The Holy Land by Robert Zubrin
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Product Details
- Pub. Date: August 2003
- Publisher: Polaris Books
- Format: Paperback, 308pp
- ISBN-13: 9780974144306
- ISBN: 0974144304
Synopsis
To save the Minervans from oppression in the central galaxy, the liberal Western Galactic Empire relocates the sect to their ancient homeland of Kennewick, Washington. But for the fundamentalist fanatics ruling the USA, the presence of pagans in the holy city is intolerable, and they launch an interstellar campaign of destruction in protest. A madcap role-reversed War on Terrorism ensues.
School Library Journal
Adult/High School-A satiric tour de force. After the Minervan people are nearly wiped out in a distant war, the Western Galactic Empire generously grants them sanctuary in their ancient homeland-Kennewick, WA. Unfortunately, the United States, a "Christian" theocracy, does not welcome the "pagans." Government authorities round them up, isolate them in refugee camps, and teach their children to be martyrs in a propaganda war, assassinating Minervans and carrying the terror to distant planets. The advanced galactic civilizations are not without faults of their own, including an inability to respect Earthlings as equals. When a Minervan captures an American soldier for scientific observation, she is surprised to discover promising "protohuman" traits, while he learns that the Minervans are not quite the monsters he had believed them to be. And this is just the beginning as Zubrin holds up a mirror to the perpetual Middle East crisis, the current "War on Terror," and many aspects of humanity and modern life. In less-inspired hands, such an extended satiric treatment might pall, but the author fleshes out this novel of ideas with intriguing characters, delightful twists, skillful plotting, and, above all, humor-all kinds, and lots of it. The satire bites as satire should, but the story also satisfies. This is an engaging romantic fable of interspecies misunderstanding and discovery, and a grand adventure that takes readers all the way to the galaxy's highest court and back home again to a planet much in need of a fresh perspective.-Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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Holy Landby Anonymous
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June 18, 2004: First thing to say about this is it is NOT your ordinary political satire. Unlike many of today's popular political satirists, Zubrin doesn't toe the party line or take sides, indeed, he makes fun of everyone. If you're the politically opinionated sort, you may find yourself offended when he makes fun of your views -- and laugh hard enough to forgive him when he makes fun of the opposing viewpoint, too. Zubrin tells the story of the middle east exactly as it is, without any regard for political correctness, and that is what makes it so brilliantly hilarious. While satirical, The Holy Land makes little exaggeration, but merely enlightens us to the painful truth -- our situation may indeed be so ridiculous that it doesn't NEED exaggeration. Beyond the politics, the story is filled with zounds of smaller symbols and even 'inside jokes' -- events that are everyday life to the characters but will leave the reader howling with laughter.
Holy Landby Anonymous
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November 18, 2003: Bravo to Robert Zubrin for forcing us to see the world through alien eyes. In ?The Holy Land?, Zubrin gives us a brilliant parody on the war on terror by placing Americans in the role of religious suicidal extremists ? a role we seem more apt to fulfill everyday ? and the Western Galactic Empire in the role of benign but stupidly arrogant peacemaker. There are parallels here to almost every aspect of our modern political world. The book pivots a zealous American President against a small group of space refugees (the Minervans) who have made a home for themselves in the Washington town of Kennewick. The religious war to expel these relatively peaceful 'pagans' attracts the attention of the hugely powerful but inept Western Galactic Empire after Christian suicidal bombers, in a bid to get the galaxy's attention, destroys one of the empire?s inhabited planets. The WGE, or Weegees as they are called, are unwilling to offend either side (mostly because they need to keep up their lucrative trade in ?helicity? that was discovered under the soil of the United States,) and this just causes the bloodbath to get worse. Caught in the middle is the story of POW sergeant Andrew Hamilton and his beautiful Minervian captor Aurora. Their growing admiration and respect for each other takes the book into some hilarious situations; Earthlings stink so horribly to Minervians and their minds are so chaotic that the idea of loving such a ?savage? is repugnant. Aurora, however, can?t help but fall for this proud, if primitive, soldier who tries so hard to prove to her that he is a ?human being?. ?The Holy Land? is a satirical masterpiece, a funny romp that uses science fiction to get it?s points across while never ceasing to entertain us with lovable characters, despicable villains, and a compelling story of galactic war. At times the book makes its readers teary-eyed with laughter, other times frustrated with the outrageous behavior of humans and aliens alike - it is in this frustration when Zubrin?s brilliance most clearly shines, for we are forced to see the ridiculousness of our own world situation. What ?Dr. Strangelove? was to the cold war, ?The Holy Land? is to the war on terror and the clash of civilizations.
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