Showing posts with label Joel C Rosenberg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joel C Rosenberg. Show all posts

Monday, January 26, 2009

Book Review: Dead Heat by Joel C. Rosenberg

Book ReviewJoel C. Rosenberg has outdone himself with Dead Heat, the final episode in his political thriller series. If you aren't up to speed yet with the rest of this series, you might want to catch up with my reviews of the first four books in the series:
I found each of the five episodes very difficult to put down, but Dead Heat was virtually impossible to get away from. I found myself up late into the night, not wanting to set the story aside, until I couldn't hold my eyes open any longer.

When the United States finds itself targeted by an unknown enemy, all hell literally breaks loose in this incredbile conclusion to the story that began with the nearly prophetic The Last Jihad. I can't think of much to say without spoiling the entire story, and this story is really one that deserves to be read by everyone. Whether you're a fan of Christian fiction, theology, thrillers, suspense, or political drama, Dead Heat (and all of it's predecessors) will certainly please you.

If you really want to know more about this story -- if you really need more reason to read it -- then drop me an email and let me know, and I'll be happy to share more details of the story with you. Of course, you'll only be cheating yourself.

This is absolutely the best novel I have read this year (sure, the years is still young, but I bet that statement will still be true six months from now). Do yourself a favor and order a copy today.

Your comments?

Joe

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Book Review: The Copper Scroll by Joel C. Rosenberg

Book Review
Since nobody knows when Jesus is going to return -- Jesus said even He didn't know; He said only His Father knew -- that would mean that Satan doesn't know either. Which means Satan has always had to be prepared for any eventuality. That means that for almost two thousand years, he's had to have at least one Antichrist on the earth, in position, ready to go, in every generation since the Resurrection. Which is why there have been so many evil dictators throughout history. So there has to be someone out there, right now, walking around the planet at this very minute. Waiting. Preparing. Plotting. It could be somebody you know.
Joel C. Rosenberg's newest tale, The Copper Scroll, takes an unexpected turn. Part four of the series that began with The Last Jihad, and continued in both The Last Days and The Ezekiel Option, The Copper Scroll takes us back to the Middle East with Jon and Erin Bennett, as they try to uncover the mystery of the murder of a dear friend and former Mossad Chier as well as the mystery of the Copper Scroll.

Will they find the Key Scroll? Will the Key Scroll unlock the cryptic clues laid out in the Copper Scroll? Will it lead them to untold treasures from the first and second temple? Will it lead them to something even more fascinating? Or will it lead them to death?

Though not as compelling a read as it's three predecessors, The Copper Scroll is a must read for every fan of end times fiction or political thrillers. Rosenberg, a former advisor to Benjamin Netanyahu, among others, knows his stuff. He knows politics. He knows the Bible. He knows the Middle East. He weaves a talk unlike any you've imagined.

Read it!

Joe

Friday, February 17, 2006

Book Review: The Ezekiel Option by Joel C. Rosenberg

Book ReviewPolitico-turned-Author Joel C. Rosenberg hits the mark solid with his end times series in The Last Jihad, The Last Days, and The Ezekiel Option. Based on the Bibilical prophesy of Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, The Ezekiel Option tells a tale that you could find in the headlines of your morning newspaper tomorrow!

"I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD. ... 'Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up, the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel. They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel. And they will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them, declares the Sovereign LORD. ... I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them. From that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God." -from Ezekiel 38,39 (NIV)

Imagine, if you will, a new revolution in Russia. A revolution that topples the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin, leaving a known terrorist thug at the helm of one of the greatest former super-powers in the world. A terrorist thug who assumes the title of Czar and, while touting peace and using U.S. intervention in Iraq as a precedent, demands that Israel abandon her nuclear program under threat of attack.

The Ezekiel Option follows along those lines, truning Bible prophecy into modern fiction that is so realistic and so possible in today's global climate that you may find yourself wondering whether you're reading a newspaper or a novel. Joel C. Rosenberg crafts a timely tale of international suspense and terror that you won't be able to put down.

If you're like me, you'll finish this book in record time, then pick up the Bible and pour through the prophecy in Ezekiel from which this tale is inspired. The entire series is a must read, from The Last Jihad through The Ezekiel Option. This is truly one of the best books I have read recently. I highly recommend it!

