Elam and Johns' Monday Night Jihad ~ Reviewed

MONDAY NIGHT JIHAD
By Jason Elam and Steve John
Published By: Tyndale Publishing
ISBN#978-1-4143-1730-4
358 pages

Back Cover:

A Story that combines all the action of a first-rate spy thriller with the intrigue of professional sports.

After a tour of duty in Afghanistan, Riley Covington is living his dream as a professional linebacker when he comes face-to-face with a radical terrorist group on his own home turf. Drawn into the nightmare around him, Riley returns to his former life as a member of a special ops team that crosses oceans in an attempt to stop the source of the escalating attacks.

But time is running out, and it soon becomes apparent that the terrorists are on the verge of achieving their goal – to strike at the very heart of America.

REVIEW:

This story grabbed my attention right from the start! The authors show you a terrorist in the making and what it takes to make someone want to give their lives for a cause! I'm not a huge football fan, but I found the action and preparation for football fascinating, and in some parts, very suspenseful. This is a story could have been taken out of today's headlines (let's hope not anytime soon!).

Riley Covington is someone you want on your team. He has seen enough military action to last a life time. He wants out of the military to peruse a dream – A Pro Football Dream!! Life is great for a season until one day his world (and everyone else's) is assaulted with bombs on American turf once more. Riley remembers September 11th and how he was fighting the enemy in Afghanistan. He has a change of heart and wants back into the action – this wasn't about revenge – this was about keeping America Safe – that's what he was trained to do overseas. Now they have come onto his turf and he wants in on the Home Land Security special ops team.

Riley Covington was a lieutenant in the special ops of the United States Air Force unit in the war. He is a man that carried out his mission the way he'd been trained, nothing more – nothing less. He's a leader, hard worker and loyal to a fault . He's a kidder – he has a dry sense of humor that's funny. He knews how to have a good time. Sometimes you need that in war situations to make it through. "You can get war out of your days, but you can never get it out of your nights." Riley knew this all too well.

Riley listened to a sermon that really touched him. The Pastor said "the terrorists were only willing to die for their beliefs; the policemen lived out their beliefs every day until their lives were taken from them (the pastor went on) – Paul knew that dying was the easy part – living for Christ is the hard part – daily putting yourself second and others first. Keep your lives in perspective. It's not about you. It's about what you can do for God and for those He puts in your path." This clinched it for Riley – he was definitely wanted in the Special Ops Unit . He was going to help get these terrorists off American soil.

Author Jason Elam is a professional football player. I was intrigued how he talks about what the players go through with training , security at games, and what would happen if they were attached. Jason and Steve bring a realism into this story that is unnerving in spots. They made you think at "What If the unthinkable happened again? Are we ready? What would we do if the terrorists were to attack us on our soil again? It was disturbing to ponder but something that we definitely need to think about. We are touchable we know that now. Is Homeland Security ready for another possible attack? Where do we get our REAL comfort in the middle of the storm? Have we learned that as a nation?

I loved how Jason and Steve bring that possibility to life. I want a man like Riley Covington and his special Homeland Security unit on my team. Men who have a heart after God and a willingness to do the right thing now matter what the cost. You will want Riley and his guys on your team too after reading this book.



Nora St. Laurent – Book Club Servant Leader