Firebird Book

Ancient myth meets modern day Egypt in Michael Asher's second novel Firebird. It's 1995 and in Fayoum a badly mauled boy is brought to the local monastery, the boy has terror in his eyes and the Bedouins swear he was attacked by a ghoul. Four years later in Cairo, Egyptian-born Dr Adam Ibram, a key environmental adviser to the US government is shot dead in the middle of the bustling Khan-al-Khalili bazaars. Desperate to quash any rumours of possible terrorist attacks, the FBI and the Egyptian police forces sweep into unilateral action. Inevitably the two forces meet head on and the end result is the unlikely pairing of self-proclaimed Aswan sewer rat Sammy Rashid and all-American, Barbie doll look-alike Daisy Brooke. Despite initial antagonism the duo work well together and Sammy cannot help but be impressed by Daisy's fluent Arabic, cat-like agility and razor sharp mind.The hunt for Ibram's killer is by no means straightforward--the only clues available to Sammy and Daisy are an Islamic amulet belonging to the long-disbanded Sanusiya tribe and Dr Ibram's dying words "firebird". As the investigation continues the pair become increasingly isolated, unsure whom to trust as they operate on the outer limits of the law. In Old Cairo the "ghoul" attacks intensify.Firebird is a tightly plotted novel which combines contemporary life with ancient history to great effect. Asher writes with real affection for Egypt and excels at description of its desert landscapes. He is an authority on Egyptian history and as a result the story is peppered with fascinating historical detail. Unfortunately, the dialogue is not quite as strong--initially the central characters are rather two-dimensional and lack credibility. However, characterisation improves as the story develops and the plot is so engrossing that these minor flaws are more than compensated for. Firebird is an action packed, genre-crossing read with a nail biting denouement centred around the Giza Pyramids on the eve of the millennium. --Valerie PowellRead More