MISTAKEN ENEMY begins with the main character Zacchaeus, (Zach) Miller, a writer; receiving a phone call from his best friend, Preston, telling him about a Native American Indian boy. Jivi is part of the Mescalero Apache tribe in New Mexico. Preston is convinced that Zach can use the Jivi in a future story. Zach then heads off from Los Angles to New Mexico to meet this boy. Zach Arrives in New Mexico and meets a special child, as a reader, you begin to wonder what this book has to do with the main theme of the story, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and think maybe they put the wrong cover on the book. Just hang in there though and you will understand before the story is over the author ties it all together. Jivi tells Zach that his destiny is in Israel and he will save millions of lives. Zach then in all unlikely hood takes off for Israel on the word of a child.
On the flight to Israel Zach makes friends with his seat mate, Amir and receives an invitation to stay at his home. Initially Zach spends a few days traveling around seeing the sights and when he runs out of things to do, not knowing why he is even in the country, he contacts his new friend Amir. Zach then travels out to Amir's family home hoping to gain more insight into the Arab problems in Israel. Amir and his family are some of the few Arab Israeli that live in Israel. During his long stay with the wealthy family Zach learns many things about his new friend that are both interesting and scary. Finally Zach decides he has to leave and return home believing his life is now in danger.
The remainder of the story I can't tell without giving too much away. Zach learns much more not only about the conflict but about himself and his family history. Zach is put through numerous personal trials and his sanity is stretched to the limits of human endurance.
You are also shown the differences in the way the Palestine's treat their prisoners and the way the Israelis do. The middle of the story is very exciting and you begin to wonder how Zach is going to survive all these trials and make it home. But have faith as Jivi told him in the beginning Zach will survive and go back to see Jivi again and tie the story together.
The story explains from both points of view how the Palestinians and Israelis feel about the constant struggles and battles between each other. It leaves the reader wondering if there is anyway but through the extreme measures used in the book to end the conflict. MISTAKEN ENEMY is the first in Nehamen's new Zach Miller series and it will be interesting to see where he goes with this character.
Freelance writer Zacchaeus Miller travels to Israel, where
he is told he has the ability to impact the lives of
millions. He dives into the culture of his surroundings, in
the end accidentally exposed to inside information
threatening international borders. Burdened with the
knowledge of an underground terrorist plot soon to be
executed, the protagonist is then forced to play a role in
the crisis. In a race against time, and an ongoing struggle
to declare his innocence, he must intercept the impending
attack or watch helplessly as innocent people are
slaughtered and nations destroyed. But even the unintended
emissary isnβt sure which side he is on.
Controversial, addicting, and bold, Mistaken Enemy is
compelling new author Dennis Nehamenβs first release of the
Zach Miller Thrillers. What begins as the captivating
chronicle of one manβs exploration of a foreign land soon
becomes a heart-racing account of hate, revenge, and
conviction, ultimately testing the boundaries of human love.
1) No, what almost every male likely considers their most
vital organ
had passed its last rigor mortis exam quite some time before
βit had not
officially been declared deceased, however, until one awful
morning when
a fantasy crept past the guards and snuck into my cell. What
must have been
an apparition was a hip cat who immediately aroused my
jealousy because
he was happy: I saw him as the epitome of a free spirit. He
had a shaggy
beard and long brown hair protruding from a green knit cap.
He was wearing
old jeans fraying at the cuffs, with lots of holes and a
piss-yellow t-shirt that
heralded him a beatnik.
His upper garment plucked my heart like a sour musical note,
bountifully proclaiming βALL IS COOLβ in bright pink across
the front.
He was smiling gleefully but must have traded his guitar for
the Hustler
magazine he was holding in his hand. He was a bighearted
dude, opening the
centerfold to show it to me. It was a dead ringer for
Bahlyaβ¦and I threw up.
2) I tried to repeat what Iβd shared with her prior to that
day about my
background, but as I spoke I started hearing sounds,
trampoline pounding
vibrations atop my words, repetitions of my name tumbling,
bouncing, and
flipping, timed perfectly as Bahlya had spoken itβ¦Zaci,
Zaci, Zaci. Zaci,
Zaci, Zaci, over and over.
But her mouth never moved. The portrait of her sorrow
remains
embossed in my permanent memory, ready to be revealed on
short noticeβ
as Iβm doing presently, reclaiming a memento from the past,
a sound
recording cherishedβfor it was not of accusation but
absolution. She was
expressing full exoneration from any doubt she might have
had in my
regard, making a plea as I heard her call out my name, Zaci,
Zaci, Zaci.
Jivin had taken the liberty of familiarity with me; much
like a conductor
tends a member of his orchestra. Bahlya climaxed to this
intimacy out of
desperation; there was no need to respond.
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