One thing I really like about reading books by Davis Bunn is the fact that he has apparently done his research and knows his facts. It doesn’t matter that his novels are works of fiction. His grasp on his subject matter greatly enhances his stories and makes them all the more plausible.<\/p>\n
I am not as well read on current events as I would like to be but I believe that most people who do not have their heads buried in the sand realize that Iran poses a real threat to the U.S. and Israel and possibly the Middle East as well.\u00a0 “Strait of Hormuz” addresses those threats in a realistic and forthright manner.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Other characters played vital roles in “Strait of Hormuz”, especially Kitra who first appeared in “Rare Earth”. I loved the way that such a varied group from many ethnic backgrounds were able to work together so well to achieve their common goal. As expected, the book opened with immediate action and the plot moved forward at a rapid pace. The shared Christian faith of numerous characters was a common thread throughout the book with prayer an important element but was not at all intrusive or distracting from the plot.<\/p>\n
“Strait of Hormuz” is a story that one might expect to see on the front page of their newspaper or on the nightly news (although I hope we don’t). I hate seeing the adventures of Marc Royce come to an end but look forward to whatever Davis Bunn has in mind for his readers in the near future.<\/p>\n
“Strait of Hormuz” is the third and final book in the Marc Royce trilogy but can easily stand on its own. I personally would recommend reading both “Lion of Babylon” and “Rare Earth” also.<\/p>\n
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I received a complimentary copy of Strait of Hormuz from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n ABOUT THE BOOK:<\/strong><\/p>\n Under the guise of investigating money laundering via high-end art purchases in Europe, Royce finds himself in Switzerland with only sketchy information, no backup, and without a single weapon other than his wits.<\/p>\n His appointment with a gallery owner in Geneva is a dead end–the man is on the floor with a bullet through his chest. But it turns out Royce does have backup. The Mossad has sent someone to keep an eye on this undercover op, which is of more than casual interest to the Israelis. And it’s someone Royce knows…<\/p>\n Read Chapters 1-3 of Strait of Hormuz <\/i>for free HERE<\/a>. ISBN (Trade Paperback): 978-0-7642-1138-6 <\/p>\n ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/strong><\/p>\n Davis Bunn and his wife, Isabella Bunn<\/p><\/div>\n Davis Bunn<\/strong> is a four-time Christy Award-winning, best-selling author now serving as writer-in-residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Defined by readers and reviewers as a “wise teacher,” “gentleman adventurer,” “consummate writer,” and “Renaissance man,” his work in business took him to over 40 countries around the world, and his books have sold more than seven million copies in sixteen languages.<\/p>\n Strait of Hormuz is the series finale of the popular Marc Royce Adventures. Library Journal named Lion of Babylon<\/em> (Book 1) a \u201cBest Book of 2011. Rare Earth <\/em>(Book 2) won the 2013 Christy Award for best suspense novel and was a CBA top 20 best-seller.<\/p>\n Q & A with Davis Bunn<\/b><\/p>\n Q: The first two books in the Marc Royce series have been bestsellers and also won praise from the critics. Lion of Babylon<\/i> won the Library Journal\u2019s Best Book of 2011 award, and Rare Earth<\/i> won the 2013 Christy Award for Suspense Fiction. What do you see is behind this success?<\/b><\/p>\n Davis Bunn:<\/b> The stories have certainly resonated with readers. I have tried to develop a strong sense of unfolding drama, combined with a unique spiritual theme. This moral structure plays out both in the story and the characters. My aim is to create an inspirational challenge that remains with the reader long after the book has been set down.<\/p>\n Q: This story includes two special components from your early life. Tell us about them.<\/b><\/p>\n DB:<\/b> My mother worked as an antiques dealer. In truth, \u2018work\u2019 was not really the correct term, because this was a passion she inherited from her mother. They bonded while my mom was still a child, going to small eastern Carolina towns and hunting around junk stores for the sort of bargains that don\u2019t exist anymore.<\/p>\n Their first love was early Americana, a type of colonial furniture known as Jacobean that predated America\u2019s nationhood. I never really shared this passion, but in two previous books I came to respect and admire those who do.