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George Alec Effinger
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A Fire in the Sun (The Budayeen Cycle Book 2) Kindle Edition

by George Alec Effinger (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 302 ratings
The Hugo Award–winning author returns to the futuristic, high-tech Middle East setting of When Gravity Falls in this “major science fiction epic” (Locus).

In a world filled with so many puppets, strings tend to get tangled. In this follow-up to the groundbreaking cyberpunk novel When Gravity Fails, the Budayeen is still a very dangerous place, a high-tech Arabian ghetto where power and murder go hand in hand.

Marid Audran used to be a low-level street hustler, relying on his wits and independence. Now he’s a cop planted in the force by Friedlander Bey, the powerful “godfather” of the Budayeen. Marid is supposed to simply be Bey’s envoy into the police, but as a series of grisly murders piles up—children, prostitutes, a fellow officer—he is drawn deeper and deeper into the city’s chaos.

Would Marid give up all his newfound money and power to get out of this mess? Absolutely. If only he could. But answers are never that easy and choices are never completely one’s own in the Budayeen.
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  1. Book 2 of 3
    The Budayeen Cycle
  2. Print length
    306 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy
  5. Publication date
    April 1, 2014
  6. File size
    3.2 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A Fire In the Sun proves beyond any doubt that Effinger is a master.” (Mike Resnick )

“A major science fiction epic.”
--Locus on A Fire In the Sun

“A Fire In the Sun proves beyond any doubt that Effinger is a master.”
--Mike Resnick
“Like a dive into the eye of a storm.”--The Washington Post Book World on When Gravity Fails



“A major science fiction epic.” (Locus )

About the Author

A winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, GEORGE ALEC EFFINGER was the author of What Entropy Means to Me, Schrodinger’s Kitten, and the “Marid Audrian” sequence that begins with When Gravity Fails. He died in 2002.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00J3EU612
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy (April 1, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 1, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.2 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 306 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 302 ratings

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George Alec Effinger

George Alec Effinger

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
302 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book to be a great read with well-fleshed-out characters. The storyline receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as a traditional detective story with a future twist. They appreciate the urban setting, with one review noting how the city is really well developed.

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12 customers mention "Readability"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a great read, with one customer noting it's a joy to read from a master novelist.

"One of the best books I've read in a long time...." Read more

"...an interesting character though... In the end this was still a worthwhile read and the pace quickens nicely at the end...." Read more

"The entire Budayeen Cycle is a great read. Highly recommended. Start with When Gravity Fails." Read more

"...It was a good book but I was hoping for more." Read more

5 customers mention "Character development"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting that the characters are well fleshed-out, with one customer highlighting the unique science fiction noir protagonist and another mentioning the intriguing cast of characters that add color to the story.

"...procedural twisty romps set in a believable city with characters well fleshed-out...." Read more

"...I guess because it has well scripted character development, and the main character grows. It's gripping, funny and has a beautiful ending...." Read more

"...An intriguing cast of characters adds color and spice to the story." Read more

"A fascinating setting and a unique science fiction noir protagonist." Read more

5 customers mention "Storyline"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of the book, with one describing it as a traditional detective story with a future twist.

"...An intriguing cast of characters adds color and spice to the story." Read more

"An unusual story which keeps you turning pages. I would like to read the next installment of a good tale." Read more

"Not as gripping as the first book, but the story is advanced and reading Effinger is such a pleasure. I will read the next one." Read more

"Fascinating read set in a dystopian future. A traditional detective story with a future twist...." Read more

3 customers mention "Urban setting"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the urban setting of the book, with one customer noting how well-developed it is, while another finds it believable and fascinating.

"...Cyberpunk noir detective/police procedural twisty romps set in a believable city with characters well fleshed-out...." Read more

"...The urban setting is really well developed and the futuristic tech gives just enough to latch onto to push the plot in unusual ways...." Read more

"A fascinating setting and a unique science fiction noir protagonist." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Tomas Michaud
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I've read...
    Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    One of the best books I've read in a long time. Also, the narrator on the Audible version is fantastic... I'm sure that's partly what created the awesome experience. The only downside has I felt a real loss after reading the final book in the series (book 3). I want more!
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  • Booklover
    4.0 out of 5 stars As-advertised clean ex-library copy - replacement for a dying mass-market paperback.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    George Alec Effenger's final works, his Budayeen novels set in an imaginary Arabic town are delightful Cyberpunk noir detective/police procedural twisty romps set in a believable city with characters well fleshed-out. Start with When Gravity Fails, the best of the trio (of a projected five, cut short by the author's death), not here, though.
    Dealer delivered copy as promised, though at a higher cost than offered at the store - price of the extreme charges Amazon adds when it acts as a broker for widly-scattered specialty book shops. Sad.
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  • Michael G Kurilla
    3.0 out of 5 stars In for a moddy, in for a daddy
    Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    George Alec Effinger's A Fire in the Sun is the sequel to When Gravity Fails. Marid has now become the right hand man of the major crime boss and has a 'job' with the police force. All his old friends and associates want little to do with him. In addition, his mother comes back into the picture as well as his boss' main rival. His boss keeps giving him odd jobs and showering him with 'gifts' that further isolate him. He gets drawn into a murder investigation that turns into a serial murder spree for organ harvesting. All the various loose ends get connected and tied up in the end.

