Review: A Way out of Hell by Jim Baton

A Way out of Hell 

by Jim Baton

When ISIS turns your city into a living hell... ISIS unleashes a reign of terror across Indonesia. As a former jihadist, Abdullah knows all too well the high cost and absolute ineffectiveness of fighting such violence with violence. He accepts the impossible challenge of finding the ISIS cell hidden in his city, and disbanding it non-violently. But time is running out, and there may not be any city left to save. Meanwhile, he has to protect his adopted daughter Sari, a Christian university student, who is one of ISIS's targets. Together they come face-to-face with the holy warriors of mass destruction and strive to overcome that evil with good. In this riveting sequel to Someone Has to Die, Jim Baton introduces us to the real people caught in the web of terrorism, with their wide variety of backgrounds and motivations, and the possibility that they, too, can change.

My Take:

Abdullah the former jihadist has a serious problem. After watching his only surviving son die at the hands of a band of terrorists, he learns that this terrorist cell is planning something significant - something that will turn his peaceful Indonesian city into a bloodbath, and a war zone. He is given a seemingly impossible task - find the active ISIS terrorist cell developing in the city, and disband it... non-violently.

This is the second book in a trilogy, yet it stands alone in its own right. I have not read the first book, and there were some references scattered throughout to some of the action in the previous book, yet it was not off-putting and the novel stands alone.

Content:

Drug Content:

PG - There's a bar scene with drinking involved. There's also a small amount of social drinking. 

Violence:

PG-13 - Though it's not exceptionally graphic or gratuitous, there's quite a bit of violence and death in this novel - not surprising, it's a thriller about terrorism and jihad. Many people die in multiple bombings, an airport disaster is orchestrated that kills hundreds, and the method of death for the passengers is described in some detail. There are ritualistic beheadings, violence against children. A man is engulfed in flames. 

Language:

PG - There's a small amount of cussing. The F-bomb is not dropped, that I recall.

Adult Content:

PG-13 - The bar scene has strippers with 'other occupations'. There is a rape scene. 

Christian content:

There is a lot of content that is Muslim in nature - the daily call to prayer, various greetings, customs, and dress code. There is some scripture central to the story's theme. There is solid dependence on faith in the face of death.

Final analysis:

This novel is well-written. The action is gripping and fast-paced. The characters are believable and their struggles are real. It's a compelling story with a clear lesson about the power of forgiveness and love. Five Stars!

About the Author:

JIM BATON has spent the last 20 years in the world’s largest Muslim nation, building bridges between Muslims and Christians who both desire peace. His speaking and writing call people out of fear and into authentic friendships that can change the world.