"An ancient prophecy. A terrible secret. A deadly conspiracy. Annie Grant, a strong-willed veterinarian is in Israel, just days from finding a cure for a deadly bovine disease threatening to cross into the human population with deadly affects. She can save millions of human lives and her professional success might help heal the rupture with her family when she walked away from the Nebraska ranch she loves. When her research is disrupted by a bomb, she and her lover are kidnapped by a fanatical Jewish group intent on forcing God's hand.
Is Annie the chosen of God, destined to fulfill ancient Hebrew prophecy? Using her best friend as hostage, the group forces Annie to find the cure and engineer the birth of a perfect red heifer in Israel, making it possible for Jews to again find God's favor. Battling time and trapped in the bloody crossfire between rabid Zionists fighting to recapture Israel's glory, militant Muslims intent on stopping them and Christians anticipating rapture, Annie must choose. Her own life. Or an apocalyptic war. The future of the world. Or the ashes of the red heifer."
Publisher: L & L Dreamspell
Original Release Date: January 28th, 2010
My Copy: eBook sent to me by the Author
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When I got the chance to read this book through Book Lovers Inc. I jumped at it. Being Jewish, I thought it would be really interesting to read this religious thriller written by an "outsider" of Judaism, Muslim and Catholicism.
Annie Grant is a scientist working non-stop to discover the cure to a bovine disease and save cattle from being decimated. She is working with her assistant and best friend, who is Muslim and the representative of the company who is behind the money for the research, who is Jewish.
They are all working at a Kibbutz in Israel when they hear the siren announcing there is an air attack going on and then suddenly the barn where they are working at, gets blown off. From there on they need to move, get beaten on, threatened, kidnapped and its none stop action.
Annie is persecuted by both a Muslim and a Jewish faction and each one wants something from her. She is coerced into doing the Jewish's faction bidding and finds her self in the middle of fanatics. Fearing for her life and that of her best friend, she had to do what they ask her to until she finds a way to escape.
I really liked Annie as a character. I enjoyed that she didn't quite have an affiliation to any of the religions, but her dismissive attitude towards other people's beliefs bothered me a bit at times, but not too much. I had no problem in relating with her as a person and found it very easy to root for her throughout the novel.
The action in this book was great and it keep me riveted from beginning to end.
Now, I have a bone to pick with something in the novel. I actually agree with a lot of how fanaticism was portraited in this book and I have to say that I hate Fanaticism. It is my belief that everything that is in excess, it's too much and usually does not end well. I believe in balance. However, even though I am not by any stretch an expert in Judaism and its mythology, it was very hard to believe in a Jewish suicide bomber.
One might argue that fanaticism has no limits, but these same fanatics are supposed to be faithful to their religions. In Judaism, suicide is abhorred, a person that has committed suicided cannot even be buried in a regular cemetery. In some countries they are even buried as indigents outside of a Jewish cemetery. So, to believe that a Jewish fanatic would be willing to kill himself even it was for "the good of the fight".
That aside, all in all this novel was a great read. Fast paced, compelling and extremely well written. If you are up for a great Thriller, i totally recommend this book!
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A Jewish suicide bomber. . .interesting.
@brizmus
yeah, that got me too lol but despite that it was great read =)))
Sounds good...besides the Jewish suicide bomber...other than that sounds like a great story
@elizabeth
despite that little hurdle hehe it certainly is =)))
I saw this book in your little 'currently reading' and thought it looked a bit cool... great review. I really like the sounds of this one!
Sounds interesting. I need to look into it more. We have an award for you over at our blog
http://paranormalhaven.blogspot.com/2010/03/picture-of-week-and-more.html
@Danielle
It's a pretty great read! I hope you get a chance to read it =)))
@Paranormal Haven
awwww Thank you!!! =)))
I've heard of this one. It sounds like a good read. Thanks for your review!