Felaheen — Jon Courtenay Grimwood

Description

Felaheen is the thrilling third instalment in Jon Courtenay Grimwood’s acclaimed Arabesk series — a genre-bending fusion of noir crime thriller, speculative fiction, and alternative history. Set in a vividly reimagined 21st-century Ottoman Empire, the novel follows ex-cop Ashraf Bey, a complex antihero with a chequered past, as he navigates a world where secrets can kill and the truth is more dangerous than lies. Having resigned as Chief of Detectives in El Iskandryia, Raf finds himself reluctantly pulled back into service when an assassination attempt on a high-ranking official forces him to confront a father he never knew and a past long buried.

As rebellion ignites across North Africa and political tensions rise, Raf adopts the guise of an itinerant labourer, delving into the shadowy underworld to uncover the truth about his own origins and the volatile power struggle threatening the empire. Felaheen masterfully blends action, intrigue, and political drama in a setting where modern technology and ancient tradition collide. The novel’s inventive world-building and sharp, cinematic pacing have earned it praise from critics and readers alike, with The Guardian describing it as “SF at its most inventive.”

A must-read for fans of speculative fiction, noir thrillers, and alternative histories, Felaheen offers a gritty, exhilarating ride through a world both familiar and fantastical. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy layered, politically charged narratives with a compelling flawed hero at the helm.