Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Germ by Robert Liparulo



This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducting GERM(WestBow Nov 1, 2006) by Robert Liparulo
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robert's novel paints a scenario so frighteningly real that six Hollywood producers were bidding on movie rights before the novel was completed. His acclaimed debut novel, Comes A Horseman, is being made into a major motion picture by producer Mace Neufeld and his short story "Kill Zone" was featured in the anthology Thriller, edited by James Patterson.
Robert is an award-winning author of over a thousand published articles and short stories. He is currently a contributing editor for New Man magazine. His work has appeared in Reader's Digest, Travel & Leisure, Modern Bride, Consumers Digest, Chief Executive, and The Arizona Daily Star, among other publications. In addition, he previously worked as a celebrity journalist, interviewing Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Charlton Heston, and others for magazines such as Rocky Road, Preview, and L.A. Weekly. He has sold or optioned three screenplays.
Robert is an avid scuba diver, swimmer, reader, traveler, and a law enforcement and military enthusiast. He lives in Colorado with his wife and four children.
He is currently working on his third novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK
If you breathe, it will find you...
The list of 10,000 names was created for maximum devastation. On it are business leaders, housewives, politicians, celebrities, janitors, children. None know what is about to happen...but all will be part of the most frightening brand of warfare the world has ever known.
The GERM...a more advanced form of the Ebola virus...has been genetically engineered to infect only those people whose DNA matches the codes embedded within it. If your DNA is not a match, you simply catch a cold. But if your DNA is a match, within days your internal organs liquefy and you die a most painful death. There is no cure.
The release of the virus would usher in a new era of power...one in which countries are left without any form of defense, where one person or millions could be killed with 100% accuracy yet result in no collateral damage to property or those not targeted.
That time isn't coming...It is now!
GERM is coming. Pray the assassins get you first.Bob's website link is: http://www.robertliparulo.comThe book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0785261788

Friday, January 26, 2007

CFBA Tour - If the Shoe Fits by Marilynn Griffith


No, you aren't seeing double. This month we are reviewing not one, but two books by Marilynn Griffith! This prolific writer has TWO books coming out this month! This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is posting about If the Shoe Fits (Steeple Hill Cafe', 2007) by Marilynn Griffith (fellow CFBA member, blogger, writer, and mother of seven)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Marilynn Griffith is wife to a deacon, mom to a tribe and proof that God gives second chances. Her novels include Made of Honor (Steeple Hill, Jan. 2006), Pink (Revell, Feb. 2006), Jade (Revell, June 2006), and Tangerine (Revell, January 2007). Her other credits include Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman’s Soul, Cup of Comfort Devotionals and her Shades of Style series (Revell, 2006). She lives in Florida with her husband and children. To book speaking engagements or just say hello, email: marilynngriffith@gmail.com.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Have Glass Slipper, Need Prince...
If the Shoe Fits is the second book in the Sassy Sistahood Novels. The first in the series was Made of Honor (Steeple Hill, Jan. 2006).
In all my thirty-five years, I, shoe designer Rochelle Gardner, have never had so many men interested in me! My teen son's dad is back in my life after suffering from amnesia (yes, really). The church deacon has had his eye on me for years (and never said a word). And the young waiter (from the restaurant I've visited for singles' events) is trying to steal my heart. I've been struggling with my faith, trying to figure out which man God has chosen for me and wondering if I have the courage to step forward, on my not-so-pretty feet, to accept love. It's almost too much for the Sassy Sistahood to handle, but my girlfriends always have my back!

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

CSFF Tour - Wayne Thomas Batson Day 3



The final day of the tour concludes as we feature The Final Storm. Book one was The Door Within(see Monday's posting), book two(featured yesterday) is The Rise of the Wyrm Lord.

Without going into too much detail, this is the final battle between the forces of good(King Eliam of Alleble) and evil(Paragor). This brings back Aidan, Robby, and Antoinette from the previous books. Each book of this trilogy has shown improvement over the previous book. One of my favorite storylines(Christian or otherwise). It will now go on my shelf of books that I will re-read in the future. Highly recommended.

Please take the time to read the other blogs participating in this tour.

Jackie Castle

Valerie Comer

Karri Compton

Frank Creed

CSFF Blog Tour

Gene Curtis

Chris Deanne

Janey DeMeo

Tessa Edwards

April Erwin

Beth Goddard

Marcus Goodyear

Todd Michael Greene

Leathel Grody

Karen Hancock

Katie Hart

Sherrie Hibbs

Sharon Hinck

Joleen Howell

Kait

Karen

K. D. Kragen

Tina Kulesa

Lost Genre Guild

Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium

Rachel Marks

Shannon McNear

Rebecca LuElla Miller

Caleb Newell

Eve Nielsen

John Otte

Robin Parrish

Cheryl Russel

Hannah Sandvig

Mirtika Schultz

James Somers

Stuart Stockton

Steve Trower

Speculative Faith

Daniel I. Weaver

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

CSFF Tour - Wayne Thomas Batson Day 2


Welcome to day 2 of the Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy blog tour for Wayne Thomas Batson.
Wayne is the author of the excellent young adult fantasy series-The Door Within Trilogy. Yesterday's blog featured book 1 - The Door Within. Today's feature is book 2 - The Rise of the Wyrm Lord. Of course, tomorrow will showcase book 3 - The Final Storm. The whole trilogy is highly recommended for young adults and for adults who like fantasy.
The award for the most innovative interview of the tour goes to Lori at Unseen Worlds. She interviews a character from the series-Aidan Thomas. Click here to read her interview. I especially enjoyed it when another character interrupts.
The Rise of the Wyrm Lord follows the story from the first book. King Eliam only calls a person to the Realm once in a lifetime. Aidan cannot return. He knows that his best friend in the "real" world has become a follower of the evil Paragor. Aidan finds that a classmate has been seeing visions from the Realm. He asks her to help his friend before it is too late. The classmate, Antoinette, is called to the Realm and goes on a mission for the king. All of this is placed against the background of a world that is falling apart. Imposters are spreading lies and trying to break the alliances that King Eliam has made. Paragor is trying to bring back an ancient power of the Wyrm Lord. And the story ends on a cliffhanger. To be continued...
Please take the time to read the various interviews and comments by the other members of the tour.

Monday, January 22, 2007

CSFF Tour - Wayne Batson



Welcome to day one of the Wayne Thomas Batson tour brought to you by the Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog.

Wayne has crafted one of the best young adult(really it is for any age) series I have had the pleasure of reading. Book one of the Door Within Trilogy is The Door Within. The publisher(Tommy Nelson) has spared no expense. Everything is top notch from the cover, the map, the paper and even the color of the ink. They even took the chance on an unpublished writer by putting this out in hardcover.

The Door Within starts with Aiden's family moving to Colorado to help his sick grandfather. Like a lot of kids that are put into this situation, Aiden is not happy. He left behind best friend. Things take a more interesting turn when he finds 3 ancient scrolls in the basement. They tell the story of the land of Alleble and its knights. One of the knights tries to overthrow the true king. The fallen knight sets up his own kingdom in an attempt to defeat the true king. Aiden is drawn into this strange land. There he is destinied to become the 12 knight of Alleble.

Wayne has crafted a fascinating tale with many colorful places(the Realm, Mithegard, Paragory), interesting concepts(the Glimpses, the connection between the Realm and our world), and characters(Gwenne, Captain Valithor, Grampin, and Aiden). This is a great book to give someone who has read the Chronicles of Narnia and is looking for more. Highly recommended.

Please take the time to visit the other members of the tour...

Jackie Castle

Valerie Comer

Karri Compton

Frank Creed

CSFF Blog Tour

Gene Curtis

Chris Deanne

Janey DeMeo

Tessa Edwards

April Erwin

Beth Goddard

Marcus Goodyear

Todd Michael Greene

Leathel Grody

Karen Hancock

Katie Hart

Sherrie Hibbs

Sharon Hinck

Joleen Howell

Kait

Karen

K. D. Kragen

Tina Kulesa

Lost Genre Guild

Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium

Rachel Marks

Shannon McNear

Rebecca LuElla Miller

Caleb Newell

Eve Nielsen

John Otte

Robin Parrish

Cheryl Russel

Hannah Sandvig

Mirtika Schultz

James Somers

Stuart Stockton

Steve Trower

Speculative Faith

Daniel I. Weaver

Thursday, January 18, 2007

CFBA Tour - Arms of Deliverance by Tricia Goyer



This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is posting about Arms of Deliverance (Moody Publishers, 2006) by Tricia Goyer (fellow CFBA member, blogger, writer, and homeschooling mom!)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tricia Goyer is one the members of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance (Tricia's Blog, "It's Real Life" Tricia's Parenting Blog, "Generation NeXt") and we are pleased to be able to review her exciting historical fiction book, Arms of Deliverance. She was named Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference "Writer of the Year" in 2003. Tricia was also a finalist for the Gold Medallion Book Award and won ACFW's "Book of the Year" for Long Historial Romance in 2005 AND in 2006. She has written hundreds of articles, Bible Study notes, and both fiction (three other WWII novels, From Dust to Ashes, Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights. Night Song, the second title in Tricia’s World War II series, won ACFW's Book of the Year for Best Long Historical Romance.) She's and non-fiction books. married to John, and they have three great kids whom she homeschools: Cory (17), Leslie (14), and Nathan (12). They make their home in Northwest Montana with their dog, Lilly.


ABOUT THE BOOK:
The fourth and final novel in this exhilarating series capturing the tales of men and women swept into World War II.


EUROPE, 1944


Katrine, a Czech Jew, is so successful in her attempt to pass as an Aryan that she finds herself dating a Nazi officer. Having convinced him of her genetic purity, the officer sends her to stay at a Lebensborn home--a Nazi breeding program in which children are raised and indoctrinated by the state.


Meanwhile, two friends, Mary and Lee, one a socialite, the other a working class girl, land similar reporting jobs at the New York Tribune on the eve of the war’s outbreak. Now rivals with assignments on the frontlines of war-torn Europe, Lee joins troops sailing for Normandy, while Mary's destiny lies in the cramped quarters of a B-17 bearing down on Berlin. Before the presses roll, their lives will be indelibly marked by a caring American navigator, brave French resistors, and a maniacal Nazi officer. Arms of Deliverance is a story of unexpected redemption.
A very realistic read. The author has done an excellent job of making it feel like you are really there. I will be looking forward to reading other books by Tricia Goyer.


Monday, January 15, 2007

New Books


If you have been following my site, you probably already know that I am a big fan of Brandt Dodson's Colton Parker mysteries. The new book, The Root of All Evil, is in stores today. Run right out and pick up a copy.
This recap is from Brandt's website.

Wealthy businessman Berger Hume is dying. And the one thing he wants most is the one thing his millions cannot buy—a relationship with the son he has never met. As Colton Parker, private investigator, searches to locate the son, he finds himself the target of threats from a powerful gang with ties that extend to high–level government.
The twists of this case cause Colton to question his own values. Will he risk the one thing that matters most? And will this race against time become a race for his own life?
The first chapter is available through the Harvest House website by clicking on this link .
WARNING: once you start reading this series, you won't be able to stop. While you are picking up this book go ahead and buy the first two books(Original Sin, Seventy Times Se7en). You will be glad you did.
If this book continues with the level of quality of the first two, it will be on my best of 2007 list.

Friday, January 12, 2007

CFBA Tour - A Pagan's Nightmare by Ray Blackston

A Pagan's Nightmare is the story of a writer named Larry Hutch. Larry has written a screenplay for a movie about a sort of reverse Rapture. In his story, the non-believers are the ones who disappear. A pagan named Lanny is left behind. It follows his adventures as he tries to find his girlfriend. Larry's agent, Ned, loves the story. Unfortunately for him, Ned's wife(a committed Southern Baptist) is not amused. This book tells the tale of both stories.

If you are easily offended, this is not the book for you. The author does a good job of taking a satirical look at some of the trappings that Christians have built up over the years. I can't help but think that some non-believers could sympathize with Lanny. At times it must seem like Christians are more worried about their appearance and works than reaching out to the lost. I know that it can be an easy trap to fall into. This focus on works has been a problem throughout the ages. But I also know most Christians do have a heart for unbelievers. Most of the time, I think the problem is in letting the pagans know without forcing them away.

I am going to look for other books by Ray Blackston. It is a rare gift to make a person laugh. It is even rarer to be able to laugh and re-evaluate yourself and your actions.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

CFBA Tour - A Pagan's Nightmare by Ray Blackston





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Ray Blackston of Greenville, South Carolina, worked as a buyer and a broker for eleven years before cashing in his modest 401k and leaving his corporate cubicle in 2000 to write full time. He is a graduate of the University of south Carolina, with a degree in Finance and Economics.
He serves on the drama team at his church, participates in a weekly men's accountability group, serves on the missions committee of his church, has traveled to rural Ecuador on a summer missions program, and coaches his seven-year-old nephew, Action Jackson, in T-Ball.
When he is not crafting a new novel, is exploring south Carolina beaches with friends and family. He competes in golf tournaments, leads a writers' critique group, and relives his youth through a large collection of eighties music!


His first novel Flabbergasted was one of three finalists for the Christy Award for best first novel, and was chosen as Inspirational Novel of the Year by the Dallas Morning News


ABOUT THE BOOK





Christians can buy gas for twelve cents a gallon, while everyone else (the pagans, that is) have to pay $6.66. The radio stations alter all song lyrics to conform to "Christian" standard--the Beatles belt out "I Wanna Hold Your Tithe"; ABBA's "Dancing Queen" becomes "Dancing's Wrong". Even French fries, newly labeled "McScriptures", are tools for evangelism.
Larry's novel is a big hit with his agent, Ned. But Ned's wife..a committed Southern Baptist...is less than amused. And Larry has yet to show the manuscript to his new girlfriend, even though he's made her the unsuspecting heroine. It will take deft handling from both men to keep their lives and their relationships intact when the world witnesses A Pagan's Nightmare.

Ray's website link is : http://www.rayblackston.com/The book link is :

My review will be published on Friday.

Monday, January 01, 2007

FIRST Tour-Hell in a Briefcase by Phil Little with Brad Whittington



HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! It is January 1st, time for the FIRST Day Blog Tour! The FIRST day of every month we will feature an author and their latest book's FIRST chapter!

This month's feature author is:
Phil Little with Brad Whittington
and their book:
HELL IN A BRIEFCASE
(A Matt Cooper Novel)



ELEVEN BRIEFCASES AND ONE UNLIKELY HERO...CAN MATT COOPER FIND ELEVEN NUCLEAR DEVICES AND HIS FAITH BEFORE DISASTER STRIKES?


With violence in the Middle East escalating daily, Americans are glued to their televisions wondering what will happen next. Meanwhile, Matt Cooper, jet-setting star of Phil Little's debut novel Hell in a Briefcase is doing something about it. A private security executive, his adrenaline-junkie days consist of last-minute first-class overseas flights, Hollywood parties with his actress girlfriend, and direct calls from top CIA brass. A chance meeting with Mr. Roberts, "an old broken-down millionaire" and uncommon Christian, sends Cooper on a trip to Israel that will change his life. Matt goes behind the curtain of Middle East terrorism, witnessing firsthand the untold ravages of holy war. The deeper he goes, the closer he gets to a plot involving eleven stolen briefcase nukes and a plan infinitely more sinister than 9/11.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Phil Little, president of West Coast Detectives and a recognized expert in counter-terrorism, provides bodyguards to the stars and runs a detective agency that has served ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, FOX, Paramount, MGM, and hundreds of others (http://www.westcoastdetectives.us/). He draws on this experience in crafting the tightly wound plot of this international thriller. In addition to his duties as a security expert, Phil has also written Hostile Intent, Protecting Yourself from Terrorism and will soon be the subject of a television pilot. In the meantime, you can read more about Matt's adventures in his blog, http://detectivemattcooper.blogspot.com/. In addition, Phil is available for comment on all aspects of international terrorism, both at home and abroad, and he makes for an interesting and colorful guest. His expertise in the area of international issues combined with his personable on-camera style would make for a great interview on this hot topic. From Lebanese terror camps in the 1970's to American airports in the months before 9/11, Phil Little has witnessed the terror threat up close and can share eye-opening stories and information that all Americans should know.



An interview can be found at the following link http://kevinlucia.net/bookreviews/2006/12/interview_with_brad_whittingto.html

THE FIRST CHAPTER: Marjeyoun, Lebanon.

Thursday, 21 November 2002. 01:30.

A full moon. A glow seemed to rise from the sand, allowing them to drive with their headlights off. The five Jeeps kept to 40 kph on the dark road that wound southward between hills and wadis. In the third Jeep, Major Skaff allowed himself the brief luxury of picking out Pegasus in the sharp winter sky before he compulsively scanned the rocky terrain for signs of Hezbollah fedayeen. He was leading this patrol to check out rumors of increased activity near Shaaba Farms, the disputed area where three Israeli soldiers had been kidnapped two years before.
The ridge road ran from the town of Marjeyoun down to Qlaia'a under the ominous gaze of Shqif Arnoun-the castle called "Beaufort" by the Crusaders-to the west. Christians and Muslims had fought for this ground for centuries, trading possession of the castle as their fortunes rose and fell. In the 1970's the Palestinian Liberation Organization had used the strategic placement of the castle to shell civilian settlements in northern Israel.