Joe

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Book Review: The Last Days by Joel C. Rosenberg

Book ReviewI have spent a good portion of the past month reading The Last Days by Joel C. Rosenberg. It is the second of what is currently a trilogy that is practically living itself out in the headlines today. I reviewed book one, The Last Jihad, in July, and will be doing book three, The Ezekiel Option, in September.

In The Last Days, Israeli Prime Minister Doron (a fictional character, of course), is in secret U.S.-led negotiations with Palestinian Prime Minister Ibrahim Sa’id to return land to the Palestinians as well as broker a joint-rights deal to oil that has been discovered deep beneath the Middle East. In the headlines today, Israeli soldiers are forcing Israeli settlers out of the Gaza Strip in preparation to turn the land back over to the Palestinians. Eerily similar.

Joel C. Rosenberg has had a knack for writing what some consider pre-history. Much of what he has written in his books was written before similar events became a part of history. In The Last Jihad, U.S.-led coalition forces have already found and destroyed Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein has been eliminated and Iraq has become a democracy.

Much of what you will read in this series of books has already come true, and much more of it is already in progress. Where did Mr. Rosenberg get his inspiration for such prophetic subjects? You’d have to ask him that, but he does mention that a great deal of his insight came from the Bible, specifically chapters 38 and 39 in the book of Ezekiel. While these books do not read like Christian fiction (in fact, the first two books in the series were published by mainstream publishers, not Christian publishing houses), they do appear to closely follow Biblical prophecy.

As a very avid reader, I am very rarely NOT in the middle of at least one book. Most books take me less than a week to read, and that’s with a full work schedule and family life. This book took me just a little longer to read than most. I found there to be a great deal of groundwork that had to be laid out for the story to come and some serious back-story as well. Throughout the middle of the book I found myself at times tempted to put the book down and go do something else. I don’t give up easily when reading a book, however, and in this case it paid off. The last five chapters were riveting. I found it difficult to put the book down in the closing pages and am now looking forward to The Ezekiel Option, which is sitting on my desk waiting anxiously for me, as well.

But I feel it is my duty to first read and review the latest in the Harry Potter saga (a little behind the times on this one, but I’m going to forge ahead with it anyway).

Bottom line, if you follow the news closely, you should read these books. If you are concerned with what is happening in Israel today, you should read these books. If you are an avid reader of the Bible, you should read these books. If you’re interested in action, suspense, and intrigue, you should read these books. If you can (and do) read any book this year, you should read these books. You won’t be disappointed.

Drop me a line when you’re done and let me know what you think.

Joe

Friday, July 22, 2005

Book Review: The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg

Book ReviewIt has been quite some time since I've posted a book review here. I have read several books since my last book review posting. But none of those books has stood out in my mind strongly enough to make it worth recommending, or worth recommending you avoid. Nothing really worth mentioning. Until I read The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg. We constantly hear today about stories, movies, books and TV shows that are ripped from the headlines. Well, Joel Rosenberg wrote a book that is absolutely ripped from the headlines. And he wrote this book prior to the Iraq war.

The book is set in a post George W. Bush Presidency. The President is a conservative
Republican from Colorado. And his life is targeted by -- well, you'll just have to read the book. But his life is targeted. Someone is out to assassinate the President. Saddam Hussein is still the President and dictator of Iraq, and Iraq is still believed to have Weapons of Mass Destruction. In this book Osama bin Laden has already been found dead, and the Taliban has already been evicted fully from Afghanistan. Israel and Palestine are the targets of an oil and gas deal that is expected to make every citizen of both -- Israelis and Palestinians -- wealthy beyond their imagination. And the book takes you on a ride through those lines. There are several twists and turns and surprises that will make you want to keep turning the pages. It is a difficult book to put down. All of the surprises were believable.

The book is very well written. It would appeal, I imagine, to anyone who enjoys political thrillers, military thrillers, suspense and mystery books, alternative history, and even the Christian fiction genre. Though, as you read through this book there is no overt Christian fiction influence. Too many books in the Christian fiction genre are written as if they're an article
in Guideposts magazine. This book is written more like it's an article in the Washington Post, or Time magazine, or a report on CNN.

If you can't tell, I strongly recommend that you pick up a copy of The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg. When you've finished it, move on to The Last Days, which picks up the story just three weeks after the ending of this book. And his most recent publication is the third story in this little series, called The Ezekiel Option. These books are prophetic in nature, very timely, and very believable. And very much what is happening, what has been happening, and what could start happening in the world today.

I hope you enjoy it.

Joe

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