<\/p>\n And so I knew a great delight in re-entering this world in Strait of Hormuz<\/i>, only this time at the very highest end. Strait<\/i> takes place in the rarified world of multi-million dollar art, where the richest of collectors vie with museums and galleries for items that are no longer classed as antiques, but rather as treasures<\/p>\n The second special component was the location. I lived in Switzerland for almost five years, and many of the venues were places where I worked, and walked, and came to discover myself as an author.<\/p>\n Q: In what way is the setting important to this book?<\/b><\/p>\n DB:<\/b> The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world\u2019s most critical waterways. Stretching between Iran and the Gulf States, the strait us home to two US fleets. More than a third of all the oil consumed worldwide pass through these waters. But the story actually begins in Switzerland, before traveling to the Sinai and then into the hotly-contested Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Q: What spiritual theme is the focus of this story?<\/b><\/p>\n DB:<\/b> One growing area of the missionary church movement is with displaced persons. More than five million Iranians have been expelled from their homeland, or been forced to flee the current regime. This includes virtually the entire Christian population. The missionary church movement has made enormous strides in bringing peace to these families and introducing Christ into the world of Muslims fleeing a Muslim government.<\/p>\n Q: What drew you to the missionary church movement as a theme?\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n DB:<\/b> I came to faith in a missionary church. I was working as a consultant based in Germany. The year I accepted Christ, the Southern Baptist Mission Board founded a missionary church in Dusseldorf. I attended the church, I grew in the church, I studied under two amazing pastors, and one of them returned to Europe to marry us.<\/p>\n It was also where I learned to write. Two weeks after coming to faith, I felt called to writing. I wrote for nine years and completed seven books before my first was accepted for publication. The church, its members, and the elders all played a critical role in bringing me to where I am now. I am living testimony to the vital role played by the missionary church.<\/p>\n Q: All three of the books in this series have given significant insight into the Muslim world, something critics have picked up on. What experience do you have with this region?<\/b><\/p>\n DB:<\/b> For the four years prior to moving to Germany, I lived and worked in the Middle East. I was the only non-Muslim in the management structure of a family-owned company. They had three major arms: construction equipment, shipping, and pharmaceuticals. I rose to become Marketing Manager of the pharmaceutical division.<\/p>\n One of the requirements of this job was to take instruction in the Koran and Islamic history from an imam who taught at the local university. I think this experience played a major role in my coming to Christ.<\/p>\n Q: How can readers find you on the Internet?<\/b><\/p>\n My website and blog are at www.davisbunn.com<\/a><\/p>\n Subscribe to my blog\u2019s feed (to get my latest posts via e-mail or through your feed reader) at http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/DavisBunn<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up for my e-newsletter (for subscriber-only giveaways and advance notice of my upcoming novels): http:\/\/www.davisbunn.com\/news.htm<\/a><\/p>\n Facebook Author Page: facebook.com\/davisbunnauthor<\/a><\/p>\n Pinterest: http:\/\/pinterest.com\/davisbunn\/<\/a> — check out my \u201cStrait of Hormuz\u201d board at http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/davisbunn\/strait-of-hormuz\/<\/a><\/p>\n Twitter: @davisbunn – http:\/\/twitter.com\/davisbunn<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/divider2.png\" "\\"divider2\\"")
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\nAn under-the-radar phone call from the U.S. State Department puts Marc Royce once again on assignment\u2014ferreting out rumors of a clandestine operation stretching from Asia to the Mideast. At stake is Iran\u2019s threat to blockade the narrow Strait of Hormuz, cutting off vital shipping routes and escalating global tensions beyond the breaking point.<\/p>\n
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\nISBN (Hardback): 978-0-7642-1145-4
\nISBN (eBook): 978-1-4412-6279-0
\n336 pages
\nNovember 5, 2013 from Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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