That was when Skaff, then a young recruit of the Southern Lebanese Army, had been a driver in a similar convoy, shortly before the civil war broke out between Christians and Muslims in 1975. Traversing this very ridge on a mission, he had come under fire from the castle. His evasive driving had saved the convoy and drawn the attention of General Lahd.
The intervening thirty years had been a generation of unremitting war. Israel, tiring of mounting civilian casualties and the Lebanese government's refusal to expel the terrorists, invaded southern Lebanon in 1982 and captured the castle. Eighteen years of occupation followed, during which Skaff had risen through the SLA ranks while working openly with the Israelis to keep the various Muslim factions at bay. When he had started, Hezbollah did not exist. Now the radical Muslim army controlled the south and dealt severely with the Christian resistance.

As the occupation had grown increasingly costly and casualties mounted, the pressure increased for Israel to withdraw. When the SLA collapsed in 2000, Israel destroyed what was left of the castle walls and pulled back behind the Blue Line specified by the UN. The SLA scattered. Thousands fled to Israel or went into hiding. Those who didn't were imprisoned and tried as enemy collaborators. As Hezbollah gained control of the area, the anticipated slaughter of Christians didn't materialize. But any SLA militiamen emboldened to return were also imprisoned.

As he scanned the distant ruins of the castle in the moonlight, Major Skaff reflected on change and constancy. Where PLO guns had once rained death on Israel and Lebanese Christians, now tourists snapped pictures and rushed home to post them on the Internet. And the same General Antoine Lahd who had brought him up in the ranks and fought beside him for decades had fled to Paris. Only a week ago he had opened a fancy restaurant in Tel Aviv called Byblos. It had a nice ocean view.

True, Lahd had a death sentence hanging over him for treason and war crimes, but so did Skaff. And so did many of the two thousand SLA in Lebanese prisons.

But some things had not changed. Southern Lebanon was just as dangerous for the men in these Jeeps as it had been when Skaff was driving instead of commanding.

Skaff was drawn from his reflections by a dark shape ahead. At the end of the ridge the road snaked through an outcropping of rock. He had passed through it many times, always with reluctance. This night he felt a peculiar sense of revulsion as he squinted at the misshapen lump of stone looming before him.

He nudged his driver and nodded toward the rocks. Hassan nodded back. He could feel it too. Skaff reached for the radio to signal the lead Jeep. A lifetime of guerrilla fighting had convinced him that such premonitions were not without merit. His transmission was brief, but they were already entering the outcropping when he put the radio down.

Five seconds later a rocket hit the grille of the lead Jeep. The explosion lit the rocks towering over them. He saw the silhouettes of two men blow out on either side of the vehicle, which was tossed onto the nose of the next Jeep. Hassan narrowly missed them, skidding left and stopping next to the driver of the lead Jeep, who was lying half off the road.

The two Jeeps behind slid sideways to a stop in the road as machine gun bursts echoed from beyond the lead Jeep. Skaff was exposed to the attack. He dove from his seat to the rear of the second Jeep, between two men already returning fire with an Uzi and an M-16.

He rolled to his feet and yelled to the two back Jeeps, motioning for them to form a double barricade with their vehicles, keeping the men covered both in the front and the rear in case the attackers attempted to sandwich them in the gap. Skaff turned back, confident that his men needed no further direction. This mission called for battle-hardened veterans, and he had personally selected the nineteen men who were with him now. Every man among them had proved himself in years of combat. Some even owed their life to his cool command in battle. Some had returned the favor multiple times.

Skaff scanned the forward battle to account for the remaining eleven men, his position shielded by the lead Jeep transfixed on the grille of the second. To the left, Hassan was pulling the driver of the first Jeep to safety. The other two men from Skaff's Jeep were covering him with sporadic fire from their Uzis. Ahead, the driver of the second Jeep was placing a case of grenades handy to his partner, who had fitted his M-16 with a grenade launcher and was set up in the backseat. Skaff was standing beside the other two passengers in the second Jeep. That left the three passengers from the lead Jeep.

He spotted Saif on the right. He had been thrown clear onto the sand without apparent injury. He was crouched behind a boulder, occasionally returning fire with his Desert Eagle .50-caliber side arm. Failing to sight the other two, he shouted to the driver, who had acquired an Uzi.

"Rafik? Sayyed?"

He nodded forward. Skaff crawled over the middle of the jeep to the hood. Sayyed was wedged between the lead Jeep and the grille of the second Jeep, most likely dead. Rafik was lying on the hood of the second Jeep. Skaff checked for a pulse. Nothing. He closed Rafik's eyes and whispered a short prayer. Skaff couldn't play favorites with his men, but this loss was harder than any other would have been. At nineteen, Rafik had already spent four years with Skaff, rarely more than fifty yards from his side. Four years of relentless, driven hate. Skaff had been Rafik's ticket for revenge. Perhaps now he had found the peace revenge had not been able to bring him.

Skaff was crawling back to get a weapon when the second rocket hit the bottom of the lead Jeep. The gas tank exploded, sending most of the shrapnel back toward the attackers. The force of the blast threw the second Jeep back five feet, knocking over the two shooters behind. The grenade launcher and the man with it fell into the front seat. The driver was standing to the side. He returned fire with the Uzi.

Skaff helped reposition the grenade launcher and crawled out of the Jeep. The two in back were already firing again. He scanned the area and then dove toward the two Jeeps in the rear. Of the eight men between the jeeps, one had taken a round in the right shoulder but was still firing left-handed, propped against a door. Three were facing the rear but indicated they hadn't seen any action, yet. Two were covering the walls on either side with M-16s, but also hadn't seen action. The final two had grenade launchers on their M-16s. They waited until they saw several volleys of tracer bullets originating from a single location. Then they fired three seconds apart at the source. The machine gun fire stopped. Skaff slapped them on the back. Perhaps they would get out of this thing alive.

Then a rocket hit Skaff's Jeep. Hassan was behind a curtain of stone, firing with an Uzi, having propped the injured driver in a cleft in the rock. But the other two were using the Jeep for cover. One tumbled backward, clear of the Jeep. The other was knocked down as the Jeep rolled over, pinning his leg under it. Skaff ran through a volley of automatic weapons fire and pulled the first man to his feet. They raced to the Jeep, joined by Hassan, and rocked it back over. Then they dragged the injured man to safety next to the injured driver.

Skaff felt a shudder of unease ripple through the adrenaline-laced focus that always came over him in combat. If this kept up, the whole team would be shredded before they had used half their ammo. He grabbed Hassan's arm and yelled into his ear over the din.

"We have to take out that rocket launcher or we don't get out of here. Take those three and circle around."

Hassan nodded and stepped away but Skaff grabbed his arm.

"Take a radio."

He let go, and Hassan ran to the rear while the others laid down covering fire. Skaff used the opportunity to race to the front two Jeeps and get the four there away from the vehicles and behind the cover of the rocks. As they ran for cover, another rocket hit the top of the lead Jeep, sending fragments of the grille and fenders flying in all directions. Skaff ran through the explosion back to the rock curtain. When he fell against a boulder the injured man pointed at Skaff's leg. He looked down and saw that his left trouser leg was slashed in three places. Blood was seeping down to his boots. He looked around to see how the others had fared.

Saif seemed to have been hit in the arm by something. He was now firing the Eagle while holding his upper arm with the other hand. The other four seemed to have escaped unscathed. Skaff's radio had not survived the rocket. He nodded to the man next to him, who wielded an Uzi while he made it to the two back Jeeps, getting an Uzi and a radio. He turned it up all the way and slung it over his shoulder. Then he began firing at the source of tracers beyond the rubble of the Jeeps.

Looking for some encouragement, Skaff probed his memory. In almost three decades of fighting, he didn't recall anything quite as dire as the current circumstance. He had two confirmed dead, one unconscious, three wounded but still firing. Almost a third of the force. The numbers were bound to increase as long as that rocket launcher was working. His calculations were interrupted by Hassan's voice squawking through the pandemonium.

"We got the rocket launcher, but I think they have another on the left. And now we're pinned down, so we're going nowhere."

The last word was drowned out by a rocket blast on the rock curtain above the injured men. Skaff doubted he could get a team around the other side. Even if he did, the enemy would be expecting them. No way around. No way through. He scanned the sheer rock walls on either side. No way over. The fedayeen had chosen their positions well and appeared to have ample men, weapons, and ammo. It seemed likely that most of this team would share the fate of Rafik and Sayyed. Probably all. The thought sickened Skaff, turning the adrenaline in his veins to bile in his throat.

There was one last hope, but it might be too late. He selected another frequency on the radio and shouted over the gunfire, "Lehafil Levanon Sanctzia. Lehafil Levanon Sanctzia. (Activate Lebanon Sanction.)"