Iraq

 

I have posted many book and movie reviews lately because I have been reading many books lately. I hope the posts have been helpful in choosing a book for your own enjoyment.

Davis Bunn is a prolific author having sold more than 6 million copies in his career. I had never heard of him or his books until I picked up "Lion of Babylon" in the Kindle online bookstore.

It is evident that either Mr. Bunn has lived or travelled extensively in Iraq, or his research is very thorough.

The story revolves around a former government agent who is recruited to find and rescue 4 missing persons in post Saddam Iraq. What is impressive about the story is how it immerses the reader into the fear, anxiety, and danger of a city under siege by tribalism, religious wars, and various factions of Muslims all vying for the power trip of forming a new government in the war torn Middle East country.

What is not impressive is the way the story and characters do not draw in the reader to really care. There is character development, and plenty of back story, but it all seems a bit disjointed with too  many characters. At the bottom of the story is the underlying idea that it is impossible for the different factions to come any kind of agreement without trust and some commonality. The feuds and factions have existed for thousands of years and cannot be dissolved in a few days, like the story portrays. The commonality and answer to the dilemma is a common faith in Jesus and as portrayed in the story, it works. Not Christianity, but the person of Jesus. There are too many histrionics and too much baggage attached to Christianity as a general term to create any good will. It is a different take in a mostly secular book. I suppose one could call this genre Christian Fiction, but it is not overtly so.  

I just wish Mr. Bunn was a better writer.

2 1/2 stars