“The Twelfth Imam” by Joel C. Rosenberg – The Gifts of 1979

The Twelfth Imam by Joel C. Rosenberg (Book cover)
While the Iranian Revolution may have happened more than three decades ago, it is far from being over and forgotten. The massive shockwaves it sent out have traveled through time, and such is the setting for The Twelfth Imam by Joel C. Rosenberg.

More precisely, it follows the exploits of David Shirazi, a Farsi-born CIA operative whose family escaped from Iran in 1979, at the peak of the revolution.

Today, Shirazi is sent back into the country, at which point he finds himself face to face with a phenomenon: a relatively mysterious cleric known as the Twelfth Imam has suddenly rallied the country with tales and rumors of his powers and miracles.

Regardless of whether or not he is a holy man, the Imam’s prophecy has seemingly been fulfilled, and the country is gearing up to launch a full-scale assault against Israel.

In my opinion, The Twelfth Imam is one of Rosenberg’s best novels, although I know there are many who disagree with me. One of the things the author does exceptionally well is introduce us to the context and build up the atmosphere.

It starts off with in 1979 during the Iranian Revolution, and vividly describes the chaos that dominated the streets, and of course, the start of David Shirazi’s life. In addition, it actually feels like the Twelfth Imam is a menace to be truly feared; he is someone who managed to gather all the people together and get them to think in only one direction, his own.

One the whole, it’s a very exciting military/political thriller, one that blends fact and fiction in order to create a true work of art, one that draws you in and keeps your eyes glued until the very last page.

The Twelfth Imam by Joel C. Rosenberg (Book cover)
The characters are all quite memorable and a pleasure to read about, not to mention that the stakes are quite high: after all, an all-out war between Iran and Israel would undoubtedly conjure a huge conflict in the Middle East, one that may end up swallowing part of the Earth whole and covering it with nuclear radiation.

All in all, it’s definitely worth a read for those who like fact-based political and military thrillers.


Joel C. Rosenberg (Author)

Joel C. Rosenberg


Personal site

Joel C. Rosenberg is an American author and communication strategist. He is an Evangelical Christian who has written numerous books on the subject of terrorism and how it relates to biblical prophecies. These books include The Ezekiel Option, for which he was awarded the Gold Medallion Book Award.

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