    Effinger crafts a complex crime mystery with Marid taking damage all along the way. Unfortunately, he seems to float above it all with his enemies giving him enough time and space to pick them off one at a time. Overall, it was not as satisfying as the prior offering. Other than some fancy weaponry and the recording of mental states for kinky pleasures, there's not much in the way of sci-fi.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Nom de Plume
    5.0 out of 5 stars A sequel that's even better!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Why no reviews until now? Strange.
    I loved the first Audran novel, but this sequel blows it away. I guess because it has well scripted character development, and the main character grows. It's gripping, funny and has a beautiful ending.

    Highly recommended, but read "When Gravity Fails" first, ok?
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  • Anonymous XYZ
    4.0 out of 5 stars Budayeen developed
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This is the second novel in what might be termed the Budayeen trilogy. In this book Marid Audran develops into Friedlander Bey's factotum. It's not an eays transition. I won't reveal the plot but I thought it was a little more linear than When Gravity Fails and the Budayeen has lost some of its freak show attractiveness in a second book. Marid does become an interesting character though... In the end this was still a worthwhile read and the pace quickens nicely at the end. The first book is definitely more interesting and emotive though.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Plus ca change, plus c'est le meme chose
    Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This book is like a trip to an exotic foreign land. In an alternate or future world that can easily be extrapolated from today, Marid finds mystery and growth, and yet remains himself. An intriguing cast of characters adds color and spice to the story.
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  • crmsn_
    4.0 out of 5 stars Bismillah... I'd have a White Death.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Still have no idea what the hell bingara is. The protagonist, Marîd, gets gimlets at the other joint, which is kind of the same thing so it leaves me to believe that it must be some kind of regional thing. I don't know. Still want to try one. In any case, Marîd battles his inner demons along with many external ones and faces many tragic moments in this second saga. I was hooked after the first and am most definitely ready to see where Effinger's story of him ends in the third. I've heard good things about Budayeen Nights so if the last book leaves me longing for more of this gritty dystopia, I'll most definitely be imbibing that as well.
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  • M. Baird
    5.0 out of 5 stars A unique take on cyberpunk
    Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The entire Budayeen Cycle is a great read. Highly recommended. Start with When Gravity Fails.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Timothy Atwood
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Sequel to "When Gravity Fails"
    Reviewed in Canada on July 4, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This second book of the trilogy is as good as the first. Gritty and powerful. Body mods and sex changes are common place. Personalities are sold on the street. Nightmares are forced into people's minds for the ultimate in perversion and torture. Marid Audrian operates in the spaces between the powerful and the most decadent sex clubs trying to survive and stop the twisted killer of his friends.

    With its complex dirty fight for survival among corruption this novel evokes a feeling similar to Blade Runner. Whether through his lover and friends or a spiritual moddy jacked direct into his brain Maurid struggles to do what is right by his people and find even the smallest meaning and briefest love.
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  • Vimes
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent second part of the trilogy
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 15, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    This book continues from When Gravity Fails, and carries on with the exploits of the lead character Marid Audran. "A Fire in the Sun" picks up the story a few months after the ending of "When Gravity Fails". Audran has been forced to mature as the sense of control and ownership from Friedlander Bey strengthens. Audran's old associates view him with suspicion as Freidlander Bey inserts Audran into the local police as a liason officer. This sets the scene for more adventures.
    I love the way Effinger sets the scene in a futuristic Arabic city, pitting inbred and deep Qu'ran values against modern and futuristic technology. People can "moddy" and "daddy" their brains, change their gender and it's almost a requirement to alter their appearance, yet a "good muslim woman" should not approach a strange male in the street. The characters are well developed and you get a strong sense of them very quickly with Effingers easy style.
    It does differ from the first story, but in no way should this be seen as a negative.
    Part detective, part thriller, and is not too sci-fi.
    Very recommended.
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  • Nabil Hussain
    4.0 out of 5 stars Original, sometimes engrossing, refreshing story.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 15, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This book was not on the same par as When Gravity Fails but was an entertaining and a little different read to what is expected from George A Effinger. It was another interesting read with Futuristic Muslims in a setting. This book was a good read as a Muslim reader. It was appealing just the same way the first book was. The third book, The Exiles Kiss should be really exciting to read. It is worth all the praise that most of the reviews state about.
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