Book Review: The Last Jihad

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Last Jihad     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Joel C. Rosenberg
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Terrorists   Apocalyptic Fiction
Series: Political Thrillers (Rosenberg) # 1
Forge, Nov 2002, $24.95, 351 pp.

Though spread over three continents, the attacks on the four cities are almost simultaneous. In Denver, the President of the United States coming home for the Thanksgiving Holiday barely escapes the assassination attempt. London, Paris, and Riyadh are not quite as fortunate as terrorists cause mass destruction. Later evidence ties these deadly assassins to Saddam Hussein who has sent other operatives around the world to do his bidding.

A new hope for peace arises in the Middle East when oil is discovered off the coast of Gaza. The President sends his friend Jon Bennett, accompanied by Erin McCoy, to broker a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine. However, before the negotiations can be completed, Israel recovers proof that Iraq has nuclear warheads that Hussein used with a SCUD and further evidence that the "Butcher of Baghdad" plans to turn DC, New York, and Tel Aviv into metallic salt. Either Israel or America must resolutely destroy Baghdad and its innocent Muslim population to stop Hussein’s global threat.

THE LAST JIHAD is an exciting post 9/11 thriller that never slows down until the final page is read. With President Bush and Ms. Rice gleeful aside, some key underlying premises involving the Hussein threat must be accepted as gospel (will smell like limburger cheese to the left) if the audience wants to fully relish this exciting story line. Especially terrifying is the reality of the key premise of how easy hijacking a private aircraft is. Fans of political- military thrillers taken from the headlines will want to read Joel C. Rosenberg’s nonstop action tale of potential mass destruction.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner