The Last Jihad (Political Thrillers Series #1) [Paperback]

Joel C. Rosenberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 17, 2006

Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy are two of the shrewdest strategists on Wall Street and close friends of the president of the United States. Their secret project: a billion-dollar oil deal off the coast of Tel Aviv and Gaza that could form the basis of a historic peace treaty and bring enormous wealth to every Israeli and Palestinian. But nothing has prepared Jon or Erin for the terror that lies ahead. The book that started it all, The Last Jihad is the first of Joel C. Rosenberg's New York Times best-selling series, with 500,000 in print. The first page puts readers in the cockpit of a hijacked jet on a kamikaze mission into an American city--but it was written nine months before 9/11/01. As the plot unfolds, White House advisors Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy are under attack in Jerusalem as the U.S. goes to war with Iraq over weapons of mass destruction--but The Last Jihad was published four months before the actual Iraq war began.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (August 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414312725
• ISBN-13: 978-1414312729
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (345 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Timeliness adds considerable juice to Rosenberg's frenzied political thriller, set a couple of years in the future. In the wake of September 11, popular American president James MacPherson has spearheaded an international effort to destroy terrorist training camps in the Middle East and North Africa. Osama bin Laden has been killed, but Saddam Hussein continues to plot against the West. The novel opens with a coordinated international terrorist attack, in which Paris and London and several sites in the United States are bombed. Quick-thinking agents deflect an assassination attempt on the president, but MacPherson is gravely wounded. The reader follows the crisis through the eyes of Jon Bennett, a Wall Street strategist putting together a stock deal in Israel when the terrorists strike. Bennett once worked closely with MacPherson on Wall Street. After a tortuous interrogation at the Jerusalem airport on his way back to the U.S., Bennett passes out, expecting to be killed. When he awakes, he finds that he has passed a crucial test and is now a member of President MacPherson's inner circle of advisers. So far, Rosenberg (Not Quite Scaramouche, etc.) keeps a lot of narrative balls in the air with lean writing and breakneck pacing, but at this midway point the novel loses focus and urgency. Rosenberg's failure to give the characters dimension is exposed when the story slows down and moves away from dramatic scenes of action. Intelligence reports indicate that Saddam may be planning a nuclear attack, and the advisers engage in a lengthy heated discussion about a first strike. Though the characters in this debate come off like talking heads, the energy and scope of the dispute breathes new life into the last half of the novel and hints at greater things from the author.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

This new novel from a Washington, D.C., communications expert scores big on timeliness. It's the very-near future, and the U.S. president has won a midterm election, succeeding George W. Bush. Saddam Hussein has sent assassins to gun down the newly elected president. Meanwhile, Iraqi terrorists attack the leaders of U.S.-allied countries. America sees one hope for the Western world: an Israeli-Arab alliance with the single goal of stopping Hussein. Only two people can make the alliance happen: Jon Bennett, a Wall Street strategist, and his partner, the lovely Erin McCoy. Can our plucky heroes orchestrate the giant business deal necessary to forge the alliance and save the free world? In today's get-Hussein political climate, the novel is sure to find an audience, but some readers may not find the book as exciting as expected. While Rosenberg works a couple of genuinely surprising plot twists into his story, and his grasp of international politics and terrorism seems solid, his prose style is, at best, adequate. Although fans of Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy will no doubt enjoy it, readers who like their narratives elegant and their characters more than paper-thin may be somewhat disappointed. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (August 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414312725
• ISBN-13: 978-1414312729
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (345 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joel C. Rosenberg is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels--The Last Jihad, The Last Days, The Ezekiel Option, The Copper Scroll, Dead Heat, The Twelfth Imam, and The Tehran Initiative--and five nonfiction books, Epicenter, Inside the Revolution, Implosion, Israel at War, and The Invested Life, with nearly 3 million copies sold. The Ezekiel Option received the Gold Medallion award as the "Best Novel of 2006" from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Joel is the producer of two documentary films based on his nonfiction books - Epicenter and Inside the Revolution. He is also the founder of The Joshua Fund, a nonprofit educational and charitable organization to mobilize Christians to "bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus" with food, clothing, medical supplies, and other humanitarian relief.As a communications advisor, Joel has worked with a number of U.S. and Israeli leaders, including Steve Forbes, Rush Limbaugh, Natan Sharansky, and Benjamin Netanyahu. As an author, he has been interviewed on hundreds of radio and TV programs, including ABC's Nightline, CNN Headline News, FOX News Channel, The History Channel, MSNBC, The Rush Limbaugh Show, The Sean Hannity Show, and The Glenn Beck Show. He has been profiled by the New York Times, the Washington Times, the Jerusalem Post, and World magazine. He has addressed audiences all over the world, including those in Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Russia, and the Philippines. He has also spoken at the White House, the Pentagon, and to members of Congress. In 2008, Joel designed and hosted the first Epicenter Conference in Jerusalem. The event drew two thousand Christians who wanted to "learn, pray, give, and go" to the Lord's work in Israel and the Middle East. Subsequent Epicenter Conferences have been held in San Diego (2009); Manila, Philippines (2010); Philadelphia (2010); Jerusalem (2011); and Albuquerque, New Mexico (2012). The live webcast of the Philadelphia conference drew some thirty-four thousand people from more than ninety countries to listen to speakers such as Israeli Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon; pastors from the U.S., Israel, and Iran; Lt. General (ret.) Jerry Boykin; Kay Arthur; Janet Parshall; Tony Perkins; and Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of one of the founders of Hamas who has renounced Islam and terrorism and become a follower of Jesus Christ and a friend of both Israelis and Palestinians. The son of a Jewish father and a Gentile mother, Joel is an evangelical Christian with a passion to make disciples of all nations and teach Bible prophecy. A graduate of Syracuse University with a BFA in filmmaking, he is married, has four sons, and lives near Washington, D.C. To visit Joel's weblog--or sign up for his free weekly "Flash Traffic" e-mails--please visit www.joelrosenberg.com. Please also visit these other websites: www.joshuafund.net www.epicenterconference.com and Joel's "Epicenter Team" and the Joel C. Rosenberg public profile page on Facebook.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

(What's this?)

#23 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

#37 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

#23 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

#37 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

99 of 109 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Estimable effort from a writer to watch November 29, 2002

By Jan P. Dennis VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Joel Rosenberg, a political columnist for World magazine, has written quite an amazing first novel.

One of the interesting things about it is that it proves evangelical Christians can write international thrillers and get published by New York publishers if their stories are strong enough. And this one is. Rosenberg, not really a Washington "insider," nevertheless either knows enough about Beltway affairs or has done his research sufficiently to render the world of Washington in all its tawdry splender very effectively.

The author also writes quite astonishing action scenes, e.g., the opening sequence where a Gulfstream G4 crashes into the President's limo, the shootout in the former top Mossad agent's house in Jerusalem, and the sniper sequence prior to the memorial service for the secret service agents.

Not everything works optimally. I felt the main character's expertise--the ability to see patterns in the most obscure details, put them together, and forcast events--could've been more effectively used in the last half of the book. Also, there's not a whole lot of chemistry between the hero and his purported love interest.

But these are quibbles. All in all, it's a fine effort.

55 of 59 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Put your To-Do List Away November 20, 2002

By Liz

Format:Hardcover

All other items on your to-do list will have to wait once you being this book. Don't be surprised if you find yourself engrossed from the very beginning..and hold on to your socks from there. No matter what your stance is on terrorism and war in the Middle East you need to read it.

53 of 57 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What a Page Turner! December 3, 2002

By Mark Roberts

Format:Hardcover

OK... You can't judge a book by it's cover, right? But, with all of the positive comments that were on the book's cover it had to be good.

Actually, it was better! I literally could not put the book down. I got it just before Thanksgiving and finished it with in 3 days.

The plot is quite involved. Just when you think you have things figured out, there's a new twist. I don't want to give details of the plot as it will ruin the surprise of discovering the twists: just know they are there and that it makes for a fun read. One of the things that I liked about the main plot was it was so believeable. In fact, I heard about this book while watching the author, Joel C. Rosenberg interviewed on Hannity and Colmes. I heard Joel say that while writing the book, 9-11 hit and he had to do some adjusting to the plot due to how real his initial premise was to what had just occurred.

The characters become your friends, just as in any good book. I liked the character development, much like a Tom Clancy novel, in that the reader seems to be drawn into a world of reality that most of us only see from the outside. How do they set up security boundaries for Presidential motorcades? How do they draw information out of a suspect that may be reluctant to talk? I have wondered about that very thing while hearing of some of the information drawn out of the actual Taliban prisoners held in Cuba. How do they get these "loyal" Taliban top aides to talk? I got an idea of how it might be done in Chapter 5...

All in all this was one terrific read. If the first chapter doesn't get you hooked, then have a Urologist check out your adrenal glands. For the rest of us, lay off the caffeine. This book is a good substitute.

My only complaint: It'll take Joel C.... Rosenberg at least a couple of years to pound out another book... Read more ›

41 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Spell-Binding Political Thriller! December 11, 2002

By David R. Bess VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I don't normally read fiction, but this book has been getting so much press that I decided to explore it for myself. After the first few pages I was spell-bound -- I could hardly put the thing down! Rosenberg has a smash hit on his hands, and I, like many other readers, am eager to read a sequel.

This work could be described as a combination of a Tom Clancy novel and a Jenkins/LaHaye "Left Behind" volume. Global crises, military action, political intrigue, compelling characters, and a conservative, Christian mindset are all present in this book. The Christian aspect by no means dominates, but as a Baptist minister I quickly noticed the two or three times it surfaced and was pleasantly surprised.

Perhaps the most appealing characteristic of this fictional, future tale is its closeness to present-day reality. With the current war on terrorism, the escalation of tension between the United States and Iraq, and the development of military and communications technology, the scenario described here could very well happen.

I recommend this book very highly to anyone enjoying a good fictional read. The narrative consistently moves along at a rapid pace, never once dragging. Order it, read it, and see for yourself!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A fresh, timely story makes for an admirable debut January 4, 2003

By Jon Eric Davidson

Format:Hardcover

With the U.S. and Iraq engaged in a showdown, and the possibility of a war that could see the horrific use of weapons of mass destruction, Joel Rosenberg writes "The Last Jihad", a thriller that none-too-subtly reminds the public what the price may be for not taking out Saddam Hussein.

For a debut in the world of fiction, Mr. Rosenberg has done admirably well. He takes advantage of a plot that is made all the more timely by real-life current events, and has crafted a fast-paced, intriguing thriller. The action starts off almost immediately, with an attempted attack on the presidential motorcade using a Gulfstream jet. It doesn't take much time to finger Iraq as the perpetrator, and so events roll from there, as an Israeli commando operation reveals Iraq's nuclear capacity. The Israelis give the U.S. one hour to take action before they fire a nuke on Iraq. The story catapults the reader through diplomatic, military, and personal machinations that culminate in nuclear weapons being unleashed.

The bulk of "The Last Jihad" focuses on the character of Jon Bennett, a well-to-do financial strategist-turned-presidential aide. Not much time is spent fleshing out the character beyond his business career - serving to provide insight into the gas-oil deal that is brought into the story as a potential peace plan capstone between the Arabs and Israel. This is a mixed blessing; while the lack of character background and development allows the reader (and author) to stay focused on the plot, the downside is that the reader doesn't care as much what happens to the character, in that the character remains distant. So, in terms of the primal "rooting for the good guy", there is no impetus for wanting to root for the Jon Bennett character. If Mr.... Rosenberg intends to write other fiction, and, more importantly, wants to make Jon Bennett the literary second coming of Jack Ryan, he will need to improve upon this aspect of storytelling.

The character development - or lack of it - in regards to the President McPherson character in this story is interesting as well. The reader probably learns more about him than the Jon Bennett character, and are exposed to more of the emotional rationales behind his actions in the nuclear politics he engages in. I never could figure out if Mr. Rosenberg intended for President McPherson to be a Reagan-esque character in terms of determination and resolve. To me, this character had a strong Nixonian trait about him that made him one not to particularly like one way or the other.

The bulk of the story revolves around the political and diplomatic happenings, demonstrating Mr. Rosenberg's obvious depth-of-knowledge and strength in this arena. The military descriptions and story threads are less descriptive and very basic, perhaps showing that Mr. Rosenberg is not well-versed in this area. It doesn't hurt him in terms of "The Last Jihad", but again, if he is to write follow-up books, he will need to expand upon his knowledge here.

As with any first-time author, there are a few threads in the story that - overtly or not - are left hanging. There seemed to be a couple of little pieces here and there that could have been tied back in to the main plot, but weren't. However, these were not omissions that took anything significant away from the overall quality of the story.

The main "agenda", if you will, that Mr. Rosenberg seems to be not-so-subtly pushing in this book is that of having to deal with Saddam Hussein at once. One cannot help but ignore that he advocates removal of Hussein before he strikes out in some way at Israel, the U.S., or another ally. This message becomes more evident as the plot unfolds. As it pertains to current events in early 2003, this works just fine. When the time comes that Saddam Hussein is removed from power - and when Iraq is not as large a focus on the national consciousness as it is now - this message may not play as well.

Readers with Democrat/liberal leanings may pick up this book and be turned off by the rave reviews found on the jacket from the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Steve Forbes. They may also be turned off somewhat by the obvious conservative bent in political discussions in the story. But, if those readers are that hung up on politics, they would be well-served to avoid this book. But for those who can set political leanings aside, this book will be well worth the time.

Outside of a few very minor glitches and the character aspects noted above, "The Last Jihad" is an outstanding debut for Mr. Rosenberg. He has crafted a great story that has fantastic pacing, and takes the political thriller in an exciting new direction. This reader hopes that he will write again.

I give "The Last Jihad" four stars, and heartily recommend it all except those who are irritated by the reviews of conservative media figures and politicians, since they will not get past that and enjoy what is a very good story. Read more ›