The Blasphemer

For fans of Robert Ludlum and Frederick Forsyth -- how far would you go to protect one man's right to speak?When Abraham Khan releases an e-book condemning radical Islam, the consequences hit him fast and hard -- an armed fanatic smashes into his home one evening, trying to kill him. He survives the harrowing attempt. Just barely. But will he survive the next one?Maya Raines is the security operator brought in to protect Abraham. She is tough and committed. The very best at what she does. Always one step ahead of the threat.But Abraham is no ordinary principal -- he will not hide, and he will not stay silent. And as rage explodes on the streets and the nation is propelled to the brink, Maya will have to ask herself the hardest question of all: how far would you go to protect one man's right to speak?BONUS CONTENTThis Amazon exclusive comes complete with an afterword discussing the inspiration and background behind the story; two non-fiction essays on Islam and terrorism; and two excerpts from other works of fiction by the author.PRAISE FOR JOHN LING'S THRILLERS'Meticulously researched and brilliantly plotted. A tour de force.' - J. Carson Black, author of The Shop'A tension-packed thriller that explores our post-9/11 fears.' - Deborah Shlian, author of Rabbit in the Moon'A powerful new voice in adventure stories. His characters and weaponry are dead on, and his action leaves the reader breathless.' - Marilyn Henderson, Pendulum Press'Non-stop pulse-pounding action. Ling definitely delivers all the adrenalin.' - Michael LaRocca, author of Vigilante Justice EXCERPTSamir had decided that tonight would be the night. As he sat in his car with the engine off, he stared at the house across the street. The rain had eased to a trickle, and he could see movement past the windows. The man of the house was helping his wife set the table for dinner. Curtains billowed, hiding the man's face. But Samir knew it had to be him. The apostate. The blasphemer.Samir exhaled, feeling so many things at once. Joy and hate. Faith and doubt. Excitement and fear. Which was which? He could no longer tell. Pain started to bloom in his temples, and he could feel it reaching into his eyeballs, stabbing him in sync with his heartbeat. That damn headache was back.He clenched his jaw, trying to tough it out. He didn't want to medicate himself. Didn't want to risk dulling his senses, blunting his edge. But in the end, the migraine proved too crushing, too searing, and he relented. A bit of pain was good for the spirit, yes, but too much would be a hindrance.Opening his glove box, he pulled out a paracetamol blister pack. The foil packaging crackled and popped as he pressed out two pills. He had no water, so he dry-swallowed them. It took him three tries and a fair bit of retching before they went down.Breathing through his teeth, he was tempted to lean back against his seat. To close his eyes. To wait for the pain to fade. But he stopped himself. For a week now, he had barely slept and had eaten only a little. The fasting had purified his soul but wrecked his body. Nodding off now would be too easy. Far too easy. So he forced himself to stretch, to straighten. Yes, tonight would be the night. God had chosen him to be a mujahid. A holy warrior. He knew he had to obey.Unzipping the bag beside him, he pulled out a pistol. It gleamed black, looking like the ugliest thing, its icy metal chilling him through his glove. Biting his lip, flexing his fingers, he raised the gun, uncomfortable with how big and heavy it felt. It was a Norinco. A forty-four calibre. The Asian guy who had sold it to him had called it the Desert Eagle of China. Top-shelf quality. Rock-bottom price. Superb stopping power. Two hundred dollars had sealed the deal. Review'Meticulously researched and brilliantly plotted. A tour de force.' - J. Carson Black, author of The Shop'A tension-packed thriller that explores our post-9/11 fears.' - Deborah Shlian, author of Rabbit in the Moon'A powerful new voice in adventure stories. His characters and weaponry are dead on, and his action leaves the reader breathless.' - Marilyn Henderson, Pendulum Press'Non-stop pulse-pounding action. Ling definitely delivers all the adrenalin.' - Michael LaRocca, author of Vigilante Justice About the AuthorJohn Ling is a Malaysian-born author based in New Zealand. He writes thrillers that blend espionage and emotion. Visit his website at johnling.net