Out of the Far North

Nir Tavor Mossad #3

by Amir Tsarfati, Steve Yohn

Moscow Is Furious—and Plotting Revenge Tensions are at a breaking point. The Western markets that once relied on Russian gas have turned to Israel for their energy needs. Furious, Russia surreptitiously moves to protect their interests by using their newfound ally, Iran, and Iran’s proxy militias. As Israel’s elite fighting forces and the Mossad go undercover, they detect the Kremlin is planning a major attack against Israel. Hunting for clues, Mossad agents Nir Tavor and Nicole le Roux plunge themselves into the treacherous underworld of Russian oligarch money, power, and decadence. With each danger they face, le Roux’s newfound Christian faith grows stronger. And battle-weary Tavor—haunted by dreams from his past—must confront memories and pain he’d sought to bury. In this electrifying thriller, hostilities explode as Tavor and le Roux fight to prevent a devastating conflict. Will they be able to outwit their enemies, or will their actions have catastrophic consequences? And how can Tavor’s Kidon team possibly survive when forces beyond the Mossad’s control step in and turn the whole operation upside down?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Thriller, Suspense, Action, Israel

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2023

About the author

Amir Tsarfati was born in Israel and has lived there most of his life. Since fulfilling his mandatory service in the Israeli Defense Force, he has continued as a major in the IDF Reserve. Amir has been a tour guide in Israel for the last twenty years, and served as chief tour guide of Sar El Tours and CEO of Sar El Tours and Conferences. In 2001, he became founder and president of Behold Israel – a non-profit organization which provides worldwide real-time access to reliable sources of news and information about Israel from within the powerful context of Bible history and prophecy.

Amir is married to Miriam, and together they have four children. His home overlooks the valley of Megiddo (Armageddon) which is a constant reminder of the call that the Lord has placed on him to teach from the Bible what God’s plans are for the end of times.

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too close to current realities, but totally engrossing. Nonstop action and more.
The audio is performed by voice actor Stephen Bowlby whose mastery of accents adds ease to appreciating the attitudes and personality differences of the multiple engaging characters.
I requested and received a temporary audio copy from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story telling and very timely subject. I was on the edge of my seat!

[Dianne Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read! Hoping there will be another installment in the future.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid book. The authors once again hit it out of the park with this one. It starts out solid and held my interest from start to finish. I have looked up different events in the prior books to see how much in the book may or may not match actual historical events; I missed that authors talking about how they are "looking to the future" with this book's focus which would have saved me some time in that regard, hahahah. The character development is superb; I like how the relationship between Nir and Nicole continues to develop as well as Nir's growing openness to Jesus. I also like how Nir's relationship with the rest of his team continues to grow in each book (especially with the "nerds" who tend to stay behind on missions but provide so much assistance because of their technical knowhow).

The moments in other countries were crazy. Good and crazy. Budapest was nuts. Russia was even more nuts. What happens in Damascus was crazy beyond belief; never saw it coming. it was an interesting and fascinating take on the verse referenced in Isaiah at the beginning of the book, and I could see such an even happening (even worse than the quake of 2023 in Syria and Turkey).

I did like how the authors included "the Russian POV", especially in terms of NATO. It was a good discussion on how things looked from the Russians perspective, how NATO remained in place even after the Soviet Union collapsed, so of course that means NATO intends to invade as there is no reason for NATO to exist. It was created to oppose communism, not Russia. In addition, Russia has been invaded so many times that their national paranoia does make sense from their perspective. It was a good reminder, in my opinion. of another nation's perspective.

Shoving all of those expensive automobiles into the lake/reservoir was brutal and hilarious. I kinda felt bad for the dude, but not too bad. That, and his giving his vehicles the names of movie characters and Hollywood stars was funny, too.

Solid story. Entertaining story. I look forward to any future books that may be written for this series.

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of the Far North is the latest Nir Tavor Mossad Thriller from authors Amir Tsarfati, and Steve Yohn. There’s this kind of escapist tonality to the read, something that makes the sense of fun almost transportive if it weren’t for the grim reality tinging every page. There’s never anything topically escapist, and all you have to do is pick up a paper or watch the news to be reminded of the real-life stakes from which the book derives and grounds its storyline in. Tsarfati and Yohn write with this kind of brash matter-of-factness. They’re never ones to dwell excessive on verbose details, or filler passages which can even claim the lines of some of the greats – Le Carré and Clancy included. Their deliberately choppy, fast-paced, yet nonetheless vivid and immersive descriptiveness almost calls to mind referentially the work of writers like Cormac McCarthy, Tony Hillerman, or even Harper Lee. Writers who rely on the ideological power of story with communication that steps aside from the showcasing elements. Excellent writing, but never at the expense of the story not drawing one in closer. This dances well with the real-life backgrounds of the writers themselves. Amir Tsarfati was a major in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), and the founder and president of the nonprofit ministry group Behold Israel, while Steve Yohn also sits in a senior writing and editing position in the organization. He brings an interesting, juxtaposing experience which enriches the writing due to his theological history. For ten years, Mr. Yohn was a pastor for a church based in Strasburg, Colorado. It’s these two, theologically aligned but diverse backgrounds that help make the storyline components so interesting. They also probably play a role in what I highlighted previously, in a nutshell the narrative’s show don’t tell approach when it comes to communicating story.

Passages like the following are a great example of this: “A carton of cigarettes is the passkey that will open the gates to a great many checkpoints around the world. The man sitting in the passenger seat hoped that this was one of them. The Russian-made GAZ-3308 Sadko army truck bounced and rumbled to a stop in front of one of the hastily constructed, but now seemingly permanent, roadblocks that littered the thoroughfares outside the city of Damascus, Syria. Two rows of concrete barriers reached into the road, leaving a gap just wide enough for a truck to pass through, but only if the driver was watching his mirrors. Across the tops of the barriers, razor wire stretched in wide, lazy coils.”

Even when exposition features, it keeps the reader firmly in the heart of the action. You get a sense of what the aforementioned, showcased passage in terms of scene evocation would feel like. The reader feels like they’ve slipped into the incarnation of the character. It also, once again to call up McCarthy, feels like the opening of a neo-noir or Western here in the states. Overall, I would highly recommend the book. It’s fast-paced, it’s fun, and it’s even downright educational for those not cognizant, and even those cognizant, of the conflicts pertinent in the parts of the world the narrative focuses on.

Grade: A

[Sandra Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, the third in the series about Nir Tavor, a team leader in the Israeli Mossad. The clock is always ticking on their assignments and there is always danger involved. Nir has an interesting team of characters he leads and they add interest to the story. The reason I especially like these books is that they are straight out real-life type of events between Israel and other countries. The author was in the Israeli military himself and is familiar with much of what he writes. He is also very knowledgable about world events and writes out plots that mirror real life and even events that have not yet happened, because he can see how it looks like things are going to play out in the world. There is a romantic interest for Nir with Nicole, who is also on his team. They have history throughout each of the three books. This book also continues the growth of Nir as he begins to accept more and more about Jesus Christ. Nicole is a Christian and Nir, being a Jew, has a lot to learn and work through before becoming a Christian himself.

[Cynthia T. Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timely book in light of Hamas Attack

Great book and story. The earthquake that took place near Damascus in the story was a big surprise. But I learned about the fault line And with the bible talks about in Isaiah 17. The bigger surprise was when I was reading this book the attack of Hamas on Israel took place. The events on folding For Israel during this time Is even more shocking and prophetic than I could have imagined. It has give me sense of urgency that the prophetic clock is ticking and the pieces are being aligned. I am glad to hear that you will be translating these Books to Hebrew so that the people of Israel can read it.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy action-packed, current history type books this is for you. I was a little confused at the beginning of the book with who was who and what was going on but that might have been due to listening to it on audio it also might be because this is the third book in the series and I have not read the first 2 books. However, after a couple of chapters I grasped the gist and was engrossed the rest of the way through. The narrator added accents which I appreciated, it added attitudes and personalities to the characters. The story follows a group of Israeli secret agent/spies as they attempt to find out what Russia plotting as the world has started turning to Israel for natural gas instead of Russia. The story includes bits of current history in Russia’s fight with Ukraine; Israel’s struggle with Iran; and many other issues facing the Middle East. The authors have an extensive background and experience on these topics which adds a depth to this story and makes the situations seem extra real. Overall, I recommend this book, it’s full of high energy and thrilling moments, and almost educational in nature with all of the current history involved.

Thank you NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Barb Solano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of the Series to Date

Reading this book at this moment in time as the world watches Israel fighting for it's right to survive is a soul wrenching journey. This book follows world news as it unfolds in real time. There were moments of deep emotions and moments of wanting the story to end in the real time love for mankind as God would wish. Having the tug of my Jewish heritage and feeling the honor by which the Israeli forces fight for their survival while respecting the innocent lives of the people of those nations who don't want this war anymore than Israel, clutched at my heart in ways I didn't imagine this book could do. I'm still reeling from the emotions this book has left on my heart. Such an instrument that I could wish everyone would read and feel. Amir Tsarfati not only wrote a best seller but a handbook for humanity to take to heart and live by in real time.

[Mr N G Stepney]

Sababa! Couldn't put it down.

This was probably the final of a brilliant trilogy (I hope there might be another before the rapture). Well written, well researched and an unputdownable book. You must read all three in order as Nirs experience with Nicole's faith develops chronologically. I don't know where Amir gets the time to write all the stuff he does and travelling and teaching. A very talented and passionate man.

[Michele Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding story that helps us imagine Prophecy coming to pass.

Outstanding story that helps us imagine Prophecy coming to pass. I enjoy reading of the life and thoughts of a massage agent. It pleases me to think about Israel's focus on the life of others, separating them from their enemies. The story was captivating. I hope that a nonbeliever in Jesus, could begin to see how God may move in their life. I liked everything about this book. Thank you Tsarfati and Yohn.

[Rebecca Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good story

I enjoyed this story,b which follows Israeli soldiers, Mossad, on a mission to protect Israel. Entertaining, with a very good ending.

[Ted Blackwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

great message

I only wanted to give the book three stars because it seemed to have a lot of filler and I flipped pages without reading or missing anything. The story line is great and couldn’t be more appropriate than it is with today’s headlines. The last ten pages made the fourth star, a wonderful message.

[Chris Converse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought Provoking

I love reading suspense, adventure, and always a good spy novel. As a Jew, all this takes place in relation to my favorite place, Israel. However, the best part is the spiritual aspect. The relationship between Nis and Nichole, Nir's struggles, and Nichole's wisdom give me much food for thought.

[Emir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well damn...Nir Tavor is my new favorite superhero. I just love love this series by Amir and Steve. I think its extra good as its the audio and the narrator does accents so well.

I cannot wait for more.

[Bjorn Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't lay the second half of the book down

First half was ok. Second half just keeps you reading. Extremely exciting! Touching your emotions! Good and relevant arguments for considering faith in Jesus.

[Sandy Bernahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Thriller for Our Times

This a fast action suspension filled adventure with many surprises that will keep your attention. Set in the Middle East in various countries a team of specialists work to keep the country safe.

[David Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. It was so close to reality and hits like today's headlines of what is happening now.

This book is terrific and could not put it down it was that great. The reality of the horror happening in Israel this past weekend made the book come alive.

[Bob Hutchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another of Amir’s Excellent Books!

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the “Middle East”; recognizing that is most of the world at the moment.

My Deep Gratitude for the work that went into this book!

[Janet Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling

Amir has another home run. Gripping story with elements of truth woven throughout. Especially appreciated the explanation of Russia's (Putin's) motivation regarding current events.

[Deanna Mosier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and series are excellent action packed adventures/thrillers. Light romance. Nicole joined Nir in some of the action in this book and also involved in the faith thread, and that made for some good reading/listening. I enjoy the narrator too. Looking forward to the next one!

[Sam Mansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

The spiritual battle Nir was having and making deals is so real. From the rescue of the young girl to the end, his struggle was real. Thank you Amir & Steve for bringing all the struggles and thoughts about accepting Christ into this book.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I’m giving it four stars instead of five is that it did take my husband and I a while to get into the book. We listen to the audio version. If you like Joel Rosenburg, You will love this

[Sharon L Shropshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expect the unexpected.

I liked the story. It is filled with suspense and action. All the scenarios are real possibilities.
I was surprised by the earthquakes and saddened by the deaths of team members.
I love how God is revealed so vividly.

[Connor Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapter 54, excellent summary of Russia and current events. Made me feel sad for them and their paranoid leader. But in the end, every man, and nation, will be responsible for their own downfall.

[Sandra Arbeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!

It has been an incredible journey reading this 3 book series. They can also be read independently. I highly recommend each book. You won't be disappointed.

[Vangie Bower · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful book

Out Of The Far North was totally worth waiting for. Couldn’t put it down. It was both spellbinding and inspirational.

[Geraldine Menten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best one yet. The series is a must-read for me!

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amir’s keep getting better and better. And very timely.

[Annie Grieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling reality proven by scripture

The storyline is equipped to keep me in the world of the author regarding our God's people.
I will highly recommend this book.