If I had to describe Congo Dawn in one word it would be this: gripping.
I cared about the characters, their situations were completely believable, and as the conflict moved toward a climax my heart was beating faster out of concern about how things would turn out. Considering both the setting (war-torn Congo) and the theme of God bringing good out of suffering, I could hardly feel confident that the author would arrange for all the good guys to make it through alive.