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xkay_readsx's review
4.0
Fun thriller, kept me on edge from Russia to D.C. to North Korea and eventually East China Sea. Does Rosenberg have something against the US Navy SEAL?
. THAT was pretty disappointing.
Spoiler
He had two SEAL team commanders killed and a dozen more. The worst part was to have four SEAL Team six dead for sticking their head through a door, went down like flies didn't even had a chance to fire their weaponskipcarlina's review against another edition
5.0
Veel actie en politieke drama. Over het geheel een tikje onrealistisch. Net alsof ik een Hollywoodfilm aan het kijken/lezen ben.
cjbookjunkie's review against another edition
5.0
What would happen if Russia, North Korea, and Iran formed an alliance?
Given our current geo-political climate, the timeliness of this book is unsettling and too plausible for comfort. I hope everyone that reads this book takes the threat set forth in the plot seriously. The Persian Gamble has overtaken a couple of Rosenberg’s other books as my new favorite. I stayed up until 1:00 a.m. to finish it because I didn’t want to put it down.
Marcus Ryker returns at the exact point he left us at the end of The Kremlin Conspiracy, the first book in this series, parachuting from a jetliner moments before it is shot down by the Russian military. With him is the Russian double agent turned assassin who is THE one man with all of the information and contacts to stop an attack on the US. There is plenty of action in the story as Ryker tries to get the Russian and himself safely out of Russia and to the US. The question is whether the US leaders believe his story that the threat of nuclear attack is both real and imminent? Or, will they label him as a traitor?
Personal, professional, and national loyalties are questioned and tested. Risks are taken, and the true cost of living in a free nation is shown us through the sacrifices of our nation’s military heroes. The story moves across Russia, North Korea, Iran, and the U.S. as secret alliances are revealed and Ryker risks everything to save his country.
If you did not read the first book in the series, The Kremlin Conspiracy, the author gives you enough information at the beginning of this book to understand the previous story. I hope to see more books in this series as Mr. Rosenberg has set up Marcus Ryker to be a protagonist whose own losses and struggles are interwoven through the story and look to become as interesting as the stories themselves.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Given our current geo-political climate, the timeliness of this book is unsettling and too plausible for comfort. I hope everyone that reads this book takes the threat set forth in the plot seriously. The Persian Gamble has overtaken a couple of Rosenberg’s other books as my new favorite. I stayed up until 1:00 a.m. to finish it because I didn’t want to put it down.
Marcus Ryker returns at the exact point he left us at the end of The Kremlin Conspiracy, the first book in this series, parachuting from a jetliner moments before it is shot down by the Russian military. With him is the Russian double agent turned assassin who is THE one man with all of the information and contacts to stop an attack on the US. There is plenty of action in the story as Ryker tries to get the Russian and himself safely out of Russia and to the US. The question is whether the US leaders believe his story that the threat of nuclear attack is both real and imminent? Or, will they label him as a traitor?
Personal, professional, and national loyalties are questioned and tested. Risks are taken, and the true cost of living in a free nation is shown us through the sacrifices of our nation’s military heroes. The story moves across Russia, North Korea, Iran, and the U.S. as secret alliances are revealed and Ryker risks everything to save his country.
If you did not read the first book in the series, The Kremlin Conspiracy, the author gives you enough information at the beginning of this book to understand the previous story. I hope to see more books in this series as Mr. Rosenberg has set up Marcus Ryker to be a protagonist whose own losses and struggles are interwoven through the story and look to become as interesting as the stories themselves.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
canada_matt's review against another edition
4.0
Out today!!
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Joel C. Rosenberg, and Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Joel C. Rosenberg is back with another political thriller that is quite timely, knowing current geo-political situations. With Marcus Ryker inside Russia, he is on a mission to bring an agent planted inside the Russian Government to safety, where they can discuss much of what he has learned. However, with the recent assassination of the Russian President and head of the FSB, there is a really good chance that this mole (and Ryker) are behind the killings, making the manhunt to find them all the more intense. When even the US Government is leery about helping, Ryker knows that he will have to reveal some of the intel to ensure their safe extraction from the edges of the Russian border region. It would seem that the Russians have made a secret military alliance with the North Koreans, which could help both sides in the event of aggression from other parts of the world. Other intel includes Russia’s plans to annex some of its former Soviet satellite countries, thereby beginning a war with NATO that is surely to devolve into a bloodbath. Add that to the news that the recently neutered Iranians have been covertly communicating with the North Koreans to obtain key pieces necessary to create a nuclear arsenal, and things could not be worse. With nuclear capabilities, the Iranians could be used against Israel, the Americans, and any others who seek to disrupt them. As Ryker fights to help out however he can, he remembers his strong Christian ties and wrestles with the increased amount of violence that will soon take place to end these political nightmares. As he tries to justify it, Ryker is sent to Japan to prepare for another mission, covertly scouting out the North Korean warheads being shipped to their Iranian partners. With bodies piling up all around them, Ryker sees friends and foes alike lose their lives, which only tests his religious beliefs, forcing him to question his role in the entire affair. A well-plotted novel that always takes politics to a new level. Fans of Rosenberg will surely want to get their hands on this piece to devour the political banter, if nothing else.
I always enjoy a good Rosenberg novel, as he is not only on point about the political situation, but has an uncanny way of predicting the future with the plots of his stories. A few past novels have been spot-on with their predictions, leaving the reader with an eerie sense of ‘could it’ as they devour each new book. Marcus Ryker plays an interesting protagonist in this book, struggling to do his job and find a balance with his religious beliefs. Rosenberg does not inculcate the reader too much with this book, but there is mention of biblical scripture and Ryker ponders what it all means. He has lost his family, so there is little but his own life to ponder, making him an unpredictable character in the field. Many of the others around him prove highly entertaining as well, their beliefs and sentimentalities key to keeping the story on track. Rosenberg is masterful at his ability to create strong characters throughout the piece and keep them growing throughout. The plot was not only plausible but also highly in touch with what is going on in various political spheres. There is little chance that Rosenberg is completely off base with some of his ideas, though just how real they could turn out to be is sure to jolt some readers when the time comes. The chapters were quick and kept the reader pushing forward, while never losing interest. One can only hope that there is more to come, be it in the series or with Rosenberg’s writing, as he is able to weave a tale like few others I have seen in all my years of reading. Politically gritty with that softer Christian passivity when it suits the plot, this is an author about whom readers should take note, if they are not already familiar with his work.
Kudos, Mr. Rosenberg, for such a great new piece. I liked much about it, even if I try not to get too bogged down by the Christian aspects of your character development.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Joel C. Rosenberg, and Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Joel C. Rosenberg is back with another political thriller that is quite timely, knowing current geo-political situations. With Marcus Ryker inside Russia, he is on a mission to bring an agent planted inside the Russian Government to safety, where they can discuss much of what he has learned. However, with the recent assassination of the Russian President and head of the FSB, there is a really good chance that this mole (and Ryker) are behind the killings, making the manhunt to find them all the more intense. When even the US Government is leery about helping, Ryker knows that he will have to reveal some of the intel to ensure their safe extraction from the edges of the Russian border region. It would seem that the Russians have made a secret military alliance with the North Koreans, which could help both sides in the event of aggression from other parts of the world. Other intel includes Russia’s plans to annex some of its former Soviet satellite countries, thereby beginning a war with NATO that is surely to devolve into a bloodbath. Add that to the news that the recently neutered Iranians have been covertly communicating with the North Koreans to obtain key pieces necessary to create a nuclear arsenal, and things could not be worse. With nuclear capabilities, the Iranians could be used against Israel, the Americans, and any others who seek to disrupt them. As Ryker fights to help out however he can, he remembers his strong Christian ties and wrestles with the increased amount of violence that will soon take place to end these political nightmares. As he tries to justify it, Ryker is sent to Japan to prepare for another mission, covertly scouting out the North Korean warheads being shipped to their Iranian partners. With bodies piling up all around them, Ryker sees friends and foes alike lose their lives, which only tests his religious beliefs, forcing him to question his role in the entire affair. A well-plotted novel that always takes politics to a new level. Fans of Rosenberg will surely want to get their hands on this piece to devour the political banter, if nothing else.
I always enjoy a good Rosenberg novel, as he is not only on point about the political situation, but has an uncanny way of predicting the future with the plots of his stories. A few past novels have been spot-on with their predictions, leaving the reader with an eerie sense of ‘could it’ as they devour each new book. Marcus Ryker plays an interesting protagonist in this book, struggling to do his job and find a balance with his religious beliefs. Rosenberg does not inculcate the reader too much with this book, but there is mention of biblical scripture and Ryker ponders what it all means. He has lost his family, so there is little but his own life to ponder, making him an unpredictable character in the field. Many of the others around him prove highly entertaining as well, their beliefs and sentimentalities key to keeping the story on track. Rosenberg is masterful at his ability to create strong characters throughout the piece and keep them growing throughout. The plot was not only plausible but also highly in touch with what is going on in various political spheres. There is little chance that Rosenberg is completely off base with some of his ideas, though just how real they could turn out to be is sure to jolt some readers when the time comes. The chapters were quick and kept the reader pushing forward, while never losing interest. One can only hope that there is more to come, be it in the series or with Rosenberg’s writing, as he is able to weave a tale like few others I have seen in all my years of reading. Politically gritty with that softer Christian passivity when it suits the plot, this is an author about whom readers should take note, if they are not already familiar with his work.
Kudos, Mr. Rosenberg, for such a great new piece. I liked much about it, even if I try not to get too bogged down by the Christian aspects of your character development.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
jen_newendyke's review against another edition
5.0
Joel C. Rosenberg is a master of political thrillers and one of my favorite authors. The Persian Gamble is the sequel to The Kremlin Conspiracy; it follows a nuclear weapons deal going down between Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and the former American Secret Service agent trying to stop it. The combination of great writing and “ripped from the headlines” action makes it hard to put down. I’m hoping for a third one in the series!
aprilleigh's review against another edition
3.0
I admit I seriously considered just reading enough of this book to find out how the very annoying cliffhanger at the end of the first volume worked out. By the time I did that, however, I was hooked enough to finish it. Much to my relief, this volume ended at a more tolerable point in the story, leaving much unsaid and unresolved (and therefore ample openings for a third volume and more), but with the basic story finished. I suspect these may have started life as a single tale.
The integration of the author's faith into the story felt less forced this time, but still seemed superfluous, like it was added after the fact for the publisher's benefit (Tyndale is a Christian publishing house). You could remove every reference and the story would read the same. At the same time, it disrupted the story enough that I will not be picking up additional books by this author, despite enjoying the two I've read. There are too many other excellent books out there that don't drag the action to a standstill to wax poetic about matters of faith that don't have any real relevance to the plot.
The two books together (be sure to read The Kremlin Conspiracy first) tell an exciting, convoluted tale. The author manages to convincingly involve just about every foreign power of concern in the current international state of affairs. That's no small feat, and I'd love to see what he could do if he aimed for a broader market.
The integration of the author's faith into the story felt less forced this time, but still seemed superfluous, like it was added after the fact for the publisher's benefit (Tyndale is a Christian publishing house). You could remove every reference and the story would read the same. At the same time, it disrupted the story enough that I will not be picking up additional books by this author, despite enjoying the two I've read. There are too many other excellent books out there that don't drag the action to a standstill to wax poetic about matters of faith that don't have any real relevance to the plot.
The two books together (be sure to read The Kremlin Conspiracy first) tell an exciting, convoluted tale. The author manages to convincingly involve just about every foreign power of concern in the current international state of affairs. That's no small feat, and I'd love to see what he could do if he aimed for a broader market.
joabroda's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
his is the 2nd in a series, by Rosenberg, featuring Marcus Ryker. Book # 1 The Kremlin Conspiracy left us with Marcus on a mission to bring in a Russian defector. Book # 2 picks up as Marcus and his "package" are trying to get out.
Rosenberg is labeled as a Christian fiction writer. Although his characters are always people of deep faith, the Christian aspect is never the main plot. This book had a bit more "in your face" religion, but I was able to get around it and enjoy the main story. It was a fast paced, gripping tale that I found hard to put down.
Espionage, Mid-East conflict, Russian bad guys and an all around good guy, Marcus. What else could you ask for? If you have never tried Rosenberg and the thriller genre is one you enjoy, I recommend you give him a try.
Rosenberg is labeled as a Christian fiction writer. Although his characters are always people of deep faith, the Christian aspect is never the main plot. This book had a bit more "in your face" religion, but I was able to get around it and enjoy the main story. It was a fast paced, gripping tale that I found hard to put down.
Espionage, Mid-East conflict, Russian bad guys and an all around good guy, Marcus. What else could you ask for? If you have never tried Rosenberg and the thriller genre is one you enjoy, I recommend you give him a try.
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