BOOKS	SWORD OF GOD U.S. cover (left) and U.K. cover (right) Buy The Book U.S. — Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, or local independent store. U.K. — Amazon UK, Tesco, Waterstone’s, WH Smith.
Sword of God
Sign of the Cross
The Plantation
CHRIS
E-MAIL
EVENTS
F.A.Q.
GUESTS
NEWS
PHOTOS
	Synopsis Off the coast of South Korea, a young boy discovers a cave that is soaked in human blood. Less than a week later, everyone in his village disappears…. In Saudi Arabia, a female archaeologist unearths an artifact that threatens the historical foundation of Islam. To some Muslims, it is a discovery that must be silenced at all costs. Meanwhile, in a secret bunker run by U.S. intelligence, the unthinkable has happened. While interrogating one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists, a former member of the MANIAC Special Forces squad is brutally executed. Jonathon Payne and D.J. Jones, his former commanders, offer to spearhead the investigation. They quickly realize that there is more to this atrocity than terrorist reprisal—there is a plot in motion that will burn the world in the fires of a holy war. And it's up to them to stop it.
	Reviews Vince Flynn, New York Times bestselling author of Consent to Kill— “A non-stop locomotive of a thriller. Combines labyrinthine plot twists, global terrorism, and the darkest depths of psychological warfare in a thriller that had me burning the midnight oil 'til breakfast… Kuzneski is a master in the making.” Clive Cussler, #1 national bestselling author— “Chris Kuzneski writes as forcefully as his tough characters act.” James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of The Judas Strain— “SWORD OF GOD is as convincing as it is terrifying. Riveting and relentlessly paced, here is novel that will be consumed in one sitting. Chris Kuzneski proves again that he is thriller writer for the new millennium.” Nelson DeMille, #1 national bestselling author— “Chris Kuzneski is a remarkable new writer… I can’t wait for the next Payne & Jones novel!” Douglas Preston, New York Times bestselling author of The Codex— “Reading SWORD OF GOD is like jumping on a runaway freight train hurtling toward disaster, with the fate of the world in the balance... A fabulous premise, great characters, rich settings, and mach-5 pacing. Explosive!” James Patterson, #1 national bestselling author— “Chris Kuzneski’s writing has the same raw power as the early Stephen King.” Publishers Weekly— “This globe-crossing action thriller, like its predecessor, evokes the spirit of Dan Brown with welcome doses of Lee Child’s ex-military tough-guy grit.” Raymond Khoury, New York Times bestselling author of The Sanctuary— “A fast and furious, rip-roaring action-adventure, infused with a welcome dose of Chris Kuzneski's spirited humor.” Gayle Lynds, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Spymaster— “Action-packed and full of taut suspense, SWORD OF GOD crosses continents in a world-class adventure that will keep you guessing, chuckling, terrified, and utterly riveted. Go into lock-down mode. You won't want to leave your favorite chair until you've finished this terrific tale.” Jennifer Akers, reviewer at MyShelf.com— “Chris Kuzneski starts with a bang and captures his readers in a race to a breathless ending. . . Read SWORD OF GOD and brag to your friends that you read Kuzneski before he became a household name. Highly recommended.”
	Excerpt Chapter 1 Saturday, December 23 Jeju Island, South Korea (60 miles south of the Korean Peninsula) The boy could smell the blood from fifty yards away. It was a strong, pungent odor that made him gag yet piqued his curiosity. Common sense told him to turn around and get some help. His father. His mother. One of his neighbors. Anyone who could protect him from what he was about to discover. But common sense rarely mattered to an eight-year old. Especially when he was somewhere he didn’t belong. The valley to his right was lined with camphor trees, many 75 feet tall and 100 feet wide. The path in front of him was rugged, made of black volcanic rock that dominated the subtropical island and formed its very core. The temperature was cold, in the low 40s, but would climb steadily as the day wore on, a by-product of the nearby Kuroshio and Tsushima currents. The sun was still rising over the eastern sea when he made his choice. He zipped his jacket over his nose and inched forward, following the stench of death. For years his family had warned him about this place, claiming it was built for evil. It was a story that wasn’t difficult to believe. Sometimes, late at night, he could hear the screams—bloodcurdling shrieks that ripped through the dark and jostled him from his sleep. The first time he heard them he assumed he was having a nightmare, but the sounds didn’t stop when he sat up in bed. In fact, they got louder. This went on for days, weeks, until he could take no more. He had to know the truth. Ignoring his family’s wishes, he snuck into town and asked one of the village elders about the sounds from the hill. The old man laughed at the boy’s audacity. He, too, had been a curious child and felt this trait should be rewarded—but only if the boy could understand the truth. “Look at me,” the old man ordered in Korean. “Let me see your eyes.” The boy knew he was being tested. He stared at the old man, refusing to blink, hoping to prove his courage even though his palms were sweating and his knees were trembling. Tension filled the hut for several seconds. The entire time the boy could barely breathe. Finally, the old man nodded. The boy was ready for the truth, if for no other reason than to keep him afraid of the place on the hill, to keep him alive. Sometimes fear was a blessing. With a grave face and a gravelly voice, the old man whispered a single name that was known throughout Jeju, a place that sent shivers down the boy’s spine and woke the hairs on his neck. Pe-Ui Je Dan. The boy gasped at its mention. The place was so infamous, so ominous, that other details weren’t necessary. He had heard the stories, just like everyone else on the island. Yet until that moment he had thought they were just a myth, an urban legend that had made it across the Sea of Japan for the sake of scaring children into doing their chores. But the old man assured him that wasn’t the case. Not only was it real, it was close. Just up the path. At that moment, the boy promised that he’d never venture up there. And he meant it, too. It was a vow he intended to keep. Not only for his safety, but also for the safety of the villagers. Unfortunately, all of that changed on the morning he smelled the blood. As strange as it seemed, there was something about the scent that attracted him. Something magnetic. Animalistic. One minute he was walking to the store, the next he was tracking the scent like a wolf. Crunching up the rocky path, looking for its source as if nothing else mattered. Sadly, this happened all the time in the world of children—courage and curiosity taking them places where they didn’t belong—yet rarely did it lead them into so much danger. The boy didn’t know it as he trudged up the hill, but he was about to kill his village. (All Rights Reserved) © 2007 by Chris Kuzneski, Inc.