Book Review: The Twelfth Imam by Joel C. Rosenberg

Title: The Twelfth Imam
Author: Joel C. Rosenberg
Publisher: Tyndale, Carol Stream
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 490
ISBN: 978-1-4143-1163-0
Genre: Fiction/Christian suspense

Plot of The Twelfth Imam
David Shirazi, an undercover CIA agent, works in the Middle East to root out terrorists. During an assignment in Iran, Shirazi searches for inside information on possible nuclear weapons. Eventually the search leads to Najjar Malik, a young nuclear scientist recruited to help develop a civilian nuclear power system. But after a series of dark events, Malik begins to question the authenticity of his recruitment and his religion.

To make matters worse, the tide of excitement surrounding the Twelfth Imam, or the Islamic messiah figure, is growing. The Twelfth Imam is predicted to lead an Islamic world takeover. But Shirazi's superiors at the CIA won't take his concerns seriously. As for Malik, his knowledge of the nuclear program places him in the crosshairs of the Israelis, while his growing sense of disillusionment makes him a target for the Twelfth Imam's followers.

Why to Read The Twelfth Imam
Rosenberg has backed his novel with solid research. While he's taken some liberties with the material, he's also accurately reported historical events, real news stories, and Shia beliefs about the end times. In fact, those who've read Rosenberg's nonfiction Inside the Revolution will recognize not only common themes but also shared anecdotes and information between the two books. The Twelfth Imam highlights the dangerous implications of current theological beliefs among a sizable portion of the world's Muslims. Rosenberg's analysis of these implications isn't original, but that is what makes him worth reading. He's not spouting off some wacky conspiracy theory, but warning against trends the Western world has been tempted to ignore. The fact that others agree with him should give credence to his theories.

Cautions
Though The Twelfth Imam deals with an important subject and does so in an engaging manner, its ending leaves much to be desired. Rosenberg obviously sets himself up for another book to continue the story. And, of course, the average reader probably doesn't want an 800-page novel. Even so, the timing of the ending is very poor. Rosenberg doesn't only leave a few questions unanswered; he leaves all the main questions unanswered. The ending is so abrupt, you may just wonder if your copy of the book is missing a few pages. The lack of any resolution to any of the conflict is totally unsatisfying.

Rating by No-Spoilers
3 out of 5