The Twelfth Imam

The Twelfth Imam #1

by Joel C. Rosenberg

Tensions are rising in the Middle East. Iran’s president vows to annihilate the United States and Israel. Israel’s prime minister says someone must hit Iran’s nuclear sites “before it’s too late.” The American president warns against a preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and says negotiations are the key to finding peace.

And amid it all, rumors are swirling throughout the region of a mysterious religious cleric claiming to be the Islamic messiah known as the Mahdi or the Twelfth Imam. Word of his miracles, healings, signs, and wonders are spreading like wildfire.

CIA operative David Shirazi was born for this moment. He is recruited and sent into Tehran with one objective: use all means necessary to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program, without leaving American fingerprints and without triggering an apocalyptic new war. But time is running out.

Genres: Fiction, Christian Fiction, Thriller, Christian, Suspense, Religion, Mystery

MP3 CD

First published October 19, 2010

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Note: This is a different person than the fantasy author, Joel Rosenberg

Joel C. Rosenberg is the founder of The Joshua Fund and the New York Times best-selling author of THE LAST JIHAD (2002), THE LAST DAYS (2003), THE EZEKIEL OPTION (2005), THE COPPER SCROLL (2006), EPICENTER (2006) and DEAD HEAT (2008) with more than 1.5 million copies in print. THE EZEKIEL OPTION was named by the ECPA as the Gold Medallion winner of the "Best Novel of 2006." Joel, an evangelical Christian whose mother is Gentile and whose father is from an Orthodox Jewish background, previously worked with several U.S. and Israeli leaders, including Steve Forbes, former Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Natan Sharansky, and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has been interviewed on hundreds of radio and TV shows.
He and his wife have four sons and live near Washington, DC.

Reviews

[Negin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much of this story takes place in Tehran, my place of birth. This book starts off when the U.S. Embassy in Tehran came under attack back in 1979. I vividly remember driving past there several months later. This was not a good time to be there at all. Even as a child, I remember feeling awful for the hostages. It was so all so depressing. There was a feeling of dread and fear – like a dark cloud that had come over the entire country.



This is the third book that I have read by this author and it’s probably my favorite. I was truly impressed by how accurately he depicted Iran and the Iranian culture. I liked the protagonist, loved all the action, and am looking forward to reading the rest in the series.

I can only recommend this book with the caution that it does have certain Christian elements, and so may not appeal to all readers.

Some quotes that I thought to share:

“His parents had spoken for years about how desperate Iranians were for a rescue from the failure of the Islamic Revolution of ’79. His father had always stressed the medical angle. Suicides in Iran, he said, were at an all-time high, not just among the young, but among people of all ages. Drug abuse was a national epidemic; as was alcoholism. Prostitution and sex-trafficking were also skyrocketing, even among the religious clerics.”

“Satellite dishes were illegal in Iran, which is why everyone had one.”

“Before you worry about the world, son, you should be sure your own soul is secure in God.”

[Henri Moreaux · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book because the blurb made it sound like an interesting thriller coming from a unique aspect.

This impression was correct for the first half of the book; it was well written, good plot line, mix of mystery, questions and answers to keep the pages turning then all of a sudden it's like the author is trying to convert you to Christianity and combining this with a thesis on Islam being a false religion & the product of satan. Add in numerous excerpts of scripture and the book goes from a winning recipe to quite frankly pretty crap, suddenly you have Jesus appearing in the flesh to guide people and a whole bunch of other nonsense.

I might have been able to look over that somewhat if it redeemed itself with a good ending but alas the book doesn't even end it just stops. Literally stops. There's no resolution of anything you read the last line, turn the page to begin the next chapter and realise there is no next chapter and that was it.

First half: 4 stars, last half: 2 stars, ending: 0.1 stars.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am going to go out on a limb and muse aloud about how Muslims deal with Rosenberg...he is an evangelical christian thriller writer and makes no bones about how he feels about Islam and the Islamist threat to America and the world. The is the first in a series of novels putting the end of times belief on the part of some Shia Muslims in The Twelfth Iman at the heart of a nuclear threat being launched in the world. There are some intriguing conversion stories at the heart of this story and a bold bald assertion that The Twelfth is the tool of Satan and a false messiah. I will be intrigued to see how this series unfolds.

I need to be clear that I find this type of fiction fascinating in the same way I might find a confrontation with a cobra fascinating. Rosenberg is a good story teller but he has a deep and abiding agenda and it is bracing and intriguing to read a thriller from a guy with a clear philosophical/theological take on international affairs.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First let me say be aware that this is a Christian novel. It's not Tom Clancy or Vince Flynn and while there are some action and thrills in the book it's not what I'd call action adventure or techno-thriller, there are elements of each in it, but neither is it's primary focus.

Now this is no problem for me as I'm a Christian and have only a few arguments with the book. I just wanted readers to know what they are picking up, not that you'd miss it and I'm sure most non-Christians will/would enjoy the read.

The book opens up with a flashback to 1979 and the Iran Hostage Crisis. I lived through this once and did not enjoy reading about it, thinking about the shape the country was in then (I'll not follow that train of thought). This sets up the background for our hero and leads into the rest of the story.

We meet our protagonist, David Shirazi when he's young and follow him through some early teenage angst and coming of age. Not my favorite part of the book and I found it a bit slow going. This does set up a later plot point.

From here on we move to David's struggles with life and his recruitment into the CIA and his assignment involving Iran's search for nuclear weapons.

While the events in the book are quite (even frighteningly) plausible the story moves over into conjecture and the imaginative with religious overtones. Revolving around a credible story of nuclear arms research and simultaneously tying in the/an Islamic belief in the coming of the Twelfth Imam. The story itself is well written and I think most will find it interesting. It is (as noted) told from a Christian point of view. This will of course effect the, view of some. :)

I liked the book. I have a passing acquaintance with Mr. Rosenberg but had never read one of his books before. I may follow it up, at least when the sequel to this one comes out. As noted above the only real negatives I found with the book were a couple of places where it slowed badly and I felt got a bit self-involved, though those of you who love "coming of age" stories and a bit more romance or angst may actually enjoy this and not find it a negative. The other argument(s) I may have with the book come in it's theology, and as I have noted often before, don't get your theology from novels. I would suggest that if you know what you believe this won't be a problem for you. Some will read this as a science fiction/fantasy political thriller...with religious overtones :).

So forewarned, you see I went 4 stars. I like it and think most will.

[Kammera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a terrific read. Started out slow and picked up the pace until..BAM a frustrating cliff hangar at the end! I was so astonished, I think i was searching for hidden pages at the end!
It puts me in mind of the Left behind Series, BUT I liked the authors writing style way better. Also, the view point was from the Islamic "end times" point of view and how people of that culture interpret their world around them based on the coming belief of a Holy twelfth Imam and of course their belief on Allah. I hardly wait for the second book to come out. I have heard two separate interviews on the radio of the author. He is very knowledgable in Muslim beliefs and crafts a very believable fictional story in today's political climate.

[Nikole Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When the apartment was quiet, Najjar would stare out the window into the moonlight, meditating on the Ayatollah’s words and on his fiery insistence that a Muslim’s duty was to perform jihad—holy war—against the infidels. It wasn’t exactly the stuff of childhood dreams, but it stirred something deep within Najjar’s heart.

“Surely those who believe, those who wage jihad in God’s cause—they are the ones who may hope for the mercy of God,” the Ayatollah would declare, citing Sura 2:218 from the Qur’an. Jews and Christians are the ones whom God has cursed, he would explain, saying the Qur’an taught that they “shall either be executed, or crucified, or have their hands and feet cut off alternately, or be banished from the land.”” – Pg. 32

From Part One to Part Three, Joel Rosenberg fills my head with facts, Qur’an quotes and the horrific reality of Iran’s possibilities in this fictional account of the foretold coming of the Twelfth Imam. At first, I am learning about The Harper’s and The Shirazis in Iran, circa 1979 when the American Embassy was taken over by Iranian Revolutionaries. Fast forward to the main character, born from The Shirazis who now live in Canada. The Harper’s and The Shirazis are good friends. We are introduced to The Shirazis’ son, David.

David gets his first chance to go on a guys camping trip with his dad. He was sick the year before and could not accompany his father. Finally, David is given permission to attend. The catalyst, the daughter of his father’s friend, Marseille, appears. Innocent teenage love disintegrates upon the dawn of 9/11 when Marseille’s mom is killed in the towers. David begins to flounder in school.

It is in Juvenile Hall that David meets Jack Zalinsky, the CIA man who helped get his father and mother along with The Harper’s out of Iran. David is inducted reluctantly at first into the CIA. From that point, he lives two lives as he matures into an adult. Joel masterfully tells the tale of how difficult it is for David to lie to his parents and live a double life. David is very good at his job. He is an effective agent. For a moment, Marseille is forgotten, but not totally. He meets his NOC, a female agent named Eva, and he thinks he may have a chance romantically with this woman.

A visit to his parents house brings less than ideal complications to his life. Plopped right in the middle of his life is also a mysterious letter with a return postmark of Portland, Oregon. Eva falls as easily from his heart as a leaf from a tree. His struggles intensify as the Middle East stirs a violent storm. From the dust of this violent storm rises a mysterious Twelfth Imam who heals and does all the things Jesus has done in the Bible. Muslims get excited. David’s interest turns to The Twelfth Imam. Jesus also appears to Najjar, the scientist.

Joel’s story has many main characters both in Iran and America. Joel has made the Middle East story and End Times philosophy the main plot and the characters and their stories of Salvation the subplot. It is fascinating to follow along and learn about Iran’s beginnings and how terrifyingly close this story is to becoming our reality. Thus, follows a story of a war between God and Satan. I realized when I read the last page that Joel is not done with David and Marseille. There’s another book. I’m anticipating it.

Book provided by the publisher
Go to www.thehahnhuntinglodge.com to see other book reviews and blog tours forthcoming.

[[Name Redacted] · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was...an interesting read.

It was recommended to me by my ex-girlfriend's grandfather, so I had no idea it would turn out to be a work of evangelical fiction; he tends to be secularist, so I assumed it would be one of those disposable thrillers, the sort of thing James Patterson and his ilk write. And for the first half, it was. The writing is crisp and the pacing is good; the characters are well-drawn and the plotting makes sense; the author even had some excellent insights on the nature of the West's approach to the Islamic world, insights I'd before encountered in Bernard Lewis' scholarly works.

I've seen a couple reviewers (Shi'a Muslims, I assume) ranting about how the author is "lying" by referring to the Mahdi as the Islamic Messiah, but those rants betray a general ignorance of A) what the word "Messiah" actually means in Hebrew, and B) what the word has come to mean in the West, because 9 times out of 10, the people referring to the Twelfth Imam as a "messiah" in the book are Westerners. And, if we're being perfectly honest about it, the whole Twelver-mahdi-veneration thing IS remarkably messianic, in both an ancient and a modern sense, and is pretty clearly the result of Persian Zoroastrian & Christian influences on Shi'a Islam. The Mahdi resembles both the Christian Christ AND the Zoroastrian Saoshyant, even in Twelver depictions.

In any event, the author did such an excellent job of grounding the work in the real world that I actually believed the appearances of the Twelfth Imam were the result of special effects or hallucinogenic drugs or simple hallucinations. Then Jesus started appearing, people began converting to and reading from the Bible, and I became very, very confused.

As it turns out, the author is an evangelical Christian (something I would not have guessed from the name "Joel C. Rosenberg"), and this book proposes something genuinely interesting -- that the Twelver mahdi is actually the anti-Christ, leading astray a vast swath of the world's population in preparation for the final confrontation with Jesus. Whether or not that fits your own personal theology (it does not fit mine), it is certainly an intriguing and original premise.

Unfortunately, Rosenberg misses the mark in his depictions of Christian conversion and the ending of the novel. All it takes for lifelong, devout Muslims to convert is an appearance from Jesus...even as the mahdi is out performing miracles. And the novel ends abruptly and weakly with what I assume to be a set-up for a sequel...despite the fact that the book itself is not presented or marketed as the first in a series, and nothing outside of the final 10 pages indicates that the story is finished.

Overall, a solid, if confusing 3 star book. Highly readable, quick, but weakened by its author's poor incorporation of his ideology into the narrative and sudden, unexpected ending.

[Kara Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a novel by Mr. Rosenberg. On the back cover it is listed as Fiction/Suspense, which is one of my favorite genres to read, but I tend to tread cautiously - not wanting to get expectations too high, only to be disappointed by a “Suspense” novel, that was about as suspenseful as reading yesterday’s news. However, this was not the case with The Twelfth Imam.

From the very first page I was drawn into the political unrest of 1979 Iran and the siege on the American Embassy in Tehran. From there starts the story of Charlie Harper, an American trapped inside a country he loves, that now sees him as the enemy. He soon realizes that trying to get out of Iran alive with his pregnant wife and their American passports is no longer an option. But Charlie is determined to find safety for his wife and unborn child. And as the violent attacks against them increase in intensity and frequency, he retaliates in kind and does the unthinkable.

And that’s just within the first 25 pages!

The Twelfth Imam, is a fast paced, action filled, hold on to the seat of your pants suspense ride. The intrigue and political upheaval in the area continue on for decades, spurred on by rumors and visions that the mystical Twelfth Imam, a descendant of Mohammed, has returned to claim his kingdom which includes plans to annihilate all Jews and Americans off the face of the earth. But when Israeli Intelligence is able to secretly confirm that Iran has almost completed their nuclear weapons program, they prepare to strike first, and everyone, including the President of the United States, feverishly work to keep peace.

Joel C. Rosenberg masterfully takes you on tour of the Middle East, immersing you in the various cultures and religious beliefs of Iran and Iraqi Muslims, while keeping you abreast of the inner workings of the CIA. He even manages to throw in a little romance!

Highly recommended. I enjoyed reading every page of this book. A first degree page turner. Joel C. Rosenberg – you have a new fan.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are familiar with Joel Rosenberg, than you know his novels can be somewhat prophetic. In The Twelfth Imam, Rosenberg's latest offering, the author has done a remarkable job of taking current news and creating a plausible story that is once again, all too prophetic.

It starts during the Iran hostage crisis back in the 70's and follows real news events, mixed in with fiction, leading up to a future point in time, which in this reviewers opinion could be now. In this new series, CIA operative David Shirazi, is sent into Tehran with one objective: use all means necessary to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program—without leaving American fingerprints and without triggering a regional war. Along the way, he comes to question his Muslim faith and then incredible things start to happen. The Twelfth Imam has appeared and the stage is set for a show down between Israel and Iran. But who will launch the first strike that will start WWIII?
Two things that popped out at me while reading this book:

1. If any extremist Muslims read it, Joel will be needing protection.
2. This book is probably closer to reality than fiction.

I highly encourage you to give it a read. You won't be disappointed.

[Alana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mis-labelled as a "political thriller/fiction/suspense" in reality it is preachy, christian, fear mongering. The book doesn't deserve the 1 star that I have to give it. Disgraceful.

[Stephen · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Twelfth Imam
© 2010 Joel Rosenberg
512 pages



Who’s up for the Apocalypse? Israel stands ready for a preemptive strike against Iran, whose concealed nuclear program is on the verge of being able to produce warheads. Considering that both Iran’s Supreme Muckety-Muck and president subscribe to a cult within Islam that believes the end and salvation of the world can be brought about only through a war of annihilation against Iran’s foes (namely, Israel and the United States), Tel Aviv just may have cause for concern. Especially seeing as there’s a fellow roaming around the countryside performing miracles and claiming to be the Messiah, ordained by God to restore the Islamic Caliphate and subordinate the entire world to his will.

Such is the setup for Joel Rosenberg’s The Twelfth Imam, a doomsday novel that starts out reading like a political thriller in the vein of Tom Clancy, complete with a CIA operative inserted into Iran with the objective of thwarting the nation’s nuclear ambitions. The book quickly proves to be much more along the lines of Left Behind; this is an apocalyptic novel in its truest sense, because the religious prophecies drive the plot, and not merely as motivation for the characters; instead, supernatural forces and creatures are active elements within the plot, making it light fantasy and…well, somewhat silly. I say silly because while I started reading Left Behind knowing it would have fantastical elements, The Twelfth Imam began with a more sober setup which is derailed by them.

It is perfectly believable to anyone that Iran could be led by religious lunatics, because it is; it is perfectly believable that Israel could be aggressively wary, because it is; it is perfectly believable that a man could claim to be the messiah and create a following for himself, complete with magic tricks and illusions. And the premise is outstandingly interesting: although Christianity is the religion most identified with the concept of messiahs, other religions with an apocalyptic strain believe that a hero – a powerful warrior, a charismatic leader, a righteous judge – will rise and lead the forces of good to a final triumph over evil, and establish a paradise on Earth. The Jews call this figure the moschiah; the Muslims, the Mahdi. Christians believe that Jesus will be this figure when he returns, but a minority (the Left Behind readers) believe that fake messiah, the Antichrist, will emerge as a popular and powerful figure, and create a world empire of scum and villainy. The Twelfth Imam combines two views of the messiah: the Mahdi has come, but he’s coming in the role of the antichrist, the villain.

Done well, readers could have been treated to the story of 'good' characters who put their trust in a leader promising and apparently delivering great things, who are later agonized when his intentions prove to be malevolent, and who undergo crises of confidence -- like The Good German. Alas, Rosenberg instead uses this premise to demonize Islam, complete with his Mahdi offering the same deal to Iran’s supreme muckety-muck as Satan offered to Jesus during his 40-day fast in the wilderness. Worship me, and the world is yours. There are no sympathetic Muslims here: the devout are without exception utterly slavish stereotypes, vowing and delivering violence against non-Muslims. In one scene, a Muslim father drives his kids across town and cheerfully quizzes them on how the Koran instructs them to hate Jews and delight in slaughter. (Then he drops them off so they can become human minesweepers. Dad of the year, he’s not.) There are a few characters the reader can identify with from Iran or Iraq, but they’re not devout and in the course of the novel will be bejesused when Jesus himself shows up to covert them and start giving them advice on life.

This is the part where I started giggling, where the tenseness of the spy novel became a farce. Rosenberg has managed to write quite a few novels without being schooled on the meaning of Deus ex machina, apparently: Here the fantasy elements take the plot off the rails by physically picking them up and plonking them down wherever: once Jesus shows up (repeating the Paul-on-the-road-to-Damascus bit line for line in a random conversion), he makes a habit of rescuing the main characters from conflict. Need something? Oh, good, Jesus just told that guy in the supermarket to give it to you. Flying down the highway with the mahdi’s state apparatus looking for you? Jesus is your GPS: turn left, now, to avoid capture. Unfortunately, the novel becomes increasingly ridiculous as it wears on: at one point, the Mahdi summons the leaders of Islamic countries and groups together and proclaims the caliphate, at which point they happily drop down in fealty. Forget the hostility between Iranians and Arabs, between Hezbollah and Hamas, between Shiites and Sunnis: all that is trivial compared to the power of a man in black robe who shouts generic jihadist phrases.

Ultimately this isn’t a spy thriller or a story of political intrigue: it's Left Behind for a new generation, meant to broadcast a particular view of the world to a mass audience, and it's just as narrow-minded, partisan, arrogant, and fearmongering. It stands apart for having a far more interesting premise and being somewhat better done than the Jenkins-LaHaye novels. It still manages to be entertaining, for all tis weaknesses, because the back cover refers to Rush Limbaugh as a “leader”.

