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A Fire In The Sun by George Alec Effinger
01/04/2006 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: TOR/Forge/Orb. 289 page enlarged paperback. Price: $14.95 (US), $19.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-765-31359-6. Buy A Fire In The Sun in the USA - or Buy A Fire In The Sun in the UK  check out website: www.tor.com
A continuation from 'When Gravity Fails' with an equally puzzling title, 'A Fire In The Sun', in terms of not really making a connection to the plot. Marîd Audran now has divided loyalities. He is beholden to criminal mastermind Friedlander Bey for his implants and suspects might also be a blood relative, especially when his prostitute mother comes to town and his boss puts her up in the same house. Bey also puts Audran into the police force to keep an eye on his interests which is mostly doing the paperwork until he is sent out on duty in the streets and looking into the affairs of Abu Adil, Bey's opposite number with the claim that their interests don't clash. He also finds himself in receipt of an unwanted gift, one of the local bars bought for his by Bey. There is also a killer knocking off members of the prostitute community. Have I missed any plot threads? Maybe but at least the solutions aren't that predictable.
This book was written in 1989, 2 years after 'When Gravity Fails', and in many respects, despite being set in the future, is still period piece SF. Mostly for how author Effinger handles a Muslim-based town, although this time some of the other characters do profess to belonging to other religions. I still stand by my comment that I doubt Muslims would approve of the display of their faith here and shouldn't be used by us infidels as an example of how they behave, especially as there isn't a burka in sight. As I've frequently commented to neo-writers, you really do have to do proper research because there's too many people out there who do know the difference.
Having said that, this is still a very involving book and if it's accepted as being an alternative futuristic reality with finely realised characters, just get on with an interesting read. The moddies and daddy implants are still in force with further demonstrations of imposed personas and readymade abilities. The detective levels maybe less so but I don't think that was necessarily Effinger's intent as the focus was really more on relationships and for those you really do need a scorecard this time. Although I would pause before calling this a classic, it is an interesting read.
GF Willmetts
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