Rare Earth
By Davis Bunn
Bethany House
In Stores Now
Thanks to Davis Bunn and Bethany House, I am giving away a copy of Rare Earth. To enter, simply comment on this review. Please include an email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win. Also, to receive additional entries in the drawing, you can follow me on Twitter (@tbusbey) or subscribe to my blog. If you follow me or subscribe, please email me at tbuzz50@hotmail.com so I can be sure to give you your extra entries. I will close the contest one week from today, Friday, August17, 2012, and announce a winner on Monday, August 20, 2012.
In last year’s Lion of Babylon, Davis Bunn introduced readers to Marc Royce, a Jack Ryan-type hero for the Christian thriller genre. What sets him apart from the typical thriller/action hero? He’s got a heart.
In Rare Earth, Royce is sent undercover to Kenya to investigate a refugee camp birthed by a volcano’s eruption. But that is not his real mission. In reality, Royce is there to discover why whole tribes have gone missing. His investigation leads him to the trail of an international conspiracy involving rare earth minerals — once-obscure minerals which have now been found in abundance in Africa’s Rift Valley. High-tech industries have become reliant on these rare earth minerals, leading “claim jumpers” to forcibly remove whole tribes of people to secure access to these minerals. Once he realizes the true nature of the tragedy, Royce sets out to restore the people to their land.
Before Bunn became an author, he spent years traveling the globe as a businessman, including time spent in Africa. Those experiences certainly bear fruit in Rare Earth as Bunn makes the reader really feel as if they are in Africa as he describes the breath-taking landscape and the proud Kenyan refuges. I loved how Bunn took a real-world issue and incorporated it into his thriller, giving him the opportunity to educate the readers about this tragedy taking place right now.
Although Rare Earth is the second in a series, it truly is a standalone story that any reader can pick up and enjoy. The characters are realistic, full of depth and very well written. I loved the international intrigue and the twist and turns Bunn put Royce through.
Rare Earth is an intense, realistic novel that would make a great movie. Bunn’s fast-paced action and thought-provoking subject matter will pull you into the book and take your mind on a wild adventure.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give Rare Earth a 4.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.
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Good review of Rare Earth. I am finishing up Lion of Babylon and looking forward to joining Mark Royce on his next adventure. This review truly tracks who Mark is, his character and spirit. Knowing Bunn speaks through experience and that this book shares a real life today situation is another draw for me. Now I am really eager to get this book.
Thanks for your good review of Davis’ new book, Rare Earth, and the opportunity to enter your drawing for a free copy!
How I would love to win this book for my library. I have read it [from the library on loan] I would have to give Lion of Babylon a 5 instead of a 4. It is the best book yet I think.
Please count me in the drawing and thank you for the opportunity.
I have treasured Davis’s books for year, but have not yet read this. Your review, rich in the intrigue and heart, really stirs me to get going on this one. Thanks!
markay4given [at] sbcglobal [dot] net
I just finished this book — learned so much about rare earths, for one thing. But best of all, it was well-paced and Christian themed. It’s nice to read books from authors who write their beliefs into the story line and avoid the usual mud-slinging, sex and other filler to make a book exciting. Davis Bunn has become one of my favorite authors!
Looking forward to reading “Rare Earth” as I have read almost all of Davis Bunn’s books. Received a free copy of ” Hidden in Dreams” and reviewed it for several locations; then sent it to someone else to read. My review, however, was not as good as this one. Thank you.