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Prayers from the Far Quarter
Prayers from the Far Quarter is Roger DeBlanck’s most memorable and essential novel to date. Its historical breadth and sweep traverse three continents to chronicle the extraordinary life of Isa Muhammad Rahman, an African Muslim.
Isa’s unforgettable voice and distinct prose style narrate his journey that begins in 1850 from the Bornu kingdom of sub-Saharan Africa. From his capture in his homeland, to his sojourn in Victorian England, to his enslavement on a cotton plantation in the antebellum South, to his work with the American Anti-Slavery Society in the North, and finally through his sacrifices as a Union soldier, Isa relies on the guidance of Islam to strengthen his humanity as he struggles for survival and freedom.
During his efforts to gain inclusion for himself and his family as American citizens, Isa’s journey affords him remarkable opportunities to share Islam’s message of accepting people of all races and faiths. His quest for equality and a just society leads his life on a path where he meets and works alongside figures as majestic and revered as Charles Dickens, Queen Victoria, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman.
In its totality Prayers from the Far Quarter honors the sacrifices and contributions of Muslims throughout American history, and through the voice of Isa Muhammad Rahman the novel resonates with the great peace and compassion at the heart of Islam.
Isa’s unforgettable voice and distinct prose style narrate his journey that begins in 1850 from the Bornu kingdom of sub-Saharan Africa. From his capture in his homeland, to his sojourn in Victorian England, to his enslavement on a cotton plantation in the antebellum South, to his work with the American Anti-Slavery Society in the North, and finally through his sacrifices as a Union soldier, Isa relies on the guidance of Islam to strengthen his humanity as he struggles for survival and freedom.
During his efforts to gain inclusion for himself and his family as American citizens, Isa’s journey affords him remarkable opportunities to share Islam’s message of accepting people of all races and faiths. His quest for equality and a just society leads his life on a path where he meets and works alongside figures as majestic and revered as Charles Dickens, Queen Victoria, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman.
In its totality Prayers from the Far Quarter honors the sacrifices and contributions of Muslims throughout American history, and through the voice of Isa Muhammad Rahman the novel resonates with the great peace and compassion at the heart of Islam.
361 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2020
4 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Roger DeBlanck
7 books147 followersRoger DeBlanck is the author of seven books: four novels and three works of poetry and nonfiction. He has a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in Information Science. He works as a librarian in a large public library in Las Vegas, and he lives in Henderson, Nevada, with his beloved dog named Sophy. Visit the author’s website at rogerdeblanck.com for the latest news and updates on his work. You can connect with Roger here on Goodreads and also on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Twitter. All links are available on his website.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 2, 2020
Roger DeBlanck's Prayers from the Far Quarter does a brilliant job of bringing peoples, scenes, cultures, and historical events to life through meticulous details. This lively book carries the reader on a difficult and yet heart-warming journey through some of the most crucial moments in U.S. history. DeBlanck reminds us that Muslims have always been a part of American society. He also hammers home the point that the Islamic faith has so much to offer the United States - and humanity at large.
April 23, 2020
Roger DeBlanck has conjured a richly detailed and humane portrait of a Civil War-era Muslim, originally from the Bornu kingdom in Africa, and his journey to and life in the United States. Warmly atmospheric and carefully researched, it will transport readers to another time, while exploring themes crucial for our own.
March 21, 2020
Apart from the Native Americans, some came to this country as immigrants, and others were forced ashore as slaves. What I learned and what many readers will too is many of the slaves were Muslims. Roger DeBlanck’s novel shines a spotlight on this largely unknown fact of American history. The novel has a handful of Muslim characters with the narrator of the tale being Isa Muhammad Rahman. He is representative of a wise teacher and kind soul with a great knowledge of Islam’s peace that he shares with everyone he meets, friends and foes, in Africa, England, and America.
After he’s taken prisoner in Africa, he is lucky to make it into a network of abolitionists who teach him English in England, and then want him to speak out against slavery in America. The irony is Isa becomes a slave and his tale of survival is one of sadness and heartbreak. It is also triumphant in its story of belonging and finding a place in a new land. Isa’s right to be accepted with his family is as true as any American. The novel focuses on how we all belong and how racism and hate made Blacks and Muslims outsiders before and after the Civil War. Isa’s challenge is to change that with using the peaceful teachings of Islam.
The book’s descriptions of the continents, cities of the South and North, and Civil War battles are vivid and make the authenticity of time and place real. The incredible story keeps building and taking unexpected turns. There are so many vivid characters including the strong-willed Mrs. Bern who goes against the will of her slave master husband. It’s mostly a story to learn about history and others’ religious beliefs and how closely Christian and Muslim beliefs are connected. The story makes you remember why we should value everyone like America’s dream tells us we should.
After he’s taken prisoner in Africa, he is lucky to make it into a network of abolitionists who teach him English in England, and then want him to speak out against slavery in America. The irony is Isa becomes a slave and his tale of survival is one of sadness and heartbreak. It is also triumphant in its story of belonging and finding a place in a new land. Isa’s right to be accepted with his family is as true as any American. The novel focuses on how we all belong and how racism and hate made Blacks and Muslims outsiders before and after the Civil War. Isa’s challenge is to change that with using the peaceful teachings of Islam.
The book’s descriptions of the continents, cities of the South and North, and Civil War battles are vivid and make the authenticity of time and place real. The incredible story keeps building and taking unexpected turns. There are so many vivid characters including the strong-willed Mrs. Bern who goes against the will of her slave master husband. It’s mostly a story to learn about history and others’ religious beliefs and how closely Christian and Muslim beliefs are connected. The story makes you remember why we should value everyone like America’s dream tells us we should.
March 31, 2020
Prayers from the Far Quarter brings new stories to attention during the Civil War and the building of America. Even though the character of Isa Muhammad Rahman’s story is from the Civil War period, it sounds like it is from today. The United States was not built by just the blood, sweat, and tears of white Christians, but on the backs of black slaves, many of whom were Muslims with some of them fighting on the Union side. These Muslims were amazingly intelligent people brought to enslavement to create the privileged white culture of the South.
The Civil War was to end racism and its evil, but watching the news today I see that Isa’s struggles against hate are still being fought. Isa’s fight for everyone to know that God created us all equal is never old. I especially admired the characters of Xander and Laila and how it was the magical way that they saved each other’s soul through everything they suffered. The stories of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman are brought to life in Isa’s long journey. Then Mrs. Bern and Mr. Wheatley were heroes in a time of the Civil War when it was risky to release their slaves. Echoed throughout the novel is how Islam stands for compassion and decency as the right way of life. I really appreciated the message of showing love for others in this novel.
The Civil War was to end racism and its evil, but watching the news today I see that Isa’s struggles against hate are still being fought. Isa’s fight for everyone to know that God created us all equal is never old. I especially admired the characters of Xander and Laila and how it was the magical way that they saved each other’s soul through everything they suffered. The stories of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman are brought to life in Isa’s long journey. Then Mrs. Bern and Mr. Wheatley were heroes in a time of the Civil War when it was risky to release their slaves. Echoed throughout the novel is how Islam stands for compassion and decency as the right way of life. I really appreciated the message of showing love for others in this novel.
March 21, 2020
Isa, the main character, is a Muslim brought from Africa to England then onto his enslavement in America during the Civil War era. Isa tells his own story in a compelling voice that reads like his own personal memoir. This allowed me as a reader to truly embrace Isa’s strong feelings and beliefs. Isa and his family’s sacrifices recorded in his story read as part of the building of the United States of America. This was an awakening for me to learn the important contributions of Muslims in United States history. This novel will open anyone’s mind to see that God alone is the King of love and compassion in the Bible and the Qur’an whether you are Jew, Christian, or Muslim. The message of decency and peace is masterfully portrayed throughout the novel while recognizing the long history of Muslim involvement in the United States. Reading Mr. DeBlanck’s novel is certainly an opportunity for opening your heart and acknowledging the United States is an accomplished country because of a history of many diverse people.
March 22, 2020
Prayers from the Far Quarter is a very special novel. Being a fan of Roger DeBlanck’s historical fiction, I was immediately intrigued by this ambitious project when I read the synopsis. The novel chronicles the life of Isa, a Muslim slave from Africa, who journeys, first by choice and then by force, across three continents where he faces many near-death experiences, including the bloody civil war in America. This is what makes this story unique as we witness Isa’s Muslim faith shield him and guide him to understand the meaning of life. Mr. DeBlanck’s refreshing style of including some of history’s most famous icons is on full display with Isa’s chance meetings with Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens, and Harriet Tubman, among others – well done! This thought-provoking story will provide you with a deep understanding of the Muslim religion and the teachings of the Qur’an. A novel truly worth your attention, Prayers from the Far Quarter should be on everyone’s to-read list.
April 17, 2020
I must confess that much of what I know about culture, history, society, geography I have gleaned from the pages of novels. This is not to say that I do not read non-fiction. I do, and voraciously. It is just that I find that a sweeping narrative that is engaging and entertaining, and that also contains useful information imparts a more lasting impression upon me. I have lived within a stone’s throw of the Chesapeake for forty years and I find that most of my knowledge of its history, culture, and geography comes from the Michener book of that same name that I read fifty years ago. There is just something to a plot and characters about whom you care that delivers facts to your mind through your imagination and emotions.
This may be a good starting point to discuss Prayers from the Far Quarter, by Roger DeBlanck. This is a sweeping saga of historical fiction that has been meticulously researched and that takes and intimate look at the human experience through the eyes of a man, his wife, his family and friends, and even a few recognizable historical figures. It casts a new light on times now past in a way that makes the reading, and the passage of time within the book, disappear in a warm sea of historical fascination. And in so doing it tells us a great deal about our current time and about ourselves.
There are 1.6 Billion Muslims in the world. Trying to understand the characteristics of Islam is today more topical than ever. But certainly, the arrival of Muslims to our shores predates that current interest and is indicated by that large number of believers in the faith of Islam. Mr. DeBlanck takes that historical fact and weaves it into a fascinating weave of almost epic quality. You will get to know and like Muhammad, Aisha, Ibrahim, and others and you will care about what they do and learn on their journey that takes them from Africa to England and America, touching upon African aspects of slavery, London financing, the American Abolitionist movement, and the Civil War.
I have no doubt now that Muslims have always played a role in American history and this author’s novel has indelibly impressed that upon me. This is a saga of a novel and it may be perfect for a beach vacation or, appropriately, for a long period of being a shut-in. I recommend it highly.
This may be a good starting point to discuss Prayers from the Far Quarter, by Roger DeBlanck. This is a sweeping saga of historical fiction that has been meticulously researched and that takes and intimate look at the human experience through the eyes of a man, his wife, his family and friends, and even a few recognizable historical figures. It casts a new light on times now past in a way that makes the reading, and the passage of time within the book, disappear in a warm sea of historical fascination. And in so doing it tells us a great deal about our current time and about ourselves.
There are 1.6 Billion Muslims in the world. Trying to understand the characteristics of Islam is today more topical than ever. But certainly, the arrival of Muslims to our shores predates that current interest and is indicated by that large number of believers in the faith of Islam. Mr. DeBlanck takes that historical fact and weaves it into a fascinating weave of almost epic quality. You will get to know and like Muhammad, Aisha, Ibrahim, and others and you will care about what they do and learn on their journey that takes them from Africa to England and America, touching upon African aspects of slavery, London financing, the American Abolitionist movement, and the Civil War.
I have no doubt now that Muslims have always played a role in American history and this author’s novel has indelibly impressed that upon me. This is a saga of a novel and it may be perfect for a beach vacation or, appropriately, for a long period of being a shut-in. I recommend it highly.
April 16, 2020
Prayers from the Far Quarter is an incredible piece of work by author Roger Deblanck. It is highly intelligent, well researched, well written, well constructed and thought provoking.
I enjoyed it a great deal. The story moves quickly but is extremely detailed at the same time. The character description and development is outstanding. Each character is believable and easy to picture. The main character is a steadfast individual who does not waver from his principles. The scenery is explained in detail but does not slow the pace of the story.
I was not only entertained I was educated while reading Prayers from the Far Quarter. I learned a tremendous amount as I read it. It reminded me of a Michael Crichton novel, reading it was a combination of an entertainment and educational experience.
I highly recommend Prayers from the Far Quarter.
I enjoyed it a great deal. The story moves quickly but is extremely detailed at the same time. The character description and development is outstanding. Each character is believable and easy to picture. The main character is a steadfast individual who does not waver from his principles. The scenery is explained in detail but does not slow the pace of the story.
I was not only entertained I was educated while reading Prayers from the Far Quarter. I learned a tremendous amount as I read it. It reminded me of a Michael Crichton novel, reading it was a combination of an entertainment and educational experience.
I highly recommend Prayers from the Far Quarter.
June 18, 2020
A well-researched, easy to read book chronicling the life of a young Muslim man named Isa. Isa is continually confronted with struggle, but always remains faithful, and continues to fight the good fight. Instead of being beaten down by the constant oppression he faces due to his skin color he takes these opportunities share the positive messages of his faith to accept all people's regardless of race and faith to create a just society which brings him to work alongside notable figures in U.S./World History such as Frederick Douglass.
Another aspect about this novel, that I particularly enjoyed, which goes to show the extensive research that was done by the author, are the little nuggets of information the author provides for different parts of the world, cultures and the Islamic faith. A small example is how the fruit of the baobab has a soft shell that can be easily broken with a thumb then have water added to make a sweet drink.
If you're looking for a good history book, a greater understanding of Islam and/or just a good story then I highly recommend Prayers From the Far Quarter.
Another aspect about this novel, that I particularly enjoyed, which goes to show the extensive research that was done by the author, are the little nuggets of information the author provides for different parts of the world, cultures and the Islamic faith. A small example is how the fruit of the baobab has a soft shell that can be easily broken with a thumb then have water added to make a sweet drink.
If you're looking for a good history book, a greater understanding of Islam and/or just a good story then I highly recommend Prayers From the Far Quarter.
July 14, 2020
This book is an amazing story. In today's climate of equality it is a very poignant example of the types of stories we should hear more of in America. I have also never read a more positive representation of Islam. The author educated me, took me to another time, and filled me with emotional satisfaction. The main character will be someone I remember and think about on a regular basis. An awesome read and one that can help our nation in this turbulent time.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews