Harriet Klausner's Review Archive
During the Russian occupation of Afghanistan, Saudi Arabian billionaire Osama bin Laden becomes a leader of the resistance. He uses his vast funds and charisma to fight the invaders. When the Soviets depart, the heroic bin Laden calls for a Jihad against the west. He finances terrorist activities that have killed thousands, but now prepares his most horrific scheme to date. He bought a nuclear device from one of the former Soviet Republics, planning to use the mass destruction weapon in the United States.
The CIA knows he will strike soon, but surprisingly bin Laden instead asks, through a circuitous path, for a meeting with a high-ranking agent. Deputy Director of Operations Kirk McGarvey goes to meet with the terrorist in Afghanistan, but a foul up occurs. The Americans launch a missile strike that kills bin Laden's precious teenage daughter. There is no room left for discussion as the stricken father sends an emissary to kill Kirk's daughter as well as the child of the President. Only Kirk stands in the way of an eye for an eye.
David Hagberg is one of the more interesting writers of thrillers in the new millennium. His works rival that of Clancy, Koontz, and Cornwell. With JOSHUA'S HAMMER, he probably surpassed these notable authors. The heart thumping story line is a chilling thriller that gets inside the heart and soul of its cast, humanizing a terrorist and a CIA operative. Mr. Hagberg turns the genre into his personal playing field with this realistic drama that never eases up the throttle.