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Payne & Jones #3
Sword of God
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ABOUT AN UNTHINKABLE ACT OF TERRORISM
TWO SHOCKING
Off the coast of South Korea, a young boy discovers a cave that is coated in human blood. Less than a week later, everyone in his village disappears. Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, a female archaeologist unearths an artifact that threatens the historical foundation of Islam. To some, it is a discovery that must be silenced at all costs.
AN UNTHINKABLE
In a secret bunker run by U.S. intelligence, the unthinkable has happened. While interrogating one of the world's most dangerous terrorists, an American soldier is executed and no one knows how or why.
A GLOBAL
Payne & 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.
Praise for SWORD OF
Vince Flynn, #1 international bestselling author—
"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 until breakfast."
Clive Cussler, #1 international bestselling author—
"Chris Kuzneski writes as forcefully as his tough characters act."
James Rollins, #1 international bestselling author—
"SWORD OF GOD is as convincing as it is terrifying. Riveting and relentlessly paced, here is a novel that will be consumed in one sitting. Chris Kuzneski proves again that he is a thriller writer for the new millennium."
Nelson DeMille, #1 international bestselling author—
"Chris Kuzneski is a remarkable new writer. I can't wait for the next Payne & Jones novel!"
Douglas Preston, #1 international bestselling author—
"Reading SWORD OF GOD is like jumping onto 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!"
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, #1 international bestselling author—
"A fast and furious, rip-roaring action-adventure, infused with a welcome dose of Chris Kuzneski's spirited humor."
Gayle Lynds, #1 international bestselling author—
"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 chair until you've finished this terrific tale."
TWO SHOCKING
Off the coast of South Korea, a young boy discovers a cave that is coated in human blood. Less than a week later, everyone in his village disappears. Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, a female archaeologist unearths an artifact that threatens the historical foundation of Islam. To some, it is a discovery that must be silenced at all costs.
AN UNTHINKABLE
In a secret bunker run by U.S. intelligence, the unthinkable has happened. While interrogating one of the world's most dangerous terrorists, an American soldier is executed and no one knows how or why.
A GLOBAL
Payne & 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.
Praise for SWORD OF
Vince Flynn, #1 international bestselling author—
"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 until breakfast."
Clive Cussler, #1 international bestselling author—
"Chris Kuzneski writes as forcefully as his tough characters act."
James Rollins, #1 international bestselling author—
"SWORD OF GOD is as convincing as it is terrifying. Riveting and relentlessly paced, here is a novel that will be consumed in one sitting. Chris Kuzneski proves again that he is a thriller writer for the new millennium."
Nelson DeMille, #1 international bestselling author—
"Chris Kuzneski is a remarkable new writer. I can't wait for the next Payne & Jones novel!"
Douglas Preston, #1 international bestselling author—
"Reading SWORD OF GOD is like jumping onto 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!"
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, #1 international bestselling author—
"A fast and furious, rip-roaring action-adventure, infused with a welcome dose of Chris Kuzneski's spirited humor."
Gayle Lynds, #1 international bestselling author—
"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 chair until you've finished this terrific tale."
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2007
80 people are currently reading
1885 people want to read
About the author
Chris Kuzneski
25 books1,207 followersChris Kuzneski is the #1 international bestselling & New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels and one novella. His thrillers have been translated into more than twenty languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. One of his books (THE HUNTERS) is currently being made into a major motion picture, and another (THE PRISONER’S GOLD) won an ITW Thriller Award for Book of the Year.
Armed with witty prose, a unique narrative voice, and a penchant for blackmail, Kuzneski has garnered praise from many of the top authors in the world: James Patterson, Nelson DeMille, Lee Child, Vince Flynn, James Rollins, Tess Gerritsen, Douglas Preston, Lisa Gardner, Steve Berry, Scott Mariani, Allison Brennan, W.E.B. Griffin, Graham Brown, Boyd Morrison, John Gilstrap, Raymond Khoury, David Morrell, Andrew Gross, Joseph Finder, Jeremy Robinson, and his writing idol, Clive Cussler.
Simply put, his books are awesome.
A former football player at the University of Pittsburgh, Kuzneski worked as a journalist until he realized it was easier to make stuff up in the comfort of his own home. He has been writing fiction and sleeping in ever since. The only thing that has slowed him down is his obvious need for a pen name, since most people don't know how to spell or pronounce 'Kuzneski'. [Hint: Seven of the letters are silent.]
Armed with witty prose, a unique narrative voice, and a penchant for blackmail, Kuzneski has garnered praise from many of the top authors in the world: James Patterson, Nelson DeMille, Lee Child, Vince Flynn, James Rollins, Tess Gerritsen, Douglas Preston, Lisa Gardner, Steve Berry, Scott Mariani, Allison Brennan, W.E.B. Griffin, Graham Brown, Boyd Morrison, John Gilstrap, Raymond Khoury, David Morrell, Andrew Gross, Joseph Finder, Jeremy Robinson, and his writing idol, Clive Cussler.
Simply put, his books are awesome.
A former football player at the University of Pittsburgh, Kuzneski worked as a journalist until he realized it was easier to make stuff up in the comfort of his own home. He has been writing fiction and sleeping in ever since. The only thing that has slowed him down is his obvious need for a pen name, since most people don't know how to spell or pronounce 'Kuzneski'. [Hint: Seven of the letters are silent.]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
October 26, 2020
Save for the, God Delusion, I won't read or listen to stories with god in the title as too much religious focus gets attributed.
February 25, 2019
4/10 , Παρά τα πολλά υποσχόμενα για μυστήρια , αποκαλύψεις κτλ που σε προϊδεάζει το οπισθόφυλλο του βιβλίου, πρόκειται ουσιαστικά για μια απλή ιστορία όπου Αμέρικα κομάντο προσπαθούν να εξοντώσουν τρομοκράτες. Δεν νομίζω να ξαναδιαβάσω ποτέ μου κάτι από αυτόν τον συγγραφέα,...
April 2, 2016
An easy read with plenty of action but I found it wasn't taut enough.
September 29, 2018
Book Review: Sword of God
The premise of the book is a planned attack in the heart of Islam à la 9/11. The plan is masterminded by an Arab Muslim who recruits highly trained American soldiers for the task; the idea is to unite all the Muslims and all the sects and schisms of Islam to fight against the mighty US in the wake of the catastrophe.
Not only is the premise preposterous, but the book that is supposed be a thriller gives away the plot when you're half way through it. All the Arab men are described as barbaric with no emotions in them whatsoever; there is an exception of a young Arab man, who the author shows has a change of heart just so that the book could reach its conclusion.
The only reason I wanted to finish the book was to find out how it would pan out. During the last 50 pages, I lost interest and was skimming through pages.
The premise of the book is a planned attack in the heart of Islam à la 9/11. The plan is masterminded by an Arab Muslim who recruits highly trained American soldiers for the task; the idea is to unite all the Muslims and all the sects and schisms of Islam to fight against the mighty US in the wake of the catastrophe.
Not only is the premise preposterous, but the book that is supposed be a thriller gives away the plot when you're half way through it. All the Arab men are described as barbaric with no emotions in them whatsoever; there is an exception of a young Arab man, who the author shows has a change of heart just so that the book could reach its conclusion.
The only reason I wanted to finish the book was to find out how it would pan out. During the last 50 pages, I lost interest and was skimming through pages.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2016
Book 3 in the Payne and Jones series, and it is easy to see that the writer is gaining in confidence. Once again this was a fairly easy read, quite fast paced, although as others have pointed out you do need to suspend belief at certain points. I seem to have read an early version as the number of typo's soon got to be frustrating, hopefully they have now been corrected.
Once again the writer has blended fact and fiction together. Initially there seemed to be 3 different plot lines, and they just about tied together in the end. Sometimes cliches were overused, and there was a definite attempt at stereotyping going on.
Possibly a book which will not appeal to all, but if you are travelling, or on a holiday, this might entertain. Some advance warning is given about various plot twists, but not all of these twists lead anywhere, and either get ignored or discarded. Not an engrossing read, but something that you can put down and pick back up again without having to think too hard about the plot.
Once again the writer has blended fact and fiction together. Initially there seemed to be 3 different plot lines, and they just about tied together in the end. Sometimes cliches were overused, and there was a definite attempt at stereotyping going on.
Possibly a book which will not appeal to all, but if you are travelling, or on a holiday, this might entertain. Some advance warning is given about various plot twists, but not all of these twists lead anywhere, and either get ignored or discarded. Not an engrossing read, but something that you can put down and pick back up again without having to think too hard about the plot.
March 23, 2008
This was surprisingly good considering it is yet another of the surge of books mixing Middle Eastern politics and at least the implication of ancient secrets.
Kuzneski can write without cliche when he wants to, but when he does cliche, wow does he go to town - the 'machismo' of the hero and his sidekick (who kept reminding me of the Lone Ranger and Tonto for some reason) in the early chapters was just OTT.
But, despite this caveat and the usual necessary unbelievabilities which are part of this genre, this is worth reading because the investigation of the dark side of the war on terror is spot-on.
Enough of interest to make it a good light read thriller: it would also make a good Denzel Washington-type movie, with a bit of tweaking (unfortunately, because of the subject matter, this film will never be made ... read it to work out why).
Kuzneski can write without cliche when he wants to, but when he does cliche, wow does he go to town - the 'machismo' of the hero and his sidekick (who kept reminding me of the Lone Ranger and Tonto for some reason) in the early chapters was just OTT.
But, despite this caveat and the usual necessary unbelievabilities which are part of this genre, this is worth reading because the investigation of the dark side of the war on terror is spot-on.
Enough of interest to make it a good light read thriller: it would also make a good Denzel Washington-type movie, with a bit of tweaking (unfortunately, because of the subject matter, this film will never be made ... read it to work out why).
January 6, 2011
Sword of God by Chris Kuzneski
Novels that read like current events are frequently frightening. This portrayal of an orchestrated mass murder to unite the diverse elements of Islam is very disturbing. The disturbing aspect is that it seemed eminently probable.
Jonathan Payne is larger than life and a good combination of Bruce Lee and John Wayne. His side kick D.J. Jones is a tad more believable. The novel does a nice job in the portrayal of feared elements both abroad and in our own government.
Sadly some of the behavior of those who wish this nation harm lead to an acceptance of deplorable means to stop them. This is a sobering look at terrorism and what it creates in both perpetrator and victim.
This is slam bang, thank you mum action and violence that is entertaining, easily read and digested but not for the faint of heart.
I recommend the book.
Novels that read like current events are frequently frightening. This portrayal of an orchestrated mass murder to unite the diverse elements of Islam is very disturbing. The disturbing aspect is that it seemed eminently probable.
Jonathan Payne is larger than life and a good combination of Bruce Lee and John Wayne. His side kick D.J. Jones is a tad more believable. The novel does a nice job in the portrayal of feared elements both abroad and in our own government.
Sadly some of the behavior of those who wish this nation harm lead to an acceptance of deplorable means to stop them. This is a sobering look at terrorism and what it creates in both perpetrator and victim.
This is slam bang, thank you mum action and violence that is entertaining, easily read and digested but not for the faint of heart.
I recommend the book.
November 17, 2009
WOW! What an author. Chris Kuzneski definately has a way with words.
The characters are fantastic, as are the stories. It's a great thriller, but it's got it's funny moments in it - mostly due to the two main characters.
When I wasn't near the book, all I wanted was to read it, and when I was reading it, I just wanted to know what would happen next. It really is gripping.
The characters are fantastic, as are the stories. It's a great thriller, but it's got it's funny moments in it - mostly due to the two main characters.
When I wasn't near the book, all I wanted was to read it, and when I was reading it, I just wanted to know what would happen next. It really is gripping.
March 31, 2013
Disappointing. Could not finish the book and left it midway. The suspense is not potent enough to hold you even after 100+ pages and the religious angle does not hold promise for a great reading experience. May be worth read of you have no books packed on a long flight but surely you will deviate if you have 100 books waiting to be read on your kindle.
July 19, 2025
"Sword of God" by Chris Kuzneski is a fast-paced thriller combining historical mystery with modern espionage. It follows former Special Forces operatives Jonathon Payne and David Jones as they race across the globe to find the legendary Sword of God, battling a secret society. The book is praised for its relentless pacing, vivid action, and compelling blend of historical facts and fiction, making it a highly enjoyable read for fans of action and intrigue.
July 27, 2021
I like it very much.
June 14, 2017
Sword is the third book by Kuzneski featuring the two US military characters, Payne and Jones and is a standalone story, with little connectivity between previous volumes. The author is clearly becoming more confident with the characters as the series progresses, creating more banter between the likeable protagonists. Kuzneski has adapted his writing style to feature less of the pointless cliffhangers than marred his previous book. The distracting feature of Sword of God is that for most of the book it feels like two distinctly separate plots. That said, this approach does keep the reader keen to see how they ultimately converge. In fairness, the Sword of God title is although a minor point in the story, almost added to ride the Dan Brown coattails, and as a result Sword of God is less religious-thriller than you would think. To explain the genre would be to spoil the suspense, yet the fact remains that Sword is a fascinating read, even though it's rather simple and derivative.
June 12, 2017
Once again Chris Kuzneski has written a book to loose yourself in, one that brings to mind Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider, an ancient scriptures is what makes Shari Shashmeen travel to the holy city of Mecca, while halfway around the world a covert military bunker holds a secret, and both of these could lead to Armageddon.
It will keep you turning the pages at break - neck speed! Loved it
It will keep you turning the pages at break - neck speed! Loved it
June 17, 2014
the whole idea behind the book is wrong, the author was thinking about nothing, except of underestimating arabs, by filling his novel of stereotypes.
after reading the book you'll be determined that every arab is a terrorist, who is capable of exploding even "Mecca" to gather muslims around one idea, around one enemy..
after reading the book you'll be determined that every arab is a terrorist, who is capable of exploding even "Mecca" to gather muslims around one idea, around one enemy..
October 29, 2007
Like his previous novel, The Sign Of The Cross, this is a fairly fast-paced action thriller and a very easy read - ideal holiday or travel reading.
With Payne and Jones back as the main heroes of the piece and with several plot twists, it's an entertaining read.
With Payne and Jones back as the main heroes of the piece and with several plot twists, it's an entertaining read.
February 18, 2017
Boring as bat shit. Slow as a pissed slug. I normally readily read this type of book. Thank goodness I only paid 20 cents for it at a book sale. The only way I want to come across this book again is that I will use it for toilet paper when the apocalypse happens.
April 14, 2008
It was an ok read. Entertaining, good mystery with a lot of twists but some of them went no where. Some of the characters are never really fully developed.
April 16, 2008
Fun Read
November 10, 2023
This book is one big stereotype. It's like an American action movie in book form. I have read earlier books in this series so I knew what I was getting into but this one was pretty cliched even for a thriller. There was a lot of Americans rule the world type rhetoric and it was quite self centred. I don't mind that so much but the 'romance' aspect felt tacked on and cringe-worthy if I'm honest. I enjoyed the female characters but most of the characters who were not the main two felt a bit flat and one dimensional. Also some of the banter felt forced and a bit like someone role-playing military characters bantering with each other, if that makes sense.
Having said some of what I didn't like there was plenty that I did; the plot skipped along, there were no boring sections, and even though the plot was pretty obvious from the beginning, I still found it reasonably compelling. It was cheesy but relatively enjoyable.
Having said some of what I didn't like there was plenty that I did; the plot skipped along, there were no boring sections, and even though the plot was pretty obvious from the beginning, I still found it reasonably compelling. It was cheesy but relatively enjoyable.
October 30, 2024
In Mecca, a young archeologist works her way to discover an artifact of unimaginable significance. In the meantime, in South Korea, an elite special-forces officer was murdered. To solve the mystery, the military called in former agents Jonathan Payne and David Jones on a black ops mission. The only problem is, Payne and Jones have no idea where to start. In other words, Payne and Jones are on their own.
One of the highlights of the novel is its clever exploration of a religious conspiracy that adds depth and complexity to the storyline. The author skillfully integrates historical and religious elements, creating a fascinating backdrop for the thrilling adventure that unfolds.
However, while the book excels in keeping readers engaged with its fast-paced narrative, some may find that the resolution and the process of connecting the dots at the end felt a little rushed.
One of the highlights of the novel is its clever exploration of a religious conspiracy that adds depth and complexity to the storyline. The author skillfully integrates historical and religious elements, creating a fascinating backdrop for the thrilling adventure that unfolds.
However, while the book excels in keeping readers engaged with its fast-paced narrative, some may find that the resolution and the process of connecting the dots at the end felt a little rushed.
July 1, 2025
I spent 5 days reading Sword of God, The Prophecy and The Secret Crown by Chris Kuzneski - close to 300 pages a day. Whilst there are frustrating inconsistencies in the narratives and character defects in at least one of the major players, the stories seem to get better, are well researched and definitely move with pace. The author has taken virtually mythological stories and turned them into gripping adventure novels. Where I began thinking no better than two star, as I progressed (and realised that my attention was held), I upped the level to give what is normally my highest score of 4 stars. I particularly like the short chapters which means quick breaks to feed the feral cats or grab a coffee etc.
April 7, 2021
I can't even begin to explain how unbelievably bad this book was. Classic male gaze writer, I felt very uncomfortable reading the descriptions of the 2(!) female characters and deeply racist regarding all the cultures that were mentioned in the book (of course not the american). Decent storytelling skills, but the story wasn't that interesting after all, and the protagonists were really annoying. I wouldn't have appreciated it even if I read it when I was a teenager, and no, it's not even worth to read for the interesting trivia that you can learn from it. Just use Wikipedia.
April 10, 2018
Cuts to the heart of cultural differences.
Another killer story with Payne and Jones in the thick of it. I really enjoy the scale of the stories so far in the series. While, like all action stories, there are things that are quite contrived and just too lucky to be true, these can be overlooked for the sheer entertainment value. Bring on the next international saga for Payne and Jones to tackle!
Another killer story with Payne and Jones in the thick of it. I really enjoy the scale of the stories so far in the series. While, like all action stories, there are things that are quite contrived and just too lucky to be true, these can be overlooked for the sheer entertainment value. Bring on the next international saga for Payne and Jones to tackle!
June 9, 2020
Kuzneski is my new favourite author! Just read this and I hope his other books are as amazing as this one too! I learned so many new things about Mecca, the black stone, Jeddah, and other places of interests surrounding Mecca and Madinah.
I also learned a lot about Jeju Island, its origin and people and places to visit!
And this is from a book that combined action thriller and an archaeological interest! Splendid!
I also learned a lot about Jeju Island, its origin and people and places to visit!
And this is from a book that combined action thriller and an archaeological interest! Splendid!
April 6, 2021
I was a little disappointed that the description made the Archiolological find didn't play a more active role until about the last 2 pages. Honestly I dunno even know why the subject was listed in book description or the plot itself... it had zero factors at all in story.
Otherwise pretty good. It seemed a little bit all over very detailed in some areas indicating importance & then...... insert crickets.
All in all 3/5
Otherwise pretty good. It seemed a little bit all over very detailed in some areas indicating importance & then...... insert crickets.
All in all 3/5
August 10, 2025
Well somehow it was not that good.
I have read many books from Chris, but this one was just not up to the mark. The chemistry of Payne & Jones is hilarious like always, but I was able to guess everything that wrote. It was not that difficult when you have multiple POVs while reading.
Maybe a one time read, it's very fast paced. in no time you will reach the end of the book, feeling disappointed.
I have read many books from Chris, but this one was just not up to the mark. The chemistry of Payne & Jones is hilarious like always, but I was able to guess everything that wrote. It was not that difficult when you have multiple POVs while reading.
Maybe a one time read, it's very fast paced. in no time you will reach the end of the book, feeling disappointed.
April 24, 2018
Similar style/content to Dan Brown and Paul Sussman (RIP) but in my view nowhere near as good. The characters were one-dimensional with no development and the author couldn't seem to decide whether he was trying to be humorous or not. The plot seemed disjointed and what it had to do with any sword of God I'm still not sure!
June 18, 2018
3.5 stars
It would have been 4 stars except I thought the ending was a little rushed. Other than that a good book with lots of action and the main characters Payne and Jones. The last book barely had them in the book until the 100th page. It will be interesting to see where the series goes from here.
It would have been 4 stars except I thought the ending was a little rushed. Other than that a good book with lots of action and the main characters Payne and Jones. The last book barely had them in the book until the 100th page. It will be interesting to see where the series goes from here.
November 6, 2019
There is nothing bad to say about this book. I highly recommend it. The story grabs you and pulls you in from the moment you start to read. The two characters are brilliantly written. They bounce off each other which gives the book some fun. I would recommend this to anyone who likes action, adventure with a bit of history mixed in for good measure.
March 6, 2020
Chris Kuzneski's books contain lot of information on mythology and cultures. Good ground work is done before writing the story. This book is an average thriller with information on Islam and Mecca. Some jokes made by Payne and Jones are unrealistic for the situation other than that the book is fine. The story is built up well but the climax doesn't create an impact.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews