Michelle Rayburn Reviews 'Lion of Babylon'

By Michelle Rayburn

Guest Reviewer

When I closed the last page of Lion of Babylon, I think I actually tasted the desert sand of Iraq and felt the searing heat of the sun. In Lion of Babylon, Davis Bunn takes the readers on an action-packed adventure to the middle east. Marc Royce is on special assignment to find several missing Americans in Iraq, and he's driven by his personal connection to one of them. The story is full of twists and turns, leaving the reader wondering right up to the end if certain events are related to one another.

The story had just the right balance of faith content blended with mystery and history. Readers will gain a better understanding of Christians in the Middle East, and increase their awareness about the different religious and political parties in Iraq. I enjoyed Davis Bunn's writing style, and he does a good job of blending description, narrative, and dialogue.

His writing isn't preachy even though he clearly demonstrates the life-changing affects of biblical faith.

At first, I had some difficulty following the story until the paths of the two characters at the beginning of the book finally crossed paths. Then it made more sense.

I think some readers might have a little problem with how perfect the character Marc Royce comes across. It's as though he's incapable of failure and he possesses a magnetic likability that is almost supernatural.

Despite this, I still enjoyed the story line very much. However, I would be curious to find out how people more connected with the Middle East would feel about Royce, an American, being the hero and savior so many Iraqis.

It's obvious that Davis Bunn has researched this book well and I could totally see this made into a movie. It's a very timely subject and culturally relevant in light of current world events.

*This review was originally published at Michelle Rayburn's blog, Faith… Creativity… Life.  Michelle also posted a separate Q & A interview with me on her blog. Reprinted with permission from the author.

Michelle Rayburn is a speaker, freelance writer, and musician with a passion for helping people connect the dots between faith, creativity, and everyday life. She's an avid reader and book reviewer. You can find her blog at Faith… Creativity… Life.