brother, is missing. Sarah is educated and has written a book that the fundamentalists abhor. Redbeard is afraid that Sarah has been abducted and asks Rakkim, Sarah's lover, to find her. PRAYERS FOR THE ASSASSIN is a non-stop ride from there. Ferrigno has created a completely logical environment, albeit one that would be hateful to most of us. His people really believe in what they are doing, and, in fact, are probably somewhat more well-rounded than most thriller heroes and villains. In fact, I didn't think I would like this book, but I read it as fast as I could, unable to lay it down.
Reviewed by Barbara Franchi, November 2005
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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