Prayers for the Assassin

by Robert Ferrigno

Book Overview

In this "provocative and compelling" (The Seattle Times) thriller set in the future, Islamic and Christian forces battle for the fate of the United States as a young historian discovers the shocking... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743272897
• ISBN13: 9780743272896
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 397 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.7" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Ferrigno: I Can't Wait For The Sequel! (Just Brush Up On The Islam A Bit)

Robert Ferrigno does make some glaring mistakes in his presentation of Islam. In the new society it seems as if he freely mixes Sunni and Shi'ite together, naming an airport after Khomeini (a Shi'ite), yet using the term, "imam" in the Sunni sense of the word. And Ferringno clearly has little understanding of the exclusively Shi'ite practice of "muta'a" ("pleasure marriage" or temporary marriage). There is more to Shi'ite temporary marriage than Ferrigno has it with johns driving into the ruins of Disneyland, banging hookers and when finished merely pronouncing three times: "I divorce thee." Muta'a is not condoned or practiced by the world's majority Sunni Muslim community. Even most Shi'ites today are embarrassed of it. As for calling the headscarf "habib," Ferrigno never called it any such thing! The term he uses is "hajib" which is probably an honest to goodness typo for "hijab" (by the way, "hajib" was the term used for a court official in Muslim Spain and North Africa). I believe the previous reviewer is trying to make Ferrigno out as some sort of bigot or islamophobe. I don't see it. Rather, although there is harsh prejudice against the remaining Catholic minority, he shows that the majority of Americans in the world of PRAYERS FOR THE ASSASSIN are now Muslims and they just want to live their lives in peace and happiness. That is why there is a small faction of hardliners (the Dark Robes) trying to impose a Talibani style of society and also why you have the Hasan-i-Sabah wannabe, the "Old One" conspiring to bring about the rebirth of the Caliphate. Let us also not forget that the heroes of this story, Rakkim and Sarah, are both proud Muslims. All that being said, let me just add that this is still one fantastic novel. Ferrigno incorporates the best elements of the thriller and the alternative history and future shock genres into one supercharged and gripping tale of a broken and demoralized America. I believe Ferrigno is making some clever and pointed statements about the spiritual state of affairs in America with this book. We now live in a land where the mall, not the church, is now the center of town. In a time when you need to wait in line for almost anything but a seat at church. More Americans nowadays care to know every triviality about their favorite actors, athletes, singers, even pornstars, than what is going on in their government, their religion, their world. Ferrigno created a world where these negative trends and selfish pursuits of ours might take us. The celebrity and the popular culture are what really matters for far too many Americans today. Note that where in real life the values of faith and family and tradition are still strong - the South and Utah, or amongst the Latino Catholic populations in the Southwest, Ferrigno has them in his novel to be either independent of the Islamic Republic or on the verge of rebellion. Ferrigno's seems to understand that when you no longer believe in 'something,' you are now ope

Ten stars! Topical, brilliant, scary, informative, FINEST KIND

This book could not be more topical and so easily read. I expect its Islamic hero is at least one reason it hasn't gotten much comment and that's a shame because this is such a fine thriller/mystery/book. A terrific read. I sent it to my brother, my father-in-law and several friends. Imagine a near-future world in which the U.S. has been upset by an Islamic revolution in the aftermath of hideous nuclear attacks. Fascinating book so well written; and on top of that, a really good thriller. This book fulfills on so many levels one almost must groan in delight.

A futuristic thriller that delivers!

I picked up this book last week at the bookstore, never heard of the author before but it looked interesting. Let me say it was a good decision! This is one of the most stimulating thrillers I have ever read, and I have since been surprised to learn he has written 8 other novels (I'll be going back to check them out). The story is set in 2040, the U.S. is awash in civil strife after a Washington DC and New York are leveled by a Nuclear attack. The nation has been split into two sections: The Islamic States of America to the north and the Bible Belt to the south. Sarah Dougan is a moderate Muslim who uncovers that the nuclear attacks on the US were planned by a Muslim billionaire and not the Israelis who had taken the fall. To make matters worse this fanatical Muslim billionaire now plans to take over the southern United States! Sarah and her lover Fakkim Epps (a Former Muslim warrior) must make there way across an almost unrecognizable U.S. as they avoid and then clash with a demoniac assassin sent to kill them. The setting of a futuristic America are brilliantly described with plenty of cool details, and the violent action is non stop! Top this off with a controversial plot and you have something beyond the ordinary thriller! If you are looking for something different you have it here.

A future I hope we never see

I won't rehash the storyline here; you can read that in the publishing reviews. I will preface by saying that I spent five years living in the Middle East, and I have to say that based on my experience Ferrigno accurately captures the mind-set and atmosphere that pervades societies run by Muslim theocrats. This book should serve as a wake-up call for those who value traditional Western values in today's atmosphere of radical Islamo-fascism. In that respect it's very Orwellian. But better still, there's a really good story wrapped into this package, and I jammed through this book very quickly. The characters are fully fleshed out, engaging, and believable. You really like the good guys, and hate the bad guys. Darwin, the "Assasin", is a terrific villain; complex, many-faceted, extremely dangerous; kind of an athletic Hannibal Lechter without the medical degree. The plot is tight, complex and believable; the climax is satisfying. I really recommend this book. Ferrigno's done a great job, and this has prompted me to see if he's written other books which I haven't yet read so I can get hold of them.

art becoming life

I read this book in 2 days, couldn't put it down, or shut up about it!If you enjoyed "The Handmaid's Tale" by Attwood, you'll recognize the world tipped on it's head, though with even greater horror and worse, the very real plausibity of it! Just look around and watch the Islamic world riot and terrorize and threaten beheadings for caricatures/cartoons published in Denmark, and listen for the moderate islamic voices--they're no where to be found. You'll love the strong characters who stay with you long after you've finished reading. You will also no longer view current world events in the same way. You will shudder at the looming possibity. Another fun task I had was looking for areas that seem like "clues" for a message hidden in the "mistakes" in the text. I'm reading the book again with a closer eye toward this. Such as the character Marian on one page being referred to as Miriam on the page opposite; and the scene in the roller rink described on the left hand page and the character sliding on the ice on the opposite page; then further down the page going back and referring to the singing wheels on the skates! No way is this a sloppy book. I'm having great fun with it. Haven't enjoyed a book like this in quite awhile. So I'm off to buy 4 more books to give to friends.