The Sign
by Raymond Khoury

Release Date: 28th May 2009
Publisher: Orion
ISBN: 978 0 7528 7590 3
RRP: £12.99

The best thriller of 2009... probably...

It should have been your standard five minutes about the ice shelf in the Arctic breaking off; it should have been a the usual spiel about the effects of global warming on our polar ice caps and its severe consequences for a large portion of the developed world. Reporter, Grace Logan and her small crew did not anticipate the graveness of the situation – Gracie being a self proclaimed cynic where anything remotely passing for hysterical fervour was concerned and there was nothing more fervent than the posturings of environmentalists. It wasn’t the enormity of the piece of ice that was breaking off that stole the show. Something unspeakable, unimaginable and inexplicable appeared in the skies above them – a cloud of light that seemed to swivel and contort, pulsing with energy and life – a sign.

Matt Sherwood is trying to make amends for his unequivocally messed-up youth. He owes it to the memory of his younger brother, Danny. When he gets an odd phone call demanding a meeting about Danny’s death and the recent TV coverage of the apparition over the Arctic; Matt isn’t impressed – but the insinuation that his brother didn’t die in a helicopter crash, that he was murdered – beggars belief. That is, until Matt’s own life is suddenly on the line and his only way out is to find out what is going on – and how it is connected to the strange sightings.

Khoury has upped his game with The Sign. This is a mature, rounded, well conceived plot told with enviable skill and dexterity. Turning the screw on modern-day conflicts such as religious fundamentalism, media manipulation, corporate conspiracies and environmental groups; Khoury makes you wonder whether ‘Global Warming’ is the new religion. The Sign has all the hallmarks of a bestseller and I will be watching out for the cinematic rendering (if there’s any justice, it should be inevitable). Khoury is stupendous.

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04 June 2009: Anonymous wrote:
Ron, I think you missed the point of the book - if you had bothered to read it to the end, you would have realised that actually Khoury was pushing for tolerance (racial, religious, etc), but that he was arguing that human nature kind of gets in the way. A point, I believe, that you have proven. Misunderstanding, fear, recriminations, ignorance even - all lead people to get carried away with the idea that someone is attacking them, which, ok sometimes does happen - but not in this case. In fact, if there was a religious message - it was that everyone should have the freedom to worship whatever God they believe in, in whatever way their conscience dictates. If you find that idea insulting; then I worry about what kind of household you live in.

03 June 2009: ronken10 wrote:
Book started out OK if you're bored. Half way in his real agenda begin to shine forth. What was it? Political of course. Finding any reason to blame George Bush for everything from global warming to the economic meltdown. Oh and insulting religion all over the world. Did the book have a positive message? Of course......Obama is intelligent, wonderful and something close to GOD himself. We should all be worshiping Obama as Mr. Khoury obviously does. Also the story line got more and more unbelievable and silly. I think he feels that because a person believes in GOD that they are easily led and ready to believe any BS that sounds religious in nature. I became offended with this book as a reader and didn't finish it. In fact it's the only book I've every just thrown in the trash so no one else in my family would waste their time. I believe in free speech but I don't allow rap music in my house either........there are lines that I won't cross. Thanks......Ron Kendrick