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. ( )

First edition very fine

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. ( )

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 -- 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. ( )

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. ( )