Nick Daniels's The Jihad's Messiah ~ Reviewed

The Jihad's Messiah

Nick Daniels

Paperback: 348 pages

Publisher: Risen Books (September 15, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1936835061

Description:

THE JIHAD'S MESSIAH (JIHAD SERIES BOOK I) In a future when world power has shifted to the Middle East, and the Arab nations have signed a seven-year peace treaty with Israel, a radical Iraqi leader-known as Al-Mahdi, "the Awaited One"-rises to power promising to convert the world to Islam. Major General Farid Zadeh is Al-Mahdi's most loyal follower and the next in line to become the Full Army General of Iraq-until he is falsely accused of being an Israeli spy. Determined to vindicate himself, Farid flies to Jerusalem to spy on the Israeli military. But before he can return home with the intelligence, the peace treaty is broken and war breaks out between the Arabs and Israel. Now he must run for his life, as both armies consider him their enemy and want him dead. Help-and perhaps redemption-come from unlikely sources: a stunning Jewish woman and a Christian prisoner. When his faith and his loyalties are tested, Farid must decide which side to take.... His decision could alter the course of Man's final war. PRAISE FOR THE JIHAD'S MESSIAH "The Jihad's Messiah is a thrilling ride into a very probable future. No other apocalyptic novel brings the current events in the Middle East so close to the biblical prophecies about the last days. This book will both entertain enlighten you, leaving you hungry for more.

Review:

What can be said about “The Jihad’s Messiah” besides the Premise above? It is labeled as a Christian fiction book talking about the End of the World issues. It is set about 13 years into the future and is also controversial. How is that for enticement to get you wanting to read this book?

Alright, then how about these points for consideration…. “The Jihad’s Messiah” is exciting to read. It is filled with the author’s opinion on the Quran and Islam and the Anti Christ rising from its religion’s ashes. It is a story from first person accounts of Major General Farid Zadeh, a very devout Muslim, and his fall from grace to realization of how life is outside of his own bubble.

Nick Daniels, author of “The Jihad’s Messiah” and published by Risen Books, has written a thought provoking, edge of your seat thriller that could be compared to Joel Rosenberg’s End of the World trilogy dealing with similar subject matter. He talks about events as if they were in the past and why things are always as they seem including a new look at people from an unfiltered Islamic structure.

What makes it a Christian novel? The events in the story are mostly laid out in the Holy Bible dealing with end of time sequences and the “Rapture” of all those believing in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Further, it shows how Christians differ from Islam and might interest you or anger you depending where you fall in the two spectrums.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I challenge those that love Christian fiction or who are Christians to give “The Jihad’s Messiah” a read and see if your curiosity was worth a glimpse as it was for me.

Be blessed!

Reviewed by: Bradley Evans

Bonus Review:

In a future when world power has shifted to the Middle East, and the Arab nations have signed a seven-year peace treaty with Israel, a radical Iraqi leader—known as Al-Mahdi, “the Awaited One”—rises to power promising to convert the world to Islam.

Major General Farid Zadeh is Al-Mahdi’s most loyal follower and the next in line to become the Full Army General of Iraq—until he is falsely accused of being an Israeli spy. Determined to vindicate himself, Farid flies to Jerusalem to spy on the Israeli military. But before he can return home with the intelligence, the peace treaty is broken and war breaks out between the Arabs and Israel.

Now he must run for his life, as both armies consider him their enemy and want him dead. Help—and perhaps redemption—come from unlikely sources: a stunning Jewish woman and a Christian prisoner. When his faith and his loyalties are tested, Farid must decide which side to take…. His decision could alter the course of Man’s final war.

Okay, moment of shocking honesty here…when I first started this book, I didn’t expect I’d like it. Nothing personal about the author, mind you. I was sure Nick Daniel’s writing would be fabulous and the story solid in plot and morals and all that. It’s the genre that kind of threw me. End times thriller? Yeah. Been there, done that. I read all the Left Behind series, so count me out.

Wow. Was I ever dead wrong.

Not only is the writing stunning, beautiful and so tight you can hardly breathe, but the action—fan-freaking-tastic. The Jihad’s Messiah has some crazy kind of magnetic action. I was totally sucked in. In fact, I had to duck a couple times and then do a double-take to make sure I wasn’t bleeding. Seriously. Nick Daniels takes an action/adventure scene and tosses the reader into the midst of the chaos.

What I found to be most interesting was getting inside the head of a Muslim character. Two, actually. The protag and antag are both devotees of Islam. Being an American Christian, this was a completely foreign and interesting point of view, sometimes alarming but all the time intriguing.

Now then, besides the spectacular writing and story, there’s something even better to rave about…the message. There’s a ton of Biblical truth in this tale. Not beat-the-reader-over-the-head kind of Bible thumping, but heart piercing, soul wrenching truths that are interwoven so deftly, I wouldn’t hesitate to hand this to a staunch skeptic.

The Jihad’s Messiah is the first in a three book series. When the next installment comes out, I’ll have a whole new attitude about cracking it open. In fact, I think I’ll be ordering pizza delivery for din din that night because there’s nothing going to stop me from reading it cover to cover in one sitting.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep