The Last Days (Political Thrillers Series #2)

This is a sequel to 'The Last Jihad'. I recommend both books, but they should be read in order and this is the second one.

Rosenberg again wrote a fast paced thriller with an interesting plot and lots of twists. The story also contains a very creative plan for Middle East peace that makes the story very unique. Although the resources may not actually be present to make it happen like they are in the book, one can at least appreciate some of the ideas presented.

One area that he could use some improvement is in research to make the details more accurate. The author obviously isn't familiar with firearms as he talks about a .357 magnum having a safety and reloading it with a clip. As a revolver, this type of pistol doesn't have a safety. Additionally, revolvers don't use clips. One other mistake was in describing a fire in a building, he talked about it providing enough light to see by. When a building is on fire, it is not light inside. It is extremely dark as the smoke prevents one from seeing much of anything.

As this was written two years ago, it also contains some items that have occurred differently than are in the story. That is no fault of the author. The reader just needs to realize when the book was written that Rosenberg was portraying future events. For example, both Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden are dead at the beginning of this book. As we all know, Saddam is in prison and Bin Laden is hiding like the coward that he is.

In addition to a great story line, Rosenberg makes some great points that readers would do well to ponder. In one place, he has the former head of Mossad telling the 'hero' of the story, Jon Bennett, that 'the problem with you Americans is that you don't believe in evil'. He goes on to explain that he believes that 'evil forces make evil men do evil things'. He explains that this awareness of evil missing from the American perspective causes problems for us. He said that because of this, the people at the FBI and CIA, 'and definitely the guys at State - don't properly anticipate horrible, catastrophic events because you don't really believe in the presence of evil ...' He goes on to cite some specific events to support this contention.

After his lesson from the Israeli, Bennett realizes that he is right. He realized that in regard to suicide bombers and other terrorists 'weren't misguided or misunderstood. They were controlled by evil. Pure evil. And evil couldn't be negotiated with. It could only be hunted down, captured, or destroyed.' There are some lessons in this novel that would be helpful for many in our nation to learn.

Bennett is certainly an unlikely and really unrealistic hero. The investment banker turned into an action hero with no training could use some work. Regardless of that and other minor imperfections, Rosenberg has again written a terrific novel. I look forward to his next one.

I ordered and read the first book in the series, the Last Jihad, and had to wait an agonizing week to get this book, The Last Days. I was smart and actually ordered all the other along with it so I could quickly go from cliffhanger ending to cliffhanger ending!

I could not put the book down! I finished it in less than 2 days (and thats quick for a busy stay at home mom)! The way Joel Rosenberg writes this book, you get entangled into the events and the lives of the characters. It's a very smartly written book and i highly recommend it to anyone...ESPECIALLY if you are a Christian or a student of Biblical prophecy. EVEN IF YOU AREN"T this book will be highly entertaining and it's well worth the time to read it!

I started reading Rosenberg's Ezekiah Code first, so I am reading in reverse order. But, I have really enjoy both of these books. Last Days is an action packed work of fiction with a realistic background of history, politics and religion. I highly recommend it.

After having read "The Last Jihad" by Joel Rosenberg and reviewing it on Amazon, I moved on to his second book, "The Last Days". And that was a mistake!

Rosenberg tries so hard to be suspenseful that he becomes annoying. Characters appear out of nowhere, complete with back story, but with nothing that developed (in me) an emotional response or interest. They are simply flat caricatures, similar to pawns on a chess board. They have a job to do, they do it, and no one cares if they're sacrificed.

If I had read only an outline of the plot, I would have concluded that the story was a good one. However, like often happens when Salisbury steak is on the menu, it turned out to be only hamburger. And this, I believe, can be attributed to the writing style which is purely journalistic.

There are discussions in the National Security Council about how to respond to the Palestinian territories falling into war. Each participant presents their viewpoint in a long, drawn out dialogue. I can almost see, after each discussion, the statement, "...according to a high ranking White House official." The writing is certainly clear and concise, but is without similes, metaphors or interesting descriptions of any person, place or thing.

Unlike the characters in the Cornwell or Griffin novels, I just don't care about Rosenberg's characters one way or the other. I root for Cornwell's Richard Sharpe and hiss at his villains, hating them intensely. I'm intrigued by Griffin's many characters, seeming to understand what makes them tick and feel a little pleasure when one pops up again in another book. Like seeing an old friend, if you will.

I suppose I wasn't bothered by the same absence of feeling about the characters in "The Last Jihad" because perhaps I was concentrating on spotting the evangelical leanings of which his books are accused. I have to say, that "leaning" is more prevalent in "The Last Days". But it's not the leaning that disturbs me. It's just that I don't care about his characters.

In short, it's just hamburger. No Salisbury steak here.

I have now read five books by Joel Rosenberg and loved every one of them. He is more current than the nightly news broadcasts. Perhaps the politicians in Washington should follow his lead!!

The prequel to this book, "The Last Jihad" was difficult to put down - and this was every bit as riveting, if not more so. This could stand alone without reading the first of the series, but as in most series, it is best appreciated being read in order. There is a very helpful list of the cast of characters in the front of the book. Like the prequel, the action is nonstop, the suspense mounts, there are unanticipated developments, and much food for thought about current events. In some ways it almost seems to be news, not fiction.

I couldn't finish this book; I quit about half way through it. The book is not a historical novel, but rather a future (when he wrote it) that didn't happen. As such, I just couldn't get "into it". I found that it was just a tedious series of imaginary biographies.

I doubt that most people reading this book know the bio's of many of our political leaders in the same detail as the numerous characters in this book. Who has the time to waste on this fictional nonsense? If I want to read political biographies, I'll read non-fiction. It was just plain dull and uninteresting to me.

Enjoying Rosenberg's thrillers, one after another.

great

Satisfied.