The Last Jihad (Political Thrillers Series #1) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Joel C. Rosenberg (Author) "A presidential motorcade is fascinating sight, particularly at night, and particularly from the air..." (more)
Key Phrases: east elevator, sleeper agent, oil deal, White House, Secret Service, New York (more...)

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.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books (September 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765346435
• ISBN-13: 978-0765346438
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (236 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #314,466 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

83 of 90 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 "Longboard jazzer" (Monument, CO USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Last Jihad (Political Thrillers Series #1) (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.

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Liz (Orlando, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Jihad (Political Thrillers Series #1) (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.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	David R. Bess (Charleston, WV) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Last Jihad (Political Thrillers Series #1) (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!