For what it's worth, I've also read the sequel, The Tehran Initiative, which is mildly better but still has absurd situations like Satan worrying if his cellphone is secure. Yes, really.

[Bob W · Rating 1 out of 5]

Have you ever had the experience of sitting in a commuter train and, immediately after the conductor closes the doors, the seemingly normal person in the seat opposite you stands and begins to deliver a most passionate fire-and-brimstone speech, denouncing the evils of sin and the worship of false gods, and imploring you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior or be forever damned in the eternal flames of hell? If only you had known before the doors had shut that you would soon be a captive audience to this ranting proselytization, you might have been able to find a seat in another car. This is how I felt while reading The Twelfth Imam.

In Iran extremists call for the total destruction of the U.S. and Israel. The CIA sends one of its operatives to covertly disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapon program. When news spreads that the prophecy of the Islamic messiah (the Twelfth Imam) has apparently been fulfilled, Iran's leaders prepare to attack Israel. The clock is ticking. This was basically the overview (on Amazon) that I read prior to picking up Rosenberg's book. User reviews that I read praised the author for immersing the reader in Middle Eastern culture as well as the inner workings of the CIA.

I had expected a Tom Clancy type of thriller full of political intrigue with an inside look at the culture and mystique of Iran and the Middle East. The author does deliver some of that. But, at about three-quarters of the way into the book, the story becomes more of a sermon as the case for Christianity is thrust upon the reader.

And to makes matters worse, we are left hanging at the end. Key issues are left unresolved. The reader is forced to read the next book to find out what happens to the characters and the world...

[Josh Hopping · Rating 2 out of 5]

Over the past decade, author and former political consult Joel C. Rosenberg has been amassing a huge following with multiple New York Times best sellers. Drawing off his as a consult for Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Natan Sharansky and then-former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Rosenberg’s books tend to focus on Middle Eastern politics and terrorism (think CIA and State Department thrillers).

A good chuck of Rosenberg’s fame comes from his uncanny ability to ‘predict’ real-life events within his books. For example, he wrote about kamikaze plane attack on an American city nine months before 9-11 and five months before the 2003 invasion of Iraq he wrote about a war with Saddam Hussein.

Having heard bits and pieces of this fame throughout the years, I finalize decided to give his books a try (well, that and the fact that a co-worker was pressuring me to read them!). Looking at my local library, I discovered that they had both the “The Twelfth Imam” (2010) and the sequel “The Tehran Initiative” (2011) in an audio format, which is my preferred method of ‘reading’ non-fiction books.

As to be expected, the hero of the series is an American CIA spy named David Shirazi who must infiltrate the Iranian government and try to stop a nuclear war. What was not expected was the way in which Rosenberg incorporated both Shia Islam eschatology and Christianity into the story line. Simply put, in the books the leaders of Iran are devoted Imami Shīa Muslims who are trying to hurry the arrive of the Mahdi (the twelve successor of Prophet Mohammad who is prophesied to unite the world under Islam) via destroying Israel and the USA – i.e. ushering in the end of times.

In fact, the Mahdi does show up in the books as someone with supernatural powers and insight into the future. Jesus also makes various appearances – only Jesus tended to appear to small groups of folks while the Mahdi takes the spotlight and control of various nations. Think of them as a Frank Peretti, Tim LaHaye/Jerry Jenkins, and Tom Clancy hybrid novel. (Note that Rosenberg is a Christian believer with a family tree of Orthodox Judaism.)

An interesting thing about the books is that the longer I read them the more I kept thinking about how much the Imami Shīa Muslims leaders sounded like USA Dispensationalism Christian church and political leaders. Both groups are heavily focused on end time prophecies and use such writings to defend and/or justify their political, economic, and religious choices and behaviors. They also are both awaiting a savior who will usher in a peaceful world-wide rule via an Armageddon type war and are willing to ‘help’ the prophecies along via their choices. If you think I’m reading too much into things, you should probably note that I’m not the only person making these comparison (see http://www.peace-catalyst.net/blog/po...).

In addition to exploring Islamic and Christian eschatology, Rosenberg explores the religious themselves with various characters converting from Islam to Christianity. While this makes sense to a certain degree within the world of the novels, it actually rubbed me wrong as each of the new converts then proceed to help the CIA and USA government (a religious/political marriage that I STONGLY disagree with). The excuse or rationality for this help was that the USA was fighting to stop a war while the Iranian leaders were trying to start one – i.e. Christianity was for peace and Islam was for war.

However that stereotype does not work for me as I know there are plenty of Muslims who long for peace and have no desire to destroy or harm the nation of Israel or the USA. They mostly just want to live life, get a good job, marry, have some kids and enjoy living – just like most Christians, Hindus, Atheists, etc. People are people. As such, I would have like the books to have included a some Muslims heroes fighting for peace from within their religion...

