The Fifth Horseman is a 1980 techno-thriller novel written by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. The story revolves Libyan-backed terrorists holding New York City hostage with a hidden nuclear bomb. A related book, Is New York Burning?, examines the same scenario, but set in 2005, with George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden replacing the depicted President and Muammar Gaddafi.