First Chapter Review: 18-Wheeler Jihad by Ken Bontrager

The first chapter of 18-Wheeler Jihad was sent to me by author Ken Bontrager for review.

BLURB:  Sometimes reality strikes too close to home. Patricia Scott is passionate about one thing: stopping terrorists before they can do more damage to the United States. She has become very skilled in piecing together bits of intelligence from all over the world to uncover their evil plans. From Iran to North Korea, to Venezuela and Central America, she has gathered bits of information that look like something big. But now the trail has run cold, and when it resurfaces, it is just too chilling to believe. How can the people close to her be involved in such a plan? Can the attack be stopped in time? What motivates the terrorists to do what they do? What will happen to America if she fails? Why would God allow evil people to triumph like this? Too many questions, not enough answers. Over the course of one horrific week, Patricia and her husband, Will, find their faith tested to the max as they try to find answers to these questions and prevent the ultimate tragedy on U.S. soil.

COVER:  Appropriate, but has a computer generated feel to it. I like the added detail of the religious symbols.

FIRST CHAPTER: Patricia Scott wakes from the recurring nightmare that has plagued her since September 11, 2001. A rookie cop at the time, she wonders if she was spared because God had bigger plans for her. Now married and working in the Counterterrorism Division of the Department of Homeland Security, life is good except for those blasted nightmares.

Josh Abdul Jamal is willing to do anything for the cause of Allah. As he pulls his van off onto a dirt road northeast of Las Vegas, he remembers that the Imam, Yassar Hasrali, has told him this is the first step in Allah's great plan for the infidels of the United States.

Abdas Hemati and his team of scientists have spent the past ten years in Tehran coming up with a plan that will destabalize America and bring chaos to the world to hasten the return of Mahdi.

KEEP READING: For now. All the elements are there for a great Christian suspense novel: a thrilling plot, interesting characters, and a great cliffhanger at the end of the first chapter that makes you want to continue.

Right now, most of the characters seem black and white to me--either all good or all evil--but I would stick with it to see how the author develops them. I would also like more showing and less telling. I want to feel the sweat dripping down Patricia's face when she wakes from her nightmare, see the landscape around where Josh pulls his van off the road, and truly get to know these characters inside and out.

Paperback: 216 pages
Publisher: Outskirts Press (August 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 143279504X
ISBN-13: 978-1432795047
SRP: $14.95 (Kindle version also available)

I received the first chapter of this novel from the author. This first chapter review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.