I guess in conclusion I am torn as to what I think about the books… on one hand there were good pop-corn reads with plenty of action coupled with some good thinking points. However, they do seem to promote a theological view and stereotype that I dislike… can I say 2 or 2.5 stars out of 5? :?

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Rosenberg books. the man can write good thrillers. I'm not a religious person by any means but I somehow enjoy his fictions.

This book is a great read but has too much Bible/Quran quotes for me. I prefer it subtle as in his J.B. Collins series.

[Laurel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Total bait & switch. Easy, fast-paced suspenseful thriller that turns in to a Christianity, end-of-days preachfest. Also ends in major cliffhanger. Boooooooo.

[Sarita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one had me in ups and downs. Some parts were really thrilling and intriguing and kept me turning pages, then there were times the information was just a bit too much of an information overload and found slowed the pace.

It is quite scary the various false prophets out there and how small things look true but are changed to misguide us.

I will continue with this series since I already own the paperbacks.

[Rod Horncastle · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a crazy romp through a possible end-times scenario. (apparently I have 2 more books to read to see how this Islamic chaos plays out). Oh, I will read them - I'm addicted now.

This tale is kind of like the Left Behind Series. But focuses totally on Islam and it's 12th Prophet type Messiah BUTTHEAD. Sound ludicrous??? Not to many of the Muslims I have chatted with: they are totally looking forward to a religious world leader who will FORCE the rest of the planet to embrace Islam...or we at least will be peasant slaves to the superior Muslim populace - it is a Religion Of Peace after all "Cough, gag!"
If in doubt: go read some Muslim literature - this crap really is in their agenda. Mr. Rosenberg isn't just pulling this stuff out of his Alphabet breakfast cereal. Just for fun: go do a search on youtube.

But on to the good stuff,
This is obviously a Christian novel with a few Christian heroes thrown in for GREAT measure, there's probably an atheist or two - but they get killed by the Muslims. (YES< I'm incredibly biased towards the good guys...and girls.) Speaking of such: did everyone know that the Holy Quran only mentions ONE woman by name, YES - Mary the Mother of Jesus. Why would any woman want to be a Muslim? You are barely a minor character in your own history. Here's a bit of advice: "Your god ALLAH doesn't like you very much, he only sees you as fodder for MEN. Even your men get sexual Houris in paradise (next to the flowing river of wine that is). What do Muslim women get??? A few Muslim men told me good Muslim women get to be at the front of the sex line. Every Muslim woman gets mad at me when I bring this topic up... yet it's a fact of their religion. How dumb is that. Houris are mentioned throughout the Quran - and YES I HAVE READ THE WHOLE THING. The Quran also mentions having 4 wives is an option: Surah 4:3

"And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hand possesses."

We wouldn't want to be unjust now would we??? YES, it appears Allah doesn't particularly understand human women, or love for that matter. The Twelfth Imam character shows this perfectly: He talks of love and peace - but it's all propagandish Crap for the gullible. Often that is all it takes. So sad.


But this is an exciting story Joel Rosenberg has delivered. (I don't think he has a Muslim friend left on the planet NOW!) This book is a little bit James Bond, a little bit Odd Thomas, and plenty of Stephen King, and a smidge of Billy Graham. It's easy for some people to assume a story like this has no foundation in reality BUT: Joel has done his homework, he even includes numerous events throughout the series that actually happened. To ignore or ridicule this story is to say that millions of Muslims are NOT trying to fight/kill/bomb/unhead/conquer many portions of this planet on their religious quest for world domination. Here in Canada we have had two Muslim killings THIS WEEK! So this issue is very close to home. Yesterday a Muslim murdered a soldier at the Canadian Parliament and then got his head blown off. (Not many Muslims seem to perfect the getaway plan concept. That works in OUR favor.)

But Muslim people are not the problem (I have met many wonderful loving Muslim folk), the problem is ISLAM itself. Good people stuck in an evil worldview is a fixable difficulty. As Joel Rosenberg's book shows: many Muslims are becoming Christians after they realize the true nature of Islam/Allah/Muhammad. So there is always hope for people. If you know a Muslim please pray for them. If necessary; read a book called SEEKING ALLAH, FINDING JESUS by Nabeel Qureshi. A fantastic read.


My wife refers to this book as the 12fth Omar. Yeah, close enough.

