Rating: 
Summary: A tour de satire force
Review: This wonderful book is a tour de force, in its startling accurate protrayel of the truth behind the conflict in the middle east. Here we are able to divest ourselves from the emotions sourounding the conflict by changing the names to protect the innocent and there bye we see how the conflict truly works. We see the truth behind the kinnewikans and how their 'brother' earthlings forced them into squalor and then conspired to make it seem like they were the victims when the truth is that the entire earth waged a fascist war against the Minervans only to be beaten back time and again, and yet in the end we see how propoganda and lies are able to twist the truth so that the true victims, the Minervans, become the oppressors, in the eyes of the media and the actual baby killers, the terrorists, are called heroes and 'human rights activists'. This book is so amazing that its actually true and it will make you shudder when you realize such injustice takes place daily in the press and the news and how events and history is twisted by lies and propoganda so that people no longer see the truth. A wonderful book, a must read.Seth J. Frantzman
Rating:
Summary: A tour de satire force
Review: This wonderful book is a tour de force, in its startling accurate protrayel of the truth behind the conflict in the middle east. Here we are able to divest ourselves from the emotions sourounding the conflict by changing the names to protect the innocent and there bye we see how the conflict truly works. We see the truth behind the kinnewikans and how their 'brother' earthlings forced them into squalor and then conspired to make it seem like they were the victims when the truth is that the entire earth waged a fascist war against the Minervans only to be beaten back time and again, and yet in the end we see how propoganda and lies are able to twist the truth so that the true victims, the Minervans, become the oppressors, in the eyes of the media and the actual baby killers, the terrorists, are called heroes and 'human rights activists'. This book is so amazing that its actually true and it will make you shudder when you realize such injustice takes place daily in the press and the news and how events and history is twisted by lies and propoganda so that people no longer see the truth. A wonderful book, a must read. Seth J. Frantzman
Rating: 
Summary: Orwell for the Middle East
Review: What George Orwell did for (or to?) the Russian Revolution in Animal Farm Robert Zubrin does to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict in this very clever satire. When the Western Galactic Empire relocates the unpopular race of Minervans to their original homeland in Kennewick, WA, the Americans take it poorly. The corrupt Christian fundamentalist administration in Washington, DC first tries to expel them using force, but when that fails they decide to make a play for galactic sympathy, so people are herded into "refugee" camps around the new Minervan land, to live in ostentatious misery. From these camps they launch suicidal terrorist assaults on the Minervans. Later, when the vital energy source helicity is discovered in America, the administration uses its wealth to set up training camps in far flung locales in order to have plausible deniability when it launches a spectacular 9-11-style attack on the Western Galactic Empire itself. All of the elements of the conflict in our own Holy Lands are present here and there's great pleasure to be had in seeing how Mr. Zubrin draws the parallels. Likewise, the absurdity of these tactics is even clearer in a fictional setting than it is in real life. The Americans have no chance against the Minervans, who are decent folk and just want to live peacefully in the land that is rightfully theirs. The American political leaders cynically manipulate their own people and the galactic press and they engage in truly criminal behavior. But, something seemingly unintended does happen--even with the deck so stacked--this reader, at least, found his sympathies ultimately did lie with the Americans as against the Minervans. Sure, one would wish the leadership less corrupt and their means less vile, but tribalism/nativism is a powerful force and, in the end, it seems only natural to prefer Christian Americans who are rather similar to us, even if flawed, to the quite different Minervans. And, realistically, imagine that the Native Americans, who have a not un-Minervan claim to American soil, set up a state for themselves--how do you think we'd all react, no matter the abstract justice of their case? As I say, I'd assume this reaction is not what Mr. Zubrin intended, but in a way it makes the book even more powerful. Once you recognize that you can abhor your own leaders methods but still find their cause somewhat compelling, you gain a genuine insight into the insanity that has infected the Palestinians. This insight can in no way justify terrorism but does suggest why more moderate and ordinary people are reluctant to disavow the extremists in their