New Review of Distant Thunder

Book Review: Distant Thunder by Jimmy Root Jr.
Posted on August 25th, 2009
by Simon Barrett in Book Reviews, Reviews


Book One Of The Lightning Chronicles


I read a lot of books and while I am not as cynical as the wag that suggests there are only 7 plots in the entire literary world and authors merely recycle these plots over and over, however I do feel that a good many books lack that spark that sets them apart. That is not the case with Distant Thunder, Jimmy Root Jr. has found a most unique angle to base his book around. The basis for his action/thriller novel are two rather obscure chapters from the old testament, Ezekiel 38 and 39. In these writings can be found a prophecy concerning the future well being of the Jewish people in Israel. Is Ezekiel predicting that at some point Israels enemies will rise up united against her?


Distant Thunder weaves two distinct story lines together. In the first we have a group of fanatical Muslim terrorists who have procured some portable nuclear devices from Russia. These devices were ‘liberated’ when the Soviet Union crumbled. Their mission? To destroy the west by detonating them in major cities. In the second story line Israel’s enemies have joined forces and plan to launch an Iranian made missile equipped with an Iranian made nuclear device at the city of Haifa.


Our main heroes are Pastor Ty Dempsey, a peace loving man residing in the small town of Plattsville, Missouri. His life is becomes shattered with the death of his brother serving in Iraq. It is this event that draws Ty into his bible and most particularly the book of Ezekiel. In his eyes there is a clear connection to the the woes befalling the modern world in this ancient text. When he reveals his fears to his congregation not everyone is in agreement and certain elements start to seek his removal from the church. His sermons have started to fragment this quiet community.


In Israel we meet Captain Moshe Eldan, a fighter pilot tasked with keeping the airspace free from intruders. It is through his wife that he learns of Ezekiel’s prophecy. That becomes of even greater importance after he is shot down over the Golan Heights and makes a horrific discovery.
I do not think it is appropriate to reveal any more of the plot at this stage. Distant Thunder is without doubt the hidden gem of the summer. I know it is cliché, but this book is a genuine page turner. I cannot profess to be much of a practicing Christian, the occasional wedding and christening, and as I grow older, funerals are my main occasions to venture into the world of religion. This plot though piqued my interest and for the first time in years actually picked up a bible and read what Ezekiel had to say. My wife almost had heart failure when she saw me do this!


I will now share a secret with you. Jimmy Root Jr. is indeed a pastor in real life. This fact eluded me until I read his biography at the end of the book. I guess I should not have been surprised as the biblical quotes are likely outside of the realm of a regular author. But the style of writing, and indeed the action, thriller plot just does not seem like something I would have expected from a man of the cloth.


There is one section in particular that sticks in my mind. The dieing thoughts of a suicide bomber. It is very thought provoking and ends with the phrase: "Then suddenly and with infinite impact, it dawned on him that the voice was his own, and it was not subsiding. So this was hell."


Great book, grab yourself a copy and take a ride on the wild side. I can not wait for book two in this series.

Distant Thunder is available from Jimmy Root Jr’s web site.
Simon Barrett

Distant Thunder, Lightning Chronicles, Writing, Jimmy Root Jr, Virtual Book Tour,Publishing,

Distant Thunder Review by Norm Goldman of Book Pleasures

Norm Goldman, B.A. LL.L, is the Publisher & Editor of http://Bookpleasures.com. He is also a top 500 http://Amazon.com reviewer.
Author: Jimmy Root Jr.
ISBN: 13: 978-1-58982-553-6: 10: 1-58982-553-5
Depending on your religious beliefs, Jimmy Root Jr.’s Distant Thunder is either likely to dazzle you or affront you. It is a Christian novel with an overt Christian perspective and message. Accordingly, many readers and predominantly those of faiths other than Christianity may be totally turned off. Then again, if you can avoid becoming too enmeshed with the religious aspect of the novel, there remains a well-written chilling yarn that will make you eager to stick around and enjoy the read.
Root creates two worlds or theaters of action, one in Plattsville, Missouri, just a stone’s throw away from Kansas City, and the other in Israel.
As our story evolves, Ty Dempsey, a pastor in Plattsville has recently lost his brother in the Iraq War. Ty gets into hot water with his Board of Deacons, as they are not too pleased with his sermons and the way he is preaching to his congregants. This was in reaction to one of his sermons where he told his congregants that the Lord had revealed to him through Isaiah chapter seventeen that the world as we know it is about to come to a spectacular end.
Ty goes onto explain that nuclear material will fall into the hands of people bent on the destruction of Israel and this will emanate from Iran, through Iraq and Syria. Israel will respond swiftly and obliterate and erase Syria from the map. And what follows will replicate the prophesy of Ezekiel, who predicted the destruction of several nations located in the Middle East and Russia pursuant to their aggression against Judah (Israel).
The novel’s second principal character is Captain Moshe Eldan, an intense thirty-four year old F-161 ace Israeli pilot whose wife Tasha has similarly suffered the loss of a family member, her mother. She has turned away from Judaism and has embraced Jesus Christ and would like her husband to join her in her new found religion.
Moshe is passionate in his defense of Israel and is constantly in danger guarding his country’s borders from its hostile and devious neighbors. One night, however, his luck runs out and he and another air force pilot are shot down by Russian migs. Moshe finds himself behind enemy lines in Syria where he is about to discover something very disturbing that could have dire consequences for his country.
Mixed into the plot are Arab terrorists that are preparing a hideous attack on the USA which is tied in with plans to destroy Israel by unfriendly Arab neighbors as well as Russia. Could this be what Ezekiel prophesied? Is this scenario happening today when we read the headlines concerning Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and other Arab countries? You have to admit this does give readers reason to pause and re-examine the state of world affairs, particularly as it concerns Iran and its foreboding threat to Israel. All of this, no doubt, will intensify your fascination because much of the novel is inspired by actual events that we are reading about in the media.
Root is not afraid to assume that you will follow him down controversial and sometimes frightening paths. His writing is imaginative, although some of the conversations between Moshe and Tasha are a trifle far-fetched, especially when the security of the State of Israel is at stake. What particularly makes you willing to stick with the story, despite its obvious religious slant, is that the author impressively brings life to his two main characters who both are caught up in overwhelming struggles. On the one hand, we have a devoted pastor who has a intense belief in his teachings and spurns any attempt by others to change them. On the other hand, we have an Israeli warrior who is zealously passionate about his country and will safeguard it at all costs. We can even feel Ty and Moshe's passions and emotions wishing that all will turn out for the good in the end. There is also a little romance thrown in as Ty falls madly in love with a beautiful blond. However, don't expect any steamy love scenes! This is after all a Christian novel.

Distant Thunder, Lightning Chronicles, Writing, Jimmy Root Jr, Virtual Book Tour,Publishing,

Tour Stops for August 10 thru 17

The book tour for Distant Thunder contiues. I'm doing both onsite book signings and the Virtual Book Tour on the internet. Both are fun, one is less work. Which may be more profitable is still to be determined.

Below are this weeks tour stops. Some are interviews, others are guest blogs. Check them out and make a comment when you can. Creating an internet buzz is a must for new authors, and I will soon post an article chronicling all my experiences, both good and frustrating. Until then, WRITE ON!

Aug. 10 – The Story Behind the Book (guest post) http://thestorybehindthebook.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/distant-thunder-by-christian-fiction-author-and-pastor-jimmy-root-jr/
Aug. 11 – Divine Caroline (interview) www.divinecaroline.com
Aug. 12 – As the Pages Turn (interview) www.asthepagesturn.wordpress.com
Aug. 13 – Café of Dreams (guest post) www.cafeofdreams.blogspot.com
Aug. 14 – Home Sweet Home Writing Challenge (interview) http://homesweethomewritingchallenge.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/at-home-with-christian-fiction-author-jimmy-root-jr/

Distant Thunder, Lightning Chronicles, Writing, Jimmy Root Jr, Virtual Book Tour,Publishing,

BOOK REVIEW by Writers In The Sky

The first Book Review has come in for Distant Thunder. Check it out below.

Title of Document: Book Review
Book Title: Distant Thunder
Author: Jimmy Root, Jr.
ISBN Number: 978-1-58982-553-6
Publisher: American Book Publishing
Genre and Target Market: fiction, thriller, Christian
Publication Date: 2009
Book Length in Pages: 326

As in so many instances, life’s realities make for more interesting storytelling than the most imaginative piece of fiction ever could. I always have enjoyed literature that incorporates actual events into a storyline that shares the moment through the eyes of everyday individuals. Whether I am reading historical pieces about soldiers on the battlefield during the Civil War or the retelling of one family’s struggle on the frontier, I appreciate the research and creativity that goes into such writing. The events that are making headlines today also provide an endless supply of material on which authors can expand. We certainly can admit to a variety of perspectives on the root causes behind the current geopolitical situation in the world. However, regardless of who we choose to blame or victimize, most of us will agree that we are living in fascinating and dangerous times. In his new book Distant Thunder, which is the first release in a trilogy called “The Lightning Chronicles,” author Jimmy Root Jr. shares his perspective on the major events that are unfolding across the globe and how he believes that Biblical prophecy has predicted what we are now seeing on the nightly news.

Root, whose has spent his life in ministry, shares with his readers the lives of Pastor Ty Dempsey, who lives in Missouri, and Moshe Eldan, a pilot with the Israeli military. He skillfully presents these two men as everyday characters whose struggles with love, faith, family, and work can be understood by anyone who decides to sit down and open the book’s pages. By telling his story through the perspective of two such relatable personalities, Root makes the events in Distant Thunder even more startling. Through Root’s expert storytelling, readers are brought to the point at which they can see themselves as participants in the world’s most cataclysmic events.

Distant Thunder opens with an ancient scene in which the prophet Ezekiel foretells of the destruction of Israel’s enemies. The book then brings us to modern times as we see the prophecy of the Old Testament coming to fruition in a terrifying way. Root brings his readers through the plot development in short segments, switching between key locations around the world. Just as a scene reaches the moment of climax and you wonder if destruction is about to occur or one of our protagonists is headed for personal disaster, Root directs your attention elsewhere. These quick scenes give the readers the feel of the 24-hour news channels to which we have become accustomed in our post-9/11 world. Our global society is moving at a pace that is unprecedented, and Root powerfully argues that this progression is bringing us closer to the end times that were foretold in Biblical prophecy many centuries ago.

If you are a Christian who believes in the literal interpretation of the Bible, you will embrace Distant Thunder as an affirmation of your faith and a way to share the coming prophecies with others. Or, perhaps you have heard discussions about how current events are aligning with the messages shared in the Bible, but you have never studied the prophecy of end times or understood how it relates to what we see on the news every evening. In this case, Distant Thunder will serve as a wonderful book through which to experience through the eyes of “ordinary” characters the events which many Christians believe are soon to come. Whatever your motivation, I believe that you will find Distant Thunder to be a book that will make you think and desire to learn more.

An mp3 Podcast with Writers In the Sky will be posted next week....an interview that took place just a few days ago.