When the secrets of politics mate with the convictions of religion, the offspring does not make a good bedfellow. The separation between church and state is fragile at best. Yet what if politics and beliefs are conjoined? What if one group holds the power to decide who lives or who dies? What if this same group believes it isn't a matter of how the Apocalypse begins, but when?

Ian Campbell is not an overly spiritual man, but he is strong in his beliefs. As a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and an ex-Navy SEAL, Ian knows what it's like to work hard and defend the country he chooses to serve. His quiet intelligence, go-get-em' gumption and hard work have paid off for Ian. He now holds the position as the deputy chief of staff for the President of the United States, Shelby Robertson. The President has been looking for a few good men to join his cause, and he believes Ian is just the man to join "The Christian Ambassadors."

It's a war of conviction being played by a group known by the whispers of a very few. Like all wars, there are those innocents who've been caught in the crossfire. Because the rules are simple, no one who stands in the way of the apocalypse directive is going to be spared. There are people who respect the individual beliefs of others like Rachel Hiatt, a news reporter for The New York Times. Her brother has gone missing and it seems like no one in the country wants to find him. So too, Eileen Dale, the hardworking feisty Vice President of the United States, who's pushed out of the president's inner circle almost overnight. Her instincts lead her to Ian, a man she shouldn't trust, but who may be humanity's only hero. The chessboard is set and the game is for keeps. Can anyone stop the apocalypse directive now that it's in full motion?

MacKinnon's second novel is an explosive and riveting ball of fire. From the first page full of disturbing, yet true facts, to the explosive conclusion, the story grabs the reader and keeps on pulling. Throw away your political affiliations and just hang on for the ride. While some of his characters have been brushed liberally with a bit of cliché, the impact of this story gets its combustible nature from the experiences of the storyteller himself. MacKinnon's time in the political trenches gives him the know-how to suspend the reader's disbelief. It also lends an eerie, credible insight into the harrowing possibility that this travesty could happen to any system, any government -- at any time. It's a political fairytale with a warning - monsters don't just spring forth overnight. Well- worth the read -- just don't expect to get any sleep until the last page is turned.