Is Fiction Stranger Than Truth?

Today, I’m sharing another round of excerpts from reader reviews of Strait of Hormuz. I hope you’ll click the link next to each name to read their full review. Today’s reviewers are:

Samuel Hall
Mary Arndt
Debbie Phillips
Cynde Suite
Gene Mumau
Pamela Morrisson
Dennis Brooke
Lydia Blow

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction

By Samuel Hall

Davis Bunn keeps his hand on the throttle throughout our ride into Strait of Hormuz.

Marc Royce, an intelligence operative from Bunn’s earlier Kenya story, Rare Earth, is in Geneva, Switzerland for the first time ever. Royce is without backup, without a job (he’s just been fired), and without a gun (Swiss security), yet he’s about to enter an art gallery by “request” of the U.S. government to copy files which hold information of vital national importance.

His arrival is anticipated. The gallery has just been broken into and a bloodstained body on the floor draws him to the precise location to trigger a bomb. A suspected leak in U.S. intelligence dictated that Swiss intelligence not be informed of Marc’s mission. Coincidentally, Kitra Korban, a lovely distraction from Marc’s exploits in Kenya, arrives at the gallery at that moment with the express purpose of saving his hide.

That all happens within the first eight pages…

High-energy thriller

By Mary Arndt, Goodreads

Davis Bunn did an excellent job developing authentic characters and a thrilling plot. Strait of Hormuz is easy to read, keeping you on the edge of your seat excitedly waiting to see what will happen next. Bunn uses a great mixture of excitement, romance, faith and travel in this book. You will not want to miss it!

Davis Bunn’s stories have it all

By Debbie Phillips, Debbie’s Digest blog

Davis Bunn is my favorite author these days. I have been enjoying his new books, as well as some older ones I have gotten out of the library. His stories have it all. This one has:

Romance (but not gross icky romance, just enough to make me go awwwww and not enough so my sons don’t want to read the books.

Intrigue. Spiritual battles. Guns. Love. Prayer. Explosions. Friends. Enemies.

New friends found in unexpected places.

Life. God. Uncertainty.

People trying to find God’s will.

People with problems figuring out what to do next…. just like me. Well, not really JUST like me as I don’t usually have people shooting at me or trying to kill me in my everyday life.

I did love this book though. I LOVED the whole series. I still think book two is my favorite though, but I couldn’t exactly tell you why, with books one and three tied for a close second.

I was VERY sorry to hear this was the last of the books in the Marc Royce series. Everyone go awwwww again, this time in a sad way.

Edge-of-my-seat thriller

By Cynde Suite, Cyndecat’s Reading blog

…A finely woven story of courage, faith and stick through- it- ness that makes for an edge of your seat , nail-biting thriller. His characters are believably human, they have their doubts, they have their wounds but they also have their faith to rely on to get them through whatever life throws at them. His characters pray and read the Bible and share their faith with one another. It is a beautiful multicultural blend of sharing together despite their differences.

This was the most enjoyable of the three Marc Royce books. The action was non-stop, the plot was relevant, believable and could have been written from today’s headlines. Christians need books like this not only to help us wake up to the world around us but to visualize how we are to respond to our world.

Global tension and spiritual candor

By Gene Mumau

When Davis Bunn puts pen to paper – or more likely fingers to keyboard – he has an uncanny ability to weave global tension and spiritual candor into a page-turner novel. It is refreshing to read a well-presented mystery without the language assaulting one’s sensibilities in each dialogue. As the reader begins to anticipate the ending he finds he must adjust his expectations with almost every chapter. This adventure will keep you coming back page after page.

My kind of hero

By Pamela Morrisson, Daysong Reflections blog

Marc Royce is my kind of hero. He does not grandstand or try to draw attention to himself but quietly goes about taking care of business to the best of his ability. He plans ahead and tries to be ready for any unexpected problems. Most importantly, Marc does not back down from his responsibilities and will not abandon an unfinished assignment before completion. Although perfectly competent on his own, he does not have to be in charge at all times but works well with others toward the same goals…

Masterful story with memorable characters

By Dennis Brooke, Amazon

My wife and I were talking about what makes a great book. We like novels that take us to fascinating places, put us in the shoes of memorable characters, and surprise us with plot twists. The first two Marc Royce adventures fit that bill and so does Strait of Hormuz, Davis Bunn’s last book in the trilogy.

The way Davis weaves his stories he puts you in the action and scene with a skillful use of the language. Some authors seem to be in love with the sound of their own words. Davis is in love with the art of the story and he immerses you in it.

I like the Marc Royce character because he’s both heroic and real. The way he faces his trials contain great life lessons. One of his lines in the book made me really think: “There is no harder lesson for me to learn than to recognize the moment when I am called to be weak.”

Marc Royce leads the charge!

By Lydia Blow, Amazon

I loved this book – actually the entire series. Strait of Hormuz was very believable considering the world situation today, and it had “real” and likable characters. It kept my interest with many different things taking place, from hidden church groups to shoot-outs to secret operations. The characters were all very different and of different nationalities, but they worked together for a common cause.