[Saima · Rating 1 out of 5]

The most stupid book I ever read. It's full of lies. Imam Mehdi ll not be a Shia Imam. He ll not say that he is a prophet. He ll not say that he is "maseeh" or Jesus. He ll be a pious Muslim man from the lineage and blood of Prophet Muhammad, he ll lead Muslims in very difficult time, the war ll thrust by "anti Christ" against muslim, he ll fight just against anti Christ, he ll pray that may The Lord send Jesus who can and ll win the war against anti Christ. I wonder and want to ask from all the people's who claim that they love Jesus, you all befriends with the people who ll be with anti Christ. The things which are stated in this book that Imam Mehdi ll do such horrible things, anti Christ ll do all these. Jesus ll come and ll defeat anti Christ, Imam Mehdi ll be with Jesus. I don't know how you live and justify your own selves with so many lies.
This book changed the whole truth, everything that is told in this book about Imam Mehdi he ll be opposite of all this. In the start he even won't accept the leadership, Muslim scholars ll insist to him to do so. Imam Mehdi ll fill the earth with justice and peace.
All the people who claim that they love Jesus listen carefully, The Lord ll ask from Jesus on the day of judgment that

Qur'an 5:116-120 Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread)
And behold! Allah will say "O Jesus the son of Mary! didst thou say unto men 'worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah"? He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart though I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.
"Never said I to them anything except what Thou didst command me to say to wit 'Worship Allah my Lord and your Lord'; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up thou wast the Watcher over them and Thou art a Witness to all things.
"If Thou dost punish them they are Thy servants: if Thou dost forgive them Thou art the Exalted the Wise.
Allah will say: "This is a day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: theirs are Gardens with rivers flowing beneath their eternal home: Allah well-pleased with them and they with Allah: that is the great Salvation (the fulfillment of all desires).
To Allah doth belong the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is therein and it is He who hath power over all things.

[Salim Garami · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's very rare that I find an author so banal, so narrow-minded, so eager to scapegoat anyone in the name of his own self-righteous, so libelous and slanderous, so xenophobic and so intolerant to the point that I do not want to meet him at all in the fear that I will verbally tear him one.

Joel C. Rosenberg is that kind of guy. He claims to be learned on the Islamic religion and (probably deliberately) misquotes the Qur'an and uses stereotypes to provide a very unrealistic scenario in the name of selling his End of Days prophecy.
I am an ex-Muslim atheist. I was born in Algeria and raised Islamically by my Muslim parents and in an American Islamic community. Even without being a Muslim, the misrepresentation sickens me.
I mean, who promotes this? My family and my childhood community would never encourage an image of Jews or Christians as venomous as this book does for the community that raised me.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of thriller fiction, this was one that I couldn't put down and placed on my row of favorites once the last page was read.

As a Christian, this is one that I can read time and time again. The accuracy of the details regarding both Judeo-Christian and Islamic eschatology was incredible and Rosenberg should be commended for that alone. The end times prophecy points were woven seamlessly into a story that was both highly entertaining and frighteningly plausible considering the nature of the world today and things that we know for certain to be coming thanks to the 100% accurate prophecy that the Bible affords us all, provided we take time to learn it. As a long time student of eschatology, this one hits home as much as any other novel ever has. Make no mistake, however, this is a top rate thriller for everyone. A Christian background isn't required to get the most out of the reading experience.

I couldn't put it down and read it as quickly as I've ever read a novel of this length. I'm already eagerly anticipating the release of the next one... and it can't come soon enough!

[Elyse · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't realize when I borrowed this library book that it was published by Tyndale House Publishers. Much more conservative than my religious, political, and metapolitical beliefs. I tried to hang on, but finally put it down halfway through.

[Hermien · Rating 1 out of 5]

It started as a very pro-America anti-muslim young adult thriller but became utterly unbelievable towards the end with a highly Christian slant. I was very disappointed and only finished it because I was stuck on a plane.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow. I can't wait to get my hands on the 2nd book.

[Rajish Maharaj · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.
This one is not for me. Not going to read the other books either. Its does not hold my interest at all.

[Giovanni Gelati · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author has over 2 million copies in print and I haven’t read one of them. The novels that I have missed to date are: The Last Jihad, The Last Days, The Ezekiel Option, The Copper Scroll, Epicenter, and Inside the Revolution. I will back track eventually but for now I had to stay focused on The Twelfth Imam. The novel has so many plots and sub plots one need’s a score card; it is all good stuff though.
Here is the synopsis from the inside jacket of the cover: “Tensions are rising in the Middle East. Iran’s president vows to annihilate the United States and Israel. Israel’s prime minister says someone must hit Iran’s nuclear sites “before it’s too late.” The American president warns against a preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and says negotiations are the key to finding peace.
And amid it all, rumors are swirling throughout the region of a mysterious religious cleric claiming to be the Islamic Messiah known as the Twelfth Imam. Word of his miracles, healings, signs, and wonders is spreading like wildfire. CIA operative David Shirazi was born for this moment. He is recruited and sent into Tehran with one objective: use all means necessary to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program, without leaving American fingerprints and without triggering an apocalyptic new war. But time is running out.”
I love the last part, time is running out. It is always running out, that is why it is a thriller. If they had too much time the novel would have more pages and the plotline would sag and lag a bit making it boring and monotonous. I much prefer a few booms and gun shots to politician’s ramblings in the novels I read. But I digress yet again. Rosenberg’s novel was a hot read from the get go. He grabbed me by the collar of my Hawaiian Shirt and didn’t let go. He crawls into the mindset of the Islamic Jihadist with a gusto I haven’t read in a while. The plotline he crafts is gut wrenching, sad, and moving. Their view on life and the quality and quantity of it blow my mind.
The material and timeline in The Twelfth Imam is very current and felt like it was something straight out of today’s newspaper. Joel C. Rosenberg blew me away with his ability to suck me right into the history of Iran, the viewpoints, his characters, and his incredible plotline. The novel has so many different facets to it that it is like a disassembled rubric’s cube in the beginning and it gets put together before our eyes as the novels comes to completion. I am sorry I have not read his other work, but I will get to it. At the minimum this novel should make it to your Shelfari or Goodreads –to read- lists. If you put it there move it to the top though.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, and the Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati’s Store Tab on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read! If you believe in Mormon eschatology (revelations on events occurring in the last days), then you will love this book which reveals the Islamic Shia eschatology. Rosenberg, whose father was Jewish and mother was gentile,cleverly weaves the twin stories of an Iranian-American CIA operative searching for his roots in Islam with that of an Iranian scientist deeply rooted in the teachings of Islam searching for a more peaceful way in Christianity. As the CIA agent tries to get closer to the truth behind Iran's nuclear capabilities, the scientist is trying to run away from his responsibilities to capacitate those same nuclear facilities. In the end, Rosenberg relies on his deeply religious convictions to pit the forces of the Twelfth Imam through Satan's power against those of Jesus. Wow! One not only learns about Shia predicitons regarding the Twelfth Imam or Mahdi, but Rosenberg ties those predictions into what Christians know from John's Revelations and other Old Testament and Book of Mormon prophecies regarding the second coming of the Messiah. Very interesting, and done with such flare that I ending up reading through the night just to see what was going to happen. That does not happen very often.

[Dan Cooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iran Nuclear Deal Predicted.

In 2010, author Joel Rosenberg wrote a fiction work, The Twelfth Iman, about a nuclear deal between the USA, its allies, and Iran. Sound familiar? And, for my “less conservative” Canadian friends, you will like it. Don’t assume because Rosenberg is an American believer in the Bible, that he follows the typical conservative views or storyline. He probably doesn’t even own a Glock, which makes me wonder about his salvation.

The Good: Rosenberg can write. He won the Gold Medallion for Best Novel in 2006. He has made the NY Times Bestseller List. He is a graduate of Syracuse and does impeccable research. As a result, the book is a great read – although it did take me a few chapters to get into it. A bit too much back-story for me.

The Bad: There isn’t much not to like here – except that I’m not sure I’d want to live through all that happens in this book. I’m hoping his prophetic luck ended with the deal.

The Ugly: It’s a shame it came out ten years ago. It is SO NOW. It’s perfect read for April 2015, but that doesn’t help Joel or Amazon much. I got mine free from the library.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over the past decade or so, Joel C. Rosenberg has become well-known in the literary world for his political/terrorist, action/adventure/thriller novels. His Last Jihad pentalogy sold in the millions and garnered praise from almost everywhere. The Twelfth Imam is the premiere novel in a new series, and is equally as enthralling and superbly-written as Mr. Rosenberg's previous works. There wasn't as much action as I was expecting, but that's understandable. The story needed to be set up, and there's already one sequel out, and probably more on the way. In short: Those who enjoy "action stories" or loved Joel C. Rosenberg's prior novels will surely find enjoyment in The Twelfth Imam.

EDIT: As good as this is, I do have to offer a caution: One scene involves teenagers engaging in sexual activity; the main character reminisces about that more than once later in the book. That was disappointing, especially coming from an author such as Mr. Rosenberg.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Twelfth Imam is well written, but it's a bit hard to get into unless you're seriously into Bible prophecy and can deal with... oh, how shall I say this without spoiling it? ...unless you can deal with prophets appearing to people and telling them what to do. I don't mean people who think some higher power is guiding them or someone who thinks they saw something in a dream. I mean people from the Bible (or Koran) appearing before them and having conversations with them and/or doing miracles.

Now, if you think this happens in real life and that world affairs are guided by ancient battles of good vs. evil occurring again, with the "end times" being where we're heading, then you may just love this book. For me, I can only give it a 2-star ("It was okay") rating, because I found so much simply unbelievable.

[John Hanscom · Rating 1 out of 5]

DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!! It is fake; it is phony. It bills itself as a thriller, it is nothing more than an extended religious pamphlet. The first 2/3 of the book is OK, as it seems to be a story of two people, one Muslim and one Christian, trying to stop a nuclear apocalypse. Suddenly, I kid you not, Jesus and Satan appear. Satan, of course, is Muslim, and everybody "good" is converted to Christianity. The author takes a radical sect of a sect in one of the divisions of Islam, and pretends they represent the whole Islamic faith. The book doesn't really end; it just stops. "Cliffhangers" are OK; this is merely as the end of a chapter. And, to top it off, at the end, the author confesses to working for Rush Limbaugh, FOXC News, and other such conservative groups. I wasted my time with this one. Rats.