New giveaway! Now I'm giving away Oil by Jeff Nesbit (with bonus review)

About the book:

Plunge into the heart of the oil conflicts that pit nation against nation in the Middle East and dramatically impact the entire globe. As Russia moves aggressively to seize control of the Baku pipeline, the gigantic oil fields in Saudi Arabia and Iran fail.Then one of the largest natural gas discoveries in the world is made just off Israel's coastline in the Mediterranean. With the Eilat-to-Ashkelon pipeline funded by Nazi war reparations connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, Israel emerges at the center of Middle East conflicts over oil trade routes. Enemies on all sides plot their downfall, and the U.S. is caught in the middle.

My review:

Oil was an interesting novel. I've read a number of political thrillers in the last few years pertaining to the 12th Imam and stuff with similar themes. This story was interesting with a slightly different take on things, but in the end, the author set up a frightening scenario that could really happen. It seems like no matter which way you slice it, another major war will eventually come. The issue is how and when. That said, people who enjoy political thriller-type stories will like this, but also need to realize it's not a very paced novel. There is more about politics and getting in the heads of a number of people who know inside information and less about scenarios that make you hold your breath.

Nevertheless, I didn't skim this one and read every word. It was a bit slow moving at first, but the author was trying to set up all the players and their motivations. I can easily see this as a series and would like to read the next book. If you like Joel Rosenberg's political novels, you'll like this one. However, this author has a unique voice that is different from Rosenberg's, so he's not a knock off of another author's style. It seems like the author understands politics and diplomacy and how everything works better than most, and I'm sure his former job at the White House plays a part in that. For that perspective alone, it's a pretty fascinating read. And this author is fair to all sides. He doesn't slant one way or the other when it comes right down to it. Each character believes in what they are doing and each is passionate about it. Bottom line, I enjoyed this one.

Oil was published by Guideposts and releases June 5th, so this is a great way to win a copy hot off the presses! A copy of this book was given to me by Guideposts Publishing/Summerside Press for a review for this giveaway. The opinion expressed above is entirely my own.

Now for the question! How big of a role do you think oil will play in starting the next major conflict in the Middle East? There is no right answer, just opinions. But I'd love to hear them. I'll pick a winner using the Randomizer program next weekend.