The Mahdi
 First US edition | |
| Author | Philip Nicholson, writing as A. J. Quinnell |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Thriller |
| Publisher | Macmillan (UK) William Morrow & Co (US) |
Publication date | 1981 (UK) 1982 (US) |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 397 pgs (Hardcover) |
| ISBN | 0688006469 |
| OCLC | 9736123 |
The Mahdi is a 1981 thriller novel by Philip Nicholson, writing as A. J. Quinnell.[1][2] The book was published in 1981 by Macmillan in the UK then in January 1982 by William Morrow & Co in the US and deals with political power struggles over a presumed Muslim prophet.[3][4]
Synopsis[edit]
The Mahdi follows several characters as they attempt to find a way to negate the threat of Muslim fundamentalism to the Western World's oil supply. Pritchard, a slick triple agent, has been tapped to help solve the problem. He proposes that they find the Mahdi, a prophet that has been prophesied to follow Muhammad, and attempt to control him, as control over the Mahdi would give them control over the Muslim world.
Reception[edit]
Reception to The Mahdi was mixed,[5] with many reviewers criticizing the book's implausibility.[6] The New York Times gave The Mahdi an overall positive review, calling the plot "elegant" while stating that the lack of a defined villain makes it seem as if there were "less at stake here than there ought to be".[7]
References[edit]
- ^ Simon, Reeva (1989). The Middle East in Crime Fiction: Mysteries, Spy Novels and Thrillers from 1916 to the 1980s. Lilian Barber Pr. pp. 61, 64. ISBN 0936508205.
- ^ WILLIAMS, NICK B (Dec 27, 1981). "Bloody Sunday". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
- ^ Simon, Reeva (2010). Spies and Holy Wars: The Middle East in 20th-Century Crime Fiction. University of Texas Press. p. 49. ISBN 978-0292723009.
- ^ Labib, Tahar (2007). Imagining the Arab other. I. B. Tauris. pp. 261–273. ISBN 978-1845113841.
- ^ "Review: The Mahdi". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
- ^ BROYARD, ANATOLE (January 30, 1982). "Books of The Times; No Escape". New York Times. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
- ^ Jakab, Elizabeth (7 February 1982). "FOREIGN AFFAIRS". New York Times. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
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