The Twelfth Imam

October 4, 2010
Bestseller Rosenberg (The Last Jihad) has carved out a deep niche in conservative political fiction, vividly sweeping from 1979 Iran during the hostage crisis to a world-threatening crisis in the present day. When a prophecy of the coming Mahdi, or 12th imam, is believed to have been fulfilled through a Muslim prophet, a nuclear attack is threatened by Iran against Israel to bring the end of days. Iranian-American CIA operative David Shirazi must infiltrate the Iranian government without leaving American fingerprints and stop the ultimate disaster that would certainly escalate into international conflict. Filled with Islamic culture and history, this story of an Iranian family and an American one trying to understand one another is coupled with an emerging love story that will no doubt play out in coming books, since the ending is left open for more. Readers must keep track of many characters, but the author has provided a character list. Toeing the Christian conservative line while still writing sympathetic Muslim characters, Rosenberg is a go-to novelist for Christian political fiction.

November 15, 2010

Rosenberg's latest thriller (after Dead Heat) features another ripped-from-the-headlines plot. As the United Nations considers another round of sanctions against Iran, that country's leaders have called for the total destruction of Israel and the United States. As a CIA operative, the Iranian-born David Shirazi, begins a covert mission to destroy Iran's nuclear weapons program, rumors begin to spread that the prophesized 12th Islamic leader has emerged. Iran begins planning an attack on Israel that is aimed to bring about the End of Days. VERDICT This fast-paced, plot-driven novel will appeal to readers who enjoy the political thrillers of David Baldacci, Stuart Woods, and Brad Meltzer.

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