Quickie Book Review: "The Last Jihad" ("The Last Jihad," No. 1) by Joel C. Rosenberg

Author: Joel C. Rosenberg
Published: 2002 by Forge

Synopsis: Several years after the 9/11 attacks, President-Elect MacPherson is celebrating his recent victory...when the unthinkable happens: a suicidal terrorist drives a plane into the motorcade. With the entire nation in an uproar, Erin McCoy and Jon Bennett, two personal friends of the Chief Executive, are employed to ensure the security of the leader of our country. Between threats from Saddam Hussein, double agents within the United States government, and the nationwide panic that ensues, Bennett and McCoy are in for the ride of their lives.
First in a series of five novels.

My Review: What a rush! A great premise, excellent writing, plenty of action and suspense, and an ending that will leave you breathlessly waiting for the next installment! However, I did have one issue: This is supposed to be the first in a Christian end times series, right? Well, some discerning readers may take issue with the usage of profanity and a gag involving homosexuality. That right there prevents me from giving this a perfect score. Other than that, this book is excellent; if Mr. Rosenberg cleaned up his act with the later books in the series--and it seems like he did--then, the next installments should be even better.

Content Concerns:

• Sex: A brief "PG"-level gag involving homosexuality. 4/5
• Nudity: The gag mentioned above involves two women being in the shower together, though no graphic terms are used. 4/5
• Language: The d-word is used about three times each; the h-word, about five times. God's name is misused once or twice, and name-calling, as well as euphemisms ("freaking") are present as well. 3/5
• Violence: Though not all that graphic, violence is pretty much in every chapter. People are hurt or killed in terrorist attacks; characters shoot at other and/or get shot at; and, there are discussions of using missiles and other military weaponry. 2/5
• Drugs: Alcoholic beverages are mentioned. 4/5
• Frightening/Intense Scenes: The whole book centers around terrorists attacking people and heroes trying to thwart their plans. If that's too much for you...don't read it. 1/5
• Other: Another gag involves flatulence. 4/5

Final Score: 4/5