By Way of Deception by Amir Tsarfati and Steve Yohn

By Way of Deception, book 2 in the Nir Tavor thriller series, is even better than book 1. 

Wow, talk about a wild ride! From deep in the Iranian desert to Houston and the South China Sea, this book takes the reader all over the world, keeping us on the edge of our seats wondering what is going to happen next. 

But even more than I love a good adventure, I love Israel, and I loved how Israeli this book is. Maybe it's because I've been studying there, but I saw so many elements that incorporated Israeli culture and history—like a member of Tavor's team being a descendent of Alexander Zaid, a Zionist hero who founded "The Watchmen". I've been to the kibbutz where his family lived, and have seen the statue mentioned on page 77, as well as to Beit She'arim National Park. So to see a fictional descendent of his have a role in the story was fun. 

I think my favorite thing about the whole story was the Jewish sense of humor throughout the book. It's even stronger here than in Operation Joktan, and had me laughing out loud so many times. 

All of it—the dialogue, the storytelling, the plot and structure—showcased so much of modern day Israel while also giving deep insight to its more recent—and ancient—history. For spoilers' sake, I'm not going to write too much about the events, other than to say that I loved how real and relevant Nir's journey as he is grappling with the truth that Jesus was (and is) the Son of God, all while risking his life... and one could even say, being willing to give his life to save others. 

The parallels are striking, not to mention the fact that this series is going to take us through all the countries mentioned in Ezekiel 38. It's set in modern times, with references to current events, and often forecasts what could happen to bring it all about. 

If you loved the first book, or if you love anything by Joel C. Rosenberg, I definitely recommend this series. But beware—it will leave you ready for more... I wonder when book 3 is coming out?

Click here to buy it on Amazon.

Operation Joktan by Amir Tsarfati and Steve Yohn

When I heard that Amir Tsarfati had co-written a novel with Steve Yohn, I was surprised. He's written many nonfiction books, but not many writers can make the transition between nonfiction writer and novelist. So I was a bit skeptical.

Operation Joktan did not disappoint.

The first of a trilogy, Operation Joktan takes the reader into the world of a Mossad agent. Through a complex and thrilling adventure, we follow Nir from South Africa to the Middle East, and Europe, with a final adventure in the United Arab Emirates. 

What's so fun is that Amir was a major in the IDF, so these events are based off of real events that the general public doesn't know about.

BUT, what has been shocking is that this book, released November 2021, seems almost prophetic, as in early 2022 there were terrorist attacks in the UAE. 

I'm always a little skeptical of writers who cross genres, and Amir did this well. Couple this with the fact that English isn't his first language, (he speaks it excellently, it's just that speaking and writing are very different mediums to excel in), and it's even more impressive.

If you love thrillers that literally could be pulled from the front pages, then I recommend this book.

Click here or on the links or image above to find it on Amazon, and come back next week for book 2 in this series!