Sword of God by Chris
Kuzneski
Genre:
Adult Fiction
Publisher:
Jove
Source:
Personal Library
Book
Description:
Retired soldiers
Jonathon Payne and D.J. Jones return to action (after last year's Sign of
the Cross), investigating a secret bunker off the coast of Korea where a
gruesome scene and a missing squad from their former unit, an elite
counterinsurgency team, indicate that secret interrogation proceedings have
gone terribly wrong. Piecing together the facts of the case lead Payne and
Jones to Mecca, where a plot to blow up the Grand Mosque suggests a global
conspiracy to align forces against the United States. Soon Payne and Jones have
to risk their lives to infiltrate Mecca (where non-Muslims can be summarily
executed) to save the city and, ultimately, the world. Kuzneski's novel is taut
and largely fast-paced; though occasionally bogged down in historical
exposition, it's a fair trade that gives the book a rich sense of authenticity
and plausibility. Though characters are short on depth, Kuzneski knows how to
maintain a nuanced moral landscape while wresting maximum thrills from
contemporary Western fear of terrorism. This globe-crossing action thriller,
like its predecessor, evokes the spirit of Dan Brown, with welcome doses of Lee
Child's ex-military tough-guy grit.
Review
I’ve read several of the
books in this series and I’m never disappointed. The action is non-stop and the history is interesting. Payne and Jones are a couple of fun
guys who will do whatever it takes to get the job done.
The main story revolves
around Islam and the author does a good job of giving us the history of the
religion and how some of its followers become fanatical and extreme in “preaching”
their beliefs.
If you like Dan Brown,
Steve Berry, then you’ll enjoy this fast paced action thriller.
Happy Reading!
Page
Related to the plot of The Sword of God is the fascinating story of Richard Francis Burton's "pilgrimage" to Al-Medina and Mecca in the 1850s. This unstoppable polyglot's (the man smoke almost 30 languages) record of this journey A Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Medinah and Meccah made him famous in his day, but these days he's probably more well known for having made the first comprehensive translation of the 1001 Arabian Nights and bringing the Kama Sutra to an English audience. For his journey, Burton, too, had to disguise himself and learn the Islamic customs lest he face death. The man even underwent circumcision that he might better blend in with the populace! Now that's dedication to an adventure!
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