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The Last Judgment (Chambers of Justice Series #5)

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Craig Parshall has created a fitting finale for his "Chambers of Justice" series in this fifth book. THE LAST JUDGMENT incorporates all of the elements that made us wish this series would continue indefinitely: mature and likeable characters, topical timeliness, and electrifying courtroom drama, all built on a firm, Biblical foundation of values and truths. Historical detail about the cults and offshoots of ancient religions help put current events into perspective. In addition, Parshall's skilled descriptions deftly transport the reader from the midst of Mideast mayhem to tropical island nations to the Oval Office without ever losing the thread of the story.

Long a champion of lost causes, Will Chambers is called upon to defend a young Christian convert against charges of terrorism. Will had first met Hass-an Gilead Amahn when he was accused of inciting a riot at a Muslim convention. Having successfully defended him against those charges, Will was drawn to the second case against his better judgment and against the pleading of his wife, Fiona, who had just lost her Father and did not want her husband traveling to the Middle East, putting himself in harm's way. But, as a man of God, Will believed he was called to defend Gilead just as Gilead believed he had been called to preach to his former countrymen. When the Dome of the Temple Mount was destroyed, while Gilead preached, the fallout threatened more than the fragile peace talks between Israel and Palestine.

Over the years, Will has gained the loyalty of many who are now more than eager to help him as he faces the most difficult challenge of his career. While not scriptural, you might say that Will is the recipient of some really good karma! Friends like private investigator Tiny Heftland, newsman Jack Hornby, and Special Forces hero Caleb Marlowe are people who we would all like to know and be able to count on if we got into a jam. And Will's old nemesis, Warren Mullburn, is back with another evil scheme designed to increase his wealth and power while dealing a death-blow to Christianity and the Israelis. Mullburn has power that goes beyond his corporate holdings and his island's political sanctuary. He personifies evil with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. It is rousing good fun to watch our hero take him on in the courtroom and to see him squirm as he is hoisted on his own petard.

Fans of the series will recognize faithful friends and treacherous enemies from previous stories, but the book easily stands alone as an outstanding work of suspense, courtroom drama, and diligent research. Like saying goodbye to an old friend, we hope that we will meet again. If you have never read any of Craig Parshall's books, I recommend you begin with the first in the series, THE RESURRECTION FILE.

--- Reviewed by Maggie Harding, a substance abuse counselor in Phoenix, AZ who wanted to be Brenda Starr before life intervened. She reviews for www.bookreporter.com and www.womenonwriting.com. (...)

From a spiritual perspective, Jerusalem's Temple Mount intersects three different religions - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

According to Genesis 22, under the golden Dome of the Rock, Abraham tried to sacrifice his son Isaac to God. Generations later, King David built an altar upon the same rock to stop the plague. His son Solomon built the first temple that was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar on this site. Without question, the Temple Mount is the foundation stone of Judeo-Christian tradition.

But the religion of Islam also lays claim to the Temple Mount. When the Muslims conquered Jerusalem in 1638, it set the stage for the first mosque to be built there. In fact, the Temple Mount is regarded as third in importance to Muslims, after Mecca and Medina.

The confluence of the three religions on such a small plot of land in such a holy city has led to centuries inflicted with hatred-fueled conflict.

Such an undercurrent serves as the focal point of Craig Parshall's new legal thriller "The Last Judgment", from Harvest House Publishers. In this, the fifth and final installment of his Chambers of Justice series, Parshall departs the breezy summer environs of North Carolina's Outer Banks ("Missing Witness") and takes attorney Will Chambers to the spiritual epicenter of Jerusalem.

Older and wiser, Chambers is doing his best to settle into a quiet suburban lifestyle filled with school sporting events, recitals, and spending more time with his wife and son. The last thing on his mind is taking on a religious case that has apocryphal implications.

But that is exactly what happens. Chambers makes the decision to defend a young Christian converted from Islam who is charged with staging a religious riot in the United States. With the case settled, Chambers does not hear from the young man again until he receives a call from Jerusalem. His client, Gilead Ahman, has been charged with bombing the Temple Mount into a pile of rubble and stone. At issue is whether Ahman has enlisted a terrorist cult to assist him in the Temple Mount's destruction or did he act alone.

Now Chambers must figure out whether his client is on a mission for God, for Allah, or none of the above. Further complicating matters is a wife at home who wants him to have no part in the case.

At the book's core, Parshall effectively explains why the Temple Mount is such a valuable piece of real estate in a world racing forward toward the end times.

"I really believe that Jerusalem is the future," explained Parshall, in a recent interview on CBN.com. "It is the future of the United States, it's the global future, and it is also the future of the Christian church. If we lose sight of its importance in God's grand scheme of things than we really forget why Jerusalem is so special and why it is at the heart of God. Evangelicals can differ on timelines and the eschatology but we all agree on one thing ... that is Jesus is coming again and Jerusalem will play an integral part in that. To forget that means we really forget to read the signs of the times."

Readers of the Chambers of Justice series will find a more seasoned Will Chambers both professionally and spiritually in "The Last Judgment". It has been refreshing to see the evolution of his faith, a process of spiritual maturity that culminates with some hard choices to be made in the face of cataclysmic events.

"I challenged myself to show growth and change in him (Will Chambers)," Parshall said. "In my first book he comes to the Lord. He is about as unsaved as you can get. He is a man in turmoil, whose life is literally unraveling. In book two, he is trying to figure out how to integrate his faith into the workplace. In book three, his spirituality grows in a world view sense. The fourth book is more of a fun story but Will grows in his relationship with Fiona (his wife) as well as his priorities as a father. In this book, Will learns about sacrifice and the calling of obedience."

Parshall has made sure to include many of the colorful characters that have accompanied Chambers on his many previous adventures fighting for justice. Along for the ride this time are pilot Tex Rhoady, vindictive scientist Orville Putrie, and his reclusive mentor Len Redgrove.

"These were characters I really liked," said Parshall. "I didn't want to say goodbye to these people. A long time before writing "The Last Judgment" I decided that a lot of these characters I somehow wanted to bring back and give them a last curtain call."

"The Last Judgment" concludes in a hail of gunfire, explosions, and top secret aircraft. When the last gun has been fired and the last bomb has been thrown, readers are left with a man, his faith, and the knowledge that Will Chambers made a difference in the lives of many.

Ultimately, this is a book that delves into the sometimes tense relationship between Christianity and Islam. In the books' 428 pages, Parshall probes many critical issues, politically and religiously, that may be addressed in the not too distant future.

I highly recommend "The Last Judgment" for several reasons. First, Parshall tackles an issue (the contentious nature of the Temple Mount) he is very passionate about with aplomb. Second, as he has done so eloquently in previous Chambers of Justice offerings, he writes fresh, compelling narrative with mass market appeal. Finally, Craig Parshall is a master at weaving morality into the narrow, litigious margins of the courtroom.

If you haven't done so already, do yourself a favor today and pick up a copy of "The Last Judgment".

I just finished this book, after reading the entire series over the past few months (this one was the last of the series) and it was by far Craig Parshall's best! I loved how he wove all the characters together with heart-stopping episodes that made your blood pressure rise and fall constantly. I just never thought Christians would ever get to read any 'high-calibur' fiction books. What a way to spend a rainy afternoon! It just goes to show that God DOES give good gifts to His! Craig Parshall is an extremely gifted writer! I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK - BUT ONLY IF YOU START WITH THE 1ST ONE OF THE SERIES. You will need to do this to understand each book and their characters, thereafter.

This fifth and final installment of the 'Chambers of Justice' series by Craig Parshall is a great read.

Once again attorney Will Chambers is involved in a case with seemingly insurmountable odds. In this one, he is representing Gilead Amahn, a young Christian pastor. He is a former Muslim who was born in Egypt and says that he has a calling to preach the Word to his own people.

While back in the States, he had been defended by Chambers when he was charged with inciting a riot at a Muslim convention. Will has not heard from him in quite some time and then is beckoned when Amahn finds himself charged with a terrorist act by the Palestinean Authority. He is accused of passing himself off as a cult figure claiming to be the 'second coming' of a leading Muslim cleric from a millenium ago and killing numerous people.

Gilead himself claims innocence and asserts that he has been simply preaching the Gospel.

Chambers finds himself with a very difficult case and is trying to sort it out and defend his client. This may be the best of this series and they have all been very good. I highly recommend this collection of books, but would encourage readers to start at the beginning with The Resurrection File - Chambers Of Justice.

I appreciated the author's plot, but getting around in it is laborious. Characters are thinly developed, and with a plot that should create suspense, it just isn't there. Read this when you are wide awake!