Sea Prayer Novel By Khaled Hosseini. Sea Prayer is an illustrated novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini inspired by the Syrian refugee crisis and the death of Alan Kurdi. It was first created as a virtual reality experience in 2017. The book is written in the form of a letter from father to son. The two have fled their home in Homs, Syria due to the Syrian Civil War, and face the dangerous Mediterranean crossing.