Lion of Babylon

May 30, 2011
Novelist Bunn (To the Ends of the Earth) does for readers what keeps them coming back: he offers the expected and the totally unexpected. An unlikely American operative has to infiltrate the inner circles of Iraqi politics and culture to save the life of a friend and three companions who have gone mysteriously missing. Marc Royce is surprised to be taken in by an Iraqi family that thinks the disappearances may be connected to the kidnapping of dozens of children. Description is so vivid you can smell the food and choke on the desert sand. With many complex Iraqi characters, the story is broad, eschewing melodramatic focus on a few American characters pitted against Iraqi enemies. Bunn also breaks the mold of Christian fiction that views conversion as following a formula of simplistic prayers and belief statements. Says an underground pastor, "We look only to befriend. To illuminate and represent Jesus." Bunn's fans will leap for this precise and intricate tale of cross-cultural friendship and loyalty in the heart of the Red Zone. 60,000 first printing.

Starred review from June 15, 2011

Four people have gone missing in Iraq. The Taliban abducted two CIA operatives, but an Iraqi civilian and an American doing humanitarian work in the region have also vanished. Ex-intelligence officer Marc Royce is sent on an undercover mission to investigate the disappearances. Are they related? VERDICT Bunn's (The Black Madonna) exciting, action-packed thriller features a strong sense of place in its depictions of the people and politics of the Middle East. It is sure to please his fans and win him new ones. And it might be a good pick for readers who like the Christian suspense stories of Oliver North.

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