The Third Target

Known for his globe-spanning thrillers (The Twelfth Imam), many dealing with the interplay between radical Islam and the West, Rosenberg has ripped a page from current headlines with a heart-stopping plot about the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also commonly called ISIS). When New York Times reporter J.B. Collins is given unprecedented access to world leaders and terrorists, it puts him in a position to advise even the president of the United States about looming chemical weapons attacks and a "third target" besides Syria and Iraq. The plot is executed with well-paced precision, includes a mysterious Israeli love interest named Yael, and has more than enough to satisfy those who love over the top action, down to the last shocking word of the book. Rosenberg's writing skills are impeccable, yet some Christian readers may wonder whether the grisly violence he depicts and the xenophobia it stokes contradict the Christian gospel messages found in the book. (Jan.)