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The Thread of Reason
For thirty years, Nizam al-Mulk ruled the Seljuq Empire, wielding more power than the sultans he served—until the fall night in 1092 when an assassin’s blade struck him down on the road to Baghdad. Among the papers he left behind, an unpublished manuscript warned that “damaging and odious enemies” had infiltrated the government. “One will not know the extent of their intrigues and their ruses until I am gone.” Determined to learn who was behind the murder of his chief minister, but unable to trust his officials, the sultan turns to one of the smartest people he Omar Khayyam—astronomer, mathematician, poet, scholar of shari'ah, and lover of wine. With little experience navigating the dangerous waters of court politics, Omar must race to solve the mystery against the background of a Muslim world on the verge of fundamental change.
498 pages, Paperback
Published March 16, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 25, 2020
The Thread of Reason brings life and humor to the unknown backgrounds of historical characters. The plotline twists and turns as you follow Omar on his perilous journey to find the murderer. For those folks who know a bit of Arabic, Isenberg adds a few quips here and there to give you a good chuckle! Needless to say, I never could have predicted the ending, and I am patiently waiting for the release of the second book!
June 2, 2020
An interesting historical mystery
This novel is set in the court of the Seljuq Turks. It is a novelization of historical events, with the poet-astronomer Omar Khayyam as the detective. A plausible leap into Muslim history. The politics are a little hard to follow.
This novel is set in the court of the Seljuq Turks. It is a novelization of historical events, with the poet-astronomer Omar Khayyam as the detective. A plausible leap into Muslim history. The politics are a little hard to follow.
October 18, 2022
Intriguing, well-researched, and—above all—FUN!
Isenberg’s Omar is a gem, the supporting characters are engaging, the mystery is solid, and several plot twists had me concerned and surprised in all the right ways. I’m genuinely looking forward to spending more time with these characters, both in revisiting this novel and reading the promised sequel.
The author’s historical note is delightful, but—unfortunately—lacks a primer on the political/religious conflicts the story engages with and that I was mostly ignorant of coming in. Additionally, the (otherwise appreciated) Dramatis Personae drowns the reader in titles and full names rather than clarifying roles and relations.
Isenberg’s Omar is a gem, the supporting characters are engaging, the mystery is solid, and several plot twists had me concerned and surprised in all the right ways. I’m genuinely looking forward to spending more time with these characters, both in revisiting this novel and reading the promised sequel.
The author’s historical note is delightful, but—unfortunately—lacks a primer on the political/religious conflicts the story engages with and that I was mostly ignorant of coming in. Additionally, the (otherwise appreciated) Dramatis Personae drowns the reader in titles and full names rather than clarifying roles and relations.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews