Guest Post by Avi Perry, author of 72 Virgins

I had reviewed 72 Virgins by Avi Perry a few days back. Here I present a guest post by him.

When your thriller comes with a point of view
by Avi Perry

It’s risky.

While some readers may love every aspect of your story and praise it, some of your critics may disapprove. They may hold opposing political views, and thus, may not appreciate the way you depict your good guy, whom they like to perceive as the one with the timeless, evil soul. When your bad guy is the president of Iran and your reader is the Ayatollah he will find faults with every aspect of your story starting with the characters, whom he will define as stereotypes or caricatures, since they do not agree and do not represent what he perceives as a proper and a just world view.

When writing 72 Virgins I embraced a point of view that does not approve of Islamic terrorists; it pictures them as ruthless, selfish, brainwashed characters—not as desperate as some naïve people want to depict them. At the same time, I created a hero, a good guy, with whom the audience is supposed to identify and root for—but he is an Israeli, a brilliant intelligence expert. If you are a Muslim, a Palestinian sympathizer, a Jew hater, an anti Israel critic, or if you view Islamic terrorists as freedom fighters rather than ruthless killers, then you would hate my book, you would disagree with the way I depicted my characters, you would find faults in every page, call me a poor writer, then classify my book as trash.

If on the other hand, you understand that the Koran is filled with verses claiming superiority for Muslims, contempt and scorn for infidels, justifications for violent Jihad and violence against infidels in general. If you realize that it considers Jews to be descendants of monkeys and pigs, etc. and if you are aware of those who believe and follow every word of this part of the Koran, those who kill innocents so that they become martyrs, entitled for 72 virgins in heaven, then you would identify with my characters, you would detest the bad guys and you would enjoy the action of the good ones; you would live inside their soul and you will not stop turning the pages until you reach the dramatic end.

When I wrote 72 Virgins I accepted that verdict. I knew that the book could make me an enemy in the eyes of some and a hero in the eyes of others. I recognized that there would be no one or very few who would consider the book as forgettable. 72 Virgins—you’d either love it or hate it. You would find it difficult to stay indifferent. But, if you read it from start to finish, it would leave an impression, it would make you think, it would not be forgotten once you wake up the next morning and turn to your daily adventures. You will remember the story, the characters, the humor, and the drama. It will stay with you for a while. It will leave an impression.