Rosenberg's Romp Through The Headlines Is Entertaining

With the stigma of the September 11 terror attacks and subsequent war in Iraq still fresh, journalist Joel C. Rosenberg uses his extraordinarily detailed knowledge of behind-the-scenes Washington to create one of the best topical thrillers I have read in a long time.

Not to be confused with fantasy author Joel Rosenberg, this Rosenberg (differentiated with the middle initial “C” on his work) is a former strategy wonk from inside the Beltway whose past work includes stints with The Heritage Foundation, Rush Limbaugh and Steve Forbes. Rosenberg also attended school in Israel and his knowledge of Tel Aviv and Washington to paint a particularly accurate setting. Meanwhile, despite a politically charged (and sometimes fanciful) story, Rosenberg tries hard to keep his own politics to a minimum, choosing instead to allow his characters to present different sides of each political argument.

That doesn’t mean that his experiences aren’t present – in fact, one could accuse the first-time novelist of allowing his characters to devolve into caricatures of various political composites. Such writing is standard for the genre, and Rosenberg’s success is in delivering well on the setting and pacing.

Current Events Could Quickly Go Stale

Rosenberg writes with authority about fascinating events that Washington insiders take for granted. His coverage of operations and logistics surrounding the politics of Washington in crisis is as richly detailed as the military aspects of any Tom Clancy title. This level of detail provides immense satisfaction when still fresh and echoing the cover stories in Time and Newsweek, but quickly grows stale with changing world events.

The current events landscape Rosenberg paints includes complex looks at homeland security, an attack on the U.S. president, a bizarre oil financing deal and festering tensions between Iraq and Israel.

The biggest, of course, is the opportunity to “guess wrong” or otherwise miss a projection. Rosenberg unfortunately misses on Sadaam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, reversing their situations somewhat. In The Last Jihad, Hussein is a powerful Iraqi leader who is threatening the west as the world’s foremost terrorist while bin Laden has been killed. The book also went on press before Hussein’s sons were killed, and both play a role in the story.

While no one can be prescient and reversing the terrorists would have made Rosenberg seem like Nostradamus, the unfortunate coincidence of authoring a book whose main antagonist has been soundly defeated in a war that captured the world’s attention is unfortunate.

The Plot In Exactly One Hundred Words

Financier Jon Bennett is creating the deal of a lifetime in Israel when terrorists strike the West, including a nearly successful assassination attempt on the U.S. president. The president, a past associate, advocate of a flat tax and immensely popular with a 70 percent approval rating, has Bennett recruited as an advisor in a unique way and pushes his old friend’s buttons to help find a solution to a menacing Sadaam Hussein. Bennett must also use his formidable negotiating skills to advise on brokering a deal with Israel, which is threatening Iraq unless the United States moves first against Baghdad.

What Works Well

The Last Jihad reads like a CNN ticker gone awry. The knowledge Rosenberg brings to finance, geopolitical issues and terrorism lend credibility to the blistering speed in which events unfold, and with a few jarring examples, read like an adult graphic novel.

What Doesn’t Work As Well

I like popcorn books as much as the next person, but there’s enough light and fluffy material here to take care of an entire movie theater. Constant name dropping of government agencies and programs doesn’t necessarily build a compelling story. In the end, what’s missing most is conflict with characters we care about rather than jingoistic saber rattling. The latter is wonderful for the beach or a long plane ride, but Rosenberg shows enough skill in The Last Jihad to one day create a gripping insider story of Washington.

The Bottom Line, Dog Earred Pages and All

A fine thriller if a little shallow on character development, The Last Jihad is a fine book for popcorn reading. It is the page-turning, never-say-die race against the clock that has made a hit out of television shows like 24 and movies such as Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Five Things To Remember From This Review

1. Look for former Forbes operative Rosenberg to sneak a flat-tax into the story.
2. A richly detailed government backdrop serves as most of the book’s setting
3. The plotlines are ripped right from the headlines,
4. but unfortunately a few become dated or out of place such as the death of Osama bin Laden
5. Not deep literature by any means, but an enjoyable escape story.

Joubert’s FunLink

Rosenberg has one of the finest (albeit Flash-laden) author sites I’ve seen in some time. Enjoy the groovy tunes and the conservative praise at:

http://www.joelrosenberg.com/

© 2004 Joubert