Set in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the United States, The Malacca Conspiracy is a bone-chilling tale of terrorism on the high seas, of political assassination and nuclear brinkmanship. And for Zack and Diane—your favorite JAG characters from Don Brown’s popular Navy Justice Series—a story of hope for a longstanding romance that is now or never.
When a dastardly plot is hatched in the Malaysian seaport of Malacca to attack civilian oil tankers at sea, to drive up the price of crude oil futures, and to assassinate the Indonesian president and use fat windfall profits to finance a nuclear attack against American cities, Navy JAG officers Zack Brewer and Diane Cocernian reunite in a sizzling race against the clock to foil the conspiracy before disaster strikes.
But as President Mack Williams sends ships of the U.S. Seventh Fleet towards the Malacca Straights to reassert control over the sea lanes, will Navy JAG officers Zack Brewer and Diane Colcernian survive this dangerous and final high-stakes drama of life and death?
You won’t be able to put this thriller down until you find out.
My review:
Great book, the type that is right up my alley: suspense, a lot of action, very pro-military and pro-American.
This book is not part of Brown's Naval Justice Series, but contains the hero and heroine of those books, Zack Brewer and Diane Cocernian, whose relationship finally gets resolved in this book.
This book had a great, but scary plot. There is a takeover of Indonesia by radical Muslims, who then make unreasonable demands on the USA. There is a lot of action going on in different places, and the book bounces around a lot, but it is easy to keep up as the author always states the where and time of what is going on.
I started reading this book on Monday when it came in the mail, and also finished it Monday. It was an awesome read, and not only was I pulled into the story by the action and suspense, but also by the realization that the things in the book could happen - a scary, but true fact. This is one of those books where bad things happen, but also good.
I have been impressed with all of Don Brown's books. As a former JAG officer, I feel he presents a realistic look at what goes on in the Navy and also in the realm of JAG, yet he keeps a strong Christian element in his book, and there are no bad language issues in his books.
His books are probably more something men would enjoy, but any woman who enjoys military action novels will enjoy them.
And one last note: although two characters from his series are in this book, and reference is made to previous actions of theirs, this book could be read without reading the series.
A very highly recommended book.
About the author:
Don Brown is the author of Treason, Hostage, and Defiance, and Black Sea Affair, a submarine thriller that predicted the 2008 shooting war between Russia and Georgia. Don served five years in the U.S. Navy as an officer in the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps gave him an exceptional vantage point into both the Navy and the inner workings of "inside-the-beltway" as an action officer assigned to the pentagon. He left active duty in 1992 to pursue private practice, but remained on inactive status through 1999, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He and his family live in North Carolina, where he pursues his passion for penning novels about the Navy.
Nancy Mehl lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband Norman and her son, Danny. She’s authored nine books and is currently at work on her newest series for Barbour Publishing.
All of Nancy’s novels have an added touch – something for your spirit as well as your soul. “I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing,” Nancy says. “It’s a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn’t be writing at all if I didn’t believe that this is what He’s called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”
CREATING FICTION FULL OF FAITH, HOPE AND HEART…
Nancy Mehl is a mystery writer who loves to set her novels in her home state of Kansas. Her three-in-one book, COZY IN KANSAS, contains the first three Ivy Towers’s mysteries: IN THE DEAD OF WINTER, BYE BYE BERTIE, and FOR WHOM THE WEDDING BELL TOLLS which was nominated for the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award in mystery.
She and her husband attend Believer’s Tabernacle in Wichita.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Graphic designer Gracie Temple wants it all: the big city lifestyle and a successful job in advertising. And it looks like her life is on the right track when she takes a job at a struggling, midsize firm in Wichita.
But Gracie Temple's uncle left her a house in a rural Mennonite community. She soon learns he secluded himself for years to protect a secret about her own father. Now it's up to Gracie to decide if she'll keep the secret or if she can afford to expose it.
Sam Goodrich loves his fruit farm in Harmony, Kansas. But when he meets city-girl Gracie, he begins to wonder if he could leave it behind for a woman who makes him feel things he's never felt before.
When someone tries to keep Gracie from discovering the truth behind the town's collection of secrets, will Sam and Gracie cling to their faith to help them decide what's most important...before it's too late?
Karen Kingsbury’s celebrated series that shows the depth, passion and power of marriage.
A Time to Dance - John and Abby were the perfect couple with the perfect family. But on the verge of an affair, John is no more the man Abby married than she is the bride of his dreams. So they decide to divorce. But when they gather their children to tell them the news, their daughter announces she’s getting married.
Determined not to ruin Nicole's happiness, Abby and John agree to postpone their divorce. But as the wedding nears, they wonder: is it possible to still find joy and perhaps the time…to dance?
My review:
Though I am a guy, I am a huge fan of Karen Kingsbury's books. Not only can she write an awesome story that will tug at your heart, she takes on issues in her books and addresses them through the medium of fiction. This is one such book.
I read this when it first came out, back in 2001, and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I decided to grab it and review it. In this book, Karen really nails the issue of staying in a marriage "for better or for worse". It starts out with the couple, John and Abby, on the brink of a divorce, but due to their daughter's engagement announcement coupled with her spoken desire to have a marriage just like her parents, they decide they cannot announce their intentions at that time. Thus begins weeks of striving to make their marriage work, but along the way, they start to examine what went wrong in their marriage and wonder if it might be able to be fixed after all.
I consider this book, and its sequel, to be among Karen's best works. In this day of so many divorcing for the smallest reasons, and couples not trying to work things out - even in the church - it is refreshing to read a book that encourages couples to stick with it, to work out their problems, and stay together, as God intended. A very highly recommended book.
About the author:
USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury is America’s #1 inspirational novelist. There are more than 15 million copies of her award-winning books in print, including several million copies sold in the past year. Karen has written more than 40 novels, ten of which have hit #1 on national lists.
Karen has a true love for her readers, and she has nearly 100,000 friends on Facebook along with more than 7,500 followers on Twitter. The popular social networking sites have allowed Karen daily interaction with her reader friends.
Karen is best known for her Life-Changing Fiction (TM) and for creating unforgettable characters. When speaking before women's groups - some with more than 10,000 in attendance - Karen makes audiences laugh and cry with her compelling story-telling. She likes to tell attendees they have, "One chance to write the story of their lives," and her talk focuses on reminding women to live every day loving well, laughing often, and finding true life in Jesus Christ. Karen routinely speaks before more than 100,000 women each year.
Karen is also a public speaker, reaching more than 100,000 women annually through various national events. Karen and her husband, Don, live in the Pacific Northwest with their six children, three of whom are adopted from Haiti.
A Time to Dance is available from Thomas Nelson Publishers.
(First chapter and book trailer added) Book description:
After a tour of duty in a war-torn country, embattled former Navy SEAL Max Jacobs finds himself discarded and alienated from those he loves as he struggles with war-related PTSD. His wife, Sydney, files a restraining order against him, and a petition for divorce. Max is devastated.
Then a mysterious a man appears. He says he’s organizing a group that recycles veterans like Max. It’s a deep-six group known as Nightshade. With the chance to find purpose in life once again, Max is unable to resist the call of duty and signs on.
The team handles everything with precision and lethal skill—until they’re called upon to rescue a missionary family, and avoid a reporter hunting their identities. When the team effects the rescue, their paths collide with the reporter—Max’s wife. As they sneak through the rebel-infested jungle something about the missionary couple speaks to Max—and re-awakens the love for his wife.
Will Max yield his pride and anger? Can they escape the jungle before it’s too late?
My review:
I got to read and review Ronie's first book, Dead Reckoning, back in March. (Review here.) It was an awesome read, so I was looking forward to reading more from her, and here it is. Nightshade, the first in a series of four books, The Discarded Heroes Series.
This book easily launched into my "read-in-one-sitting" rating. I started reading it last night a little after 9, and finished it around 11:30, pausing only to chat briefly on the phone and use the "little men's room." What a totally awesome read! When an author writes a really great debut novel, you wonder if they can follow up. In addition, no offense to any publishing company, but when the second novel is with a different publisher, at least I have to wonder the same. Well, no worries. She topped her first book.
This book isn't necessarily mystery/suspense in the same vein as her first, but there is a lot of action and suspense. Military stuff, special black ops. All that. And since the author was a "military brat", she knows her stuff.
So, what did I like about the book? Everything. :-) Definitely the action/suspense. The characters...... she paints a great picture of Max, a soldier who fought for our country, now fighting a different kind of battle - post traumatic syndrome. One that he is losing, one that is destroying him and has already destroyed his marriage. Then there is Sydney, his wife. A reporter who is determined to hunt down a story about this secret special ops group, having no idea her estranged husband is in it. And of course, the rest of the men in Nightshade, the name for this special black ops group of soldiers.
There are no curse words in the book, just a few slang, and there is a definite Christian element, as Max battles his personal demons and is forced to realize where he needs to go for help.
This truly was an entertaining read, and also informative. It gives a good look at PTSD, and also at how black ops works. I have to admit I was rooting for the romance part too - hoping Max and Sydney would patch their marriage together, and more than once had to talk myself out of looking at the end of the book to find out. So do they? Read the book and find out. They just might...... or the author may plan that for the next book. :-)
And in closing, this is one of those books that I just can't say enough good about - a very excellent read, and I am looking forward to more in this series.
Audience:
This is definitely a book that men will enjoy, but also women. So ladies, don't be turned away by talk of soldiers and special ops - you will enjoy the book also. And a side note: I have read similar books written by men, which were great, and I enjoyed them, but this was an easier read, and in my opinion, tops those.
About the author: (from her website)
"Thank you for taking the time to read more about *moi*.
You've come to this page to learn about me, so let's see what juicy details I can give you without jeopardizing myself. *g* I have several aspects to my personality (hey, I was a psychology major--it was bound to happen!):
The Christian - All of the other aspects of my life are grounded in my faith. Without the mercy and peace of God, none of the others would have or could have happened. I'm a product of growing in grace, and having the benefits of His healing mercy in my life after a rough childhood. My heart goes out to those who are hurting and searching. You are my reason for writing (besides obeying God's will LOL). I've been there.
I've been through grief, abuse, and then faced the difficult journey of restoration and reconciliation.
For me, my faith is not a religion. It's an every-second relationship, where I make decisions,
and those decisions will decide whether I am honoring Him with my life or not.
Now, that doesn't mean I'm infallible. Ask my husband. But I try.
The Wife - I've been married since 1990 to a man who can easily be defined in classic terms as a hero.
No kidding. He's just that amazing.Brian graduated from his seventeen-year track plan in college with a 4.0. Now he's aiming for the FBI. Go, dude! My husband helps me in my writing by reading the chapters for military/tactical authenticity, and he's the one I go to for political and historical content review. Brian is also the one who helps me flesh out stronger plot points. I definitely could NOT do this without him and his belief in me! I know if I can get my story past Brian, then I can (most likely) get it past my agent.
The Mother - Okay, so maybe I did these personalities out of order--but with four kids, chaos like that just sort of happens. :-D I have four beautiful children. My eldest daughter will be 15 this year, my second daughter will be 12, and my twin boys are 8. I've been blessed and challenged to no end with my children. My twins have tendencies toward Asperger's Syndrome, and one has been diagnosed with ADHD.
The Writer - This is a challenging part of my life. Sixteen years ago when my husband suggested I write for publication, I refused to entertain the idea. I told him it would remove the pleasure I got out of writing. And sure enough, when I became consumed with publication, I lost my joy. So God led me through a series of experiences--excruciating ones, if I do say so myself--that forced me to grow up or give up. :-D
I'm not a quitter.
I grew up. Got serious about writing, and man! Writing got hard. But I love writing more now than I ever have. Part of becoming a better writer involved joining the American Christian Fiction Writers.
This is the most amazing group of people who are loving and encouraging. Visit the ACFW
and consider becoming a member if you are a writer.
In February 2007, I signed with my "dream" agent (miracles can and DO happen!), Steve Laube.
The Student - Ever met one of those amazing people who aced college in like two-point-five years? Me neither. And you won't meet that person here. I took the seventeen-year track (oops!). After having four children, I finally finished my degree in December 2006. I now have a B.S. in Psychology through Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Getting my degree is a huge triumph for both me and my family--we survived!! This degree has also given me a fabulous perspective on my characters and how to not only make them deeper, stronger, but to make them realistic and know how they'll respond to each situation."
Check out her website. It is rather intriguing, and has bullet holes to click to get around. Cool. :-) And there is more info about The Discarded Heroes Series, so check that out.
The Giveaway:
Ronie has graciously agreed to give away and autographed copy of her book, Nightshade, to one lucky person. Comment on this post and to make it a bit more interesting than just "enter me", tell if you have a loved one in the military - and if you entered the military, what branch would it be.
I will draw a winner 10 days from today on July 1. The author will mail the book out to the winning person.
Thanks to Barbour Books for the review copy, and thanks to Ronie Kendig for writing such a great story and for doing the giveaway.
First chapter:
Cracking open the throttle ignited a wild explosion of power and speed. Zero to sixty in less than three seconds left Max Jacobs breathless. Gut pressed to the spine of his Hayabusa, he bore down the mountainous two-lane road away from civilization, away from . . . everything. Here only pine trees, concrete and speed were his friends.
His bike screamed as it ate up the road. The thrill burst through him. He needed the rush. Craved it. Stop running, Max. Her words stabbed his conscience. Made him mad.
Rounding a bend, he slowed and sighted the drop-off in the road—remembered a full 10% grade, straight down. His gaze bounced between the speedometer and the cement. Common sense told him to decelerate. The boiling in his veins said otherwise.
He twisted the throttle.
Eighty.
Max leaned into the bike and felt the surge.
Ninety.
He sucked in a breath as he sped toward the break.
The road dropped off. The Hayabusa roared as the wheels sailed out. He tried to grip the handlebars tighter as nothing but tingling Virginia oxygen enveloped him. Silence gaped.
This could be it. This could end it all. No more pain. No more life without Syd . . .
Take me. Just take me.
The Hayabusa plummeted.
Straight down. Concrete. Like a meteor slamming to earth.
The back tire hit. A jolt shot through the bike. Then the front tire bounced. Rattling carried through the handlebars and into his shoulders. He grabbed the brake—
Stupid! The brake locked. Rear tire went right. He tried to steer into the skid but momentum flipped him up. Over. Pops snapped through his back as he spiraled through the air. In the chaos his bike gave chase, kicking and screaming as it tore after him.
Crack! Pop! The sound of his crashing bike reverberated through the lonely country lane. Scenery whirled. Pine trees whipped into a Christmas-color frosting. Tree bark blurred into a menagerie of browns, drawing closer and closer.
Thud! His head bounced off the cement. He flipped again.
Finally. It’d be over. He closed his eyes. No more—
THUD! “Oof.” The breath knocked from his lungs. Pain spiked his shoulders and spine. Fire lit across his limbs and back as he slid from one lane to another. Down the road, spinning. Straight toward the trees.
He winced, arched his back. Kicking, he tried to gain traction. If he wasn’t going to die, he didn’t want to end up paralyzed. Just like you not to think it through.
Carla Stewart’s writing reflects her passion for times gone by. She believed in Jesus, the power of the written word, and a good cup of coffee. She's a country girl living now in a mid-sized city with her engineering husband who just happens to be her best friend and biggest fan.She and her husband have four adult sons and delight in the adventures of their six grandchildren.
FROM CARLA:
I grew up in the Texas Panhandle with two younger sisters and loving parents. Small town school. Great neighbors. Today, those small-town, fundamental things resonate within me -- the twang in people's voices, the art of being neighborly and just being a decent human being.
Growing up, I preferred the company of books over TV and playing outdoors. I imagined myself in many different careers, but given my down-to-earth raising, I settled on nursing. I didn't faint at the sight of blood and did well in science, so it seemed a natural choice.
I worked as a registered nurse off and on through the years, but primarily I stayed home with my four rambunctious boys and dreamed of the day when I could write the novels I loved to read. When our youngest son was in high school, I quit my job as a nursing instructor and settled in to pen my first novel. It's been quite a journey. One I wouldn't trade for anything.
I'm committed to writing the stories of my heart and am truly thankful to Jesus, my Savior, for allowing me this freedom. May all the glory be His.
Chasing Lilacs is her first book!
ABOUT THE BOOK
It is the summer of 1958, and life in the small Texas community of Graham Camp should be simple and carefree. But not for twelve-year-old Sammie Tucker. Sammie has plenty of questions about her mother's "nerve" problems. About shock treatments. About whether her mother loves her.
When her mother commits suicide and a not-so-favorite aunt arrives, Sammie has to choose who to trust with her deepest fears: Her best friend who has an opinion about everything, the mysterious kid from California whose own troubles plague him, or her round-faced neighbor with gentle advice and strong shoulders to cry on. Then there's the elderly widower who seems nice but has his own dark past.
Trusting is one thing, but accepting the truth may be the hardest thing Sammie has ever done.
Some of the places I review for ask for a review to also be put on a site that sells books. i.e. Amazon. As I have done this, I have run across an interesting phenomenon: people who either bought a Christian fiction book, or downloaded one - usually for free - and didn't realize it was a Christian book. Some of these people leave a nasty and negative review, and harp about the fact that Amazon should have been more plain about the fact that it was a Christian book.
Here is my opinion - yeah, I have one. Big shock? :-) If I were buying a book - or downloading it for free, and was not familiar with the author, I would research them. Find out more about them, what kind of reviews their books got. And surely by doing so, you would discover that fact. So, I think it is the fault of the reader for not finding out more about the book/author.
What do you think? Should Amazon do a better job of labeling Christian fiction, or is it the fault of the person buying the book. And does it give the person the right to post a negative review because they got a Christian book?
From Monte Carlo to Morocco to Egypt and into Petra, Marwan Accad is pursued by authorities for murders he did not commit. Tracked by advanced intelligence-surveillance technology, his every location is eventually found out, thrusting those he loves into danger. Nurtured by a bitter past that equipped him with what he needed for his company to thrive, Marwan Accad never looks back. Yet the way forward promises only uncertainty, and living each day is a lie in which corruption and greed play in the lives of man. For whose lie is he going through all of this? Even as Marwan races against time to find his pursuers and their motives, he must grapple with what is beyond his life, with what is eternal.
My review:
Josh McDowell has written mostly non-fiction books, with just a few fiction novels under his belt. This, I believe his third fiction novel, is by far his best, in my opinion.
The book doesn't take long to launch into the action. It starts off with a murder/attack, and just keeps getting more intense with the suspense and action. It is definitely one of the "read-in-one-sitting" novels, and so I did read it in one sitting, and thoroughly enjoyed the book.
The main character is not a Christian and leads quite a violent and wild life. McDowell uses conversations between he and others to put some of what he is best known for into the book - apologetics. And what better way to do it than in a story.
I loved the book. As I read it, I was drawn more and more into the story, and felt sympathy for the hero of the story, framed for murders he did not commit, and running for his life. Though he engaged in some sinful activities, the author does not give the idea that he approves of the activities, but instead gives the idea of what a life without Christ can be like.
The book is very fast-paced, and takes the reader all over the globe. I highly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a good suspense/action novel.
Since beginning ministry in 1961, Josh has given more than 24,000 talks to over 10 million young people in 118 countries. He is the author or coauthor of 112 books, selling over 51 million copies worldwide, including More Than a Carpenter (more than 15 million copies in print worldwide), which has been translated into over 85 languages, and The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, recognized by World magazine as one of the twentieth century's top 40 books.
Josh continues to travel throughout the United States and countries around the world, helping young people and adults bolster their faith and scriptural beliefs. Josh will tell you that his family does not come before his ministry—his family is his ministry. He and his wife, Dottie, have four children and three grandchildren.
The Witness is available from Tyndale Publishing
Thanks to Tyndale for the review copy, which was given to me for the purpose of reviewing.
Note to authors: I do review for some publishers, but if you are interested in getting a book reviewed, doing a email review, or even a guest blog, contact me. I am primarily interested in Christian fiction. I do prefer physical copies over e-books.
Email: marcus802001(at)yahoo(dot)com
I live in East Palestine, Ohio. I am single, and am uncle to the six greatest kids in the world. I enjoy blogging about Christian fiction, my family, Christianity, and the events of my life
If you are an author, particularly Christian fiction, and need someone to review your book, give me a holler.
