Sicarii by Laurence Brown; 2012; ISBN 978-1475085402; 364 pages.
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO — Australian novelist Laurence Brown tells three stories in this novel about murder and violence in ancient Israel, modern-day Colombia, and modern-day Israel. The ancient and modern Israeli stories revolve around religious fanaticism, whereas the Colombian story focuses on illicit drugs and corruption. In the end, Brown suggests, it doesn’t matter whether terrorists say they are for God, or just raking in profits for themselves; they flourish only if society refuses to stand up to them.
In the first story, Brown sketches in the circumstances leading to the Romans’ destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE, the establishment of a Torah academy that same year in Yavne, and the subsequent mass suicide of the Zealots (Sicarii) on the hilltop fortress of Masada.
In the second story, he tells of a Colombian drug cartel boss, and how interwoven his business is in the social and political life of that Latin American country
And finally, in the modern Israeli story, he tells of a band of Haredim who impose their xenophobic brand of Judaism on the residents of Beit Shemesh.
Brown’s book profits both from his love of history and his ability to unravel complex situations and make them understandable to readers. On the other hand, where the book could stand some improvement is in helping readers understand the inner motivations of the principal characters, beyond simply labeling one as a fanatic or another as a corrupt public official.
How exactly society should take its stand against violent groups is left vague in this book. In the modern Israeli story, one misguided ultra-Orthodox man is exposed in prison to people of other backgrounds, and under the tutelage of a kindly rabbi comes to see that Judaism was intended as a religion of love, not of hate.
But if “redeem the criminal” is Brown’s advice, it’s likely to fall on deaf ears in societies where public funding always is short. If confrontation in the world outside prison is being urged, then we need more specifics. Confront them how? Physically? Intellectually? Through mass media? Policing?
While Sicarii doesn’t provide sufficient answers, it does raise questions interestingly.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com