The Holy Land – A Book Review
By David Huntwork (06/20/04)
The Holy Land is a work of science fiction by Dr. Robert Zubrin. It is a piercing, satirical look at the "problems" of the Middle East and modern terrorism. Dr. Zubrin weaves a spell of politics, history and current events into an unforgettable and striking science fiction story. It is a vicious indictment against those who praise what I like to call the “baby butcher belly bombers” and the culture of death and religion of genocide that they espouse. After reading The Holy Land you will never look at “The War on Terror” the same way again.
The insanity and tortured twists and turns of the modern nightmare of religious terror are explored in a unique way in The Holy Land. It is a futuristic alternative universe where the ancient Minervan people have returned to their ancestral land in Kennewick, Washington. Relocated by their sometimes liberator and protector, the Western Galactic Empire, the Minervans are ruthlessly targeted by the United States Government who utilizes religious furor and Christian “ideals” to sacrifice their children as martyrs in a holy war.
The use of science fiction to address the complicated hatreds and geopolitical intrigues of 9-11,
Islamic terrorism, rogue regimes, racial profiling, petroleum politics, holy war, political corruption and the role of the United States and Israel is done with skill and clarity. The freedom to explore these issues in a new and innovative format brings a fresh perspective for both those who follow political issues closely as well as those who desire more education and knowledge on these subjects.
This is one of the most unique books I have ever read and it belongs in genre all its own. I found The Holy Land to be a remarkably easy read with excellent attention to character development as well as filled with fun, conjectural details of remarkably advanced civilizations. An extremely difficult subject is dealt with in an exciting, interesting and often humorous way.
The Holy Land is a must read for all those who seek to understand the nuances of the Israeli-Palestinian question or are befuddled by the lack of common sense in the “War on Terror”. It should certainly be read for those who espouse the establishment of a Palestinian state or excuse the slaughter of civilians as a political tactic and legitimate weapon against “occupation”. Check your politically correct baggage at the door before you read this book. Dr. Zubrin pulls no punches and there are few who won’t find something to be offended about, as well as some amazing truths, buried within its pages. The Holy Land is political satire at its best.
The author of The Holy Land, Dr. Robert Zubrin, is an internationally-renowned astronautical engineer and the acclaimed author of The Case for Mars, which Arthur C. Clarke called “the most comprehensive account of the past and future of Mars that I have ever encountered.” NASA has adopted many of the features of his humans-to-Mars mission plan. Dr. Zubrin is a former senior engineer at Lockheed Martin and is president and founder of Pioneer Astronautics, a successful space technology research and development firm. He is also the author of the non-fiction book Entering Space: Creating a Spacefaring Civilization, Mars on Earth, and the hard science fiction novel First Landing.
The Holy Land is published by Polaris books and is available on www.Amazon.com . Autographed copies can also be requested through http://www.polarisbooks.net . The Holy Land is political satire at its best and has earned its spot in my bookcase.
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