By the Rivers of Babylon

By the Rivers of Babylon is just what I’ve come to expect from a Nelson DeMille novel: suspenseful, action-packed, and nuanced with shades of politics and character complexities. That it was written over thirty years ago doesn’t make it any less compelling, and in fact, despite any changes in the Middle East since then, By the Rivers of Babylon still provides an insightful glimpse into the hearts and souls of the people residing in that part of the world. DeMille is especially adept at highlighting the conflicts between peace and safety, the importance of history and faith, and the damage war’s displacement has had on Jews and Arabs alike.

The first work by celebrated author Nelson DeMille, it is in some ways still immature. The setting is that of the now perennial Arab-Israeli conflict, and it heavily blames the Palestinians for the failure of the peace process, which is partly true, while highlighting that the treatment reserved for them by the Israelis and their extreme aggression has played a part in the radicalisation of the Arab populations. The main character, despite some superhuman attitudes, is very well described in his moral doubts and sense of guilt. Overall, it is clear what the author is made of, already showing that he deserves the success he has achieved.

Started off slow with a lot of religious Mumbo jumbo, but when the action picked up it was vintage deMille! Not one of my favorites deMilles, but that doesn't mean it's a bad book. I love pepperoni pizza, but I'd be crazy to say I didn't want cheese pizza because I like pepperoni better...this book is the cheese pizza to the John Corey novels pepperoni pizza.

This book is riveting. I was on the edge of my seat right through. Full of thrills and action as well as the inevitable love story, this topical novel is well worth reading.

As well as being a good read, this novel left me questioning what my views would be in this given situation. Is peace possible between peoples who have been at war for centuries? Can the gulf between two very different (yet strangely similar) religions ever be bridged? Is torture permissable when survival is at stake? Is suicide ok when the alternative is a long, slow, tortuous death? At what point does pacifism become cowardice? At what point does brutality become acceptable?

It was touch and go whether I'd release this one, but I decided to give someone else the show more pleasure I experienced while reading it. show less

Sorta well written. Terrorists, hijacked plane, staunch defenders. Exciting! Suspenseful, action-packed. Politics and characters are middle-east complex. That it was written decades ago years ago doesn’t make it any less compelling. However, the aviation researcher could have done a better job as that aspect crossed the line into fantasy. A complex Mach 2+ airplane just doesn't land in the dirt (on fumes), get "shot at" for most of the book, then taxi into the river and float away. Also, does Israel have any liberals who have not served in the military? Fun read overall.

this was an earlier demille book, and maybe that's where it's possible to find halfway decent books of his. i had far fewer problems with this book than the ones of his that i've recently read. (my expectations were extremely low, of course.) i didn't love this book, by any means, but i give him credit for not pissing me off and for keeping me relatively engaged throughout. i will say, though, that he seems to have a special gift for really not understanding relationships and being completely incompetent in writing about them.

PLOT OR PREMISE:
Peace in the Middle East is almost assured and two concordes fly to New York with delegates for final negotiations. Terrorists try to derail the peace conference by planting bombs on board and taking the passengers hostage. After one plane is destroyed, killing all on board, the second plane is forced to land near Babylon. At the last minute, the hostages manage to escape to the top of a small hill from which they attempt to defend against the terrorists through several days of sorties, knowing that the military probably doesn't know where they are and therefore can't swoop in and rescue them.
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WHAT I LIKED:
Long before there was Clancy, there was DeMille. This book takes the international realm and stands it on its ear -- show more there is (excruciating) details of the relations between the characters on both sides of the peace conference who are forced to work together to fight the terrorists. In addition, the battle tactics are first-rate, the writing is almost perfect, and the story is superb as the "hostages" fight in small groups with every weapon they have -- gas bombs from the plane's fuel tanks, sounds from a war movie blasted over speakers to simulate larger weaponry, etc.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
There are a LOT of characters at the start of this book and it is hard to keep track of them all. Up until the end, there are too many small sub-plots -- some are good, and necessary to flesh out the experience, but not all of them. There are fewer characters by the end though and it helps speed up the plotting. However, the ending is a little over-the-top, resembling a scene from a Die Hard movie more than keeping with the slightly more realistic tone of the rest of the book. As well, there is a meeting between the hostage-leaders and the terrorist-leader that is absolutely surreal. The likelihood of both parties treating it like a military battle with truces, etc., is virtually nil but it was at least interesting to read.
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BOTTOM-LINE:
DeMille is the master of the game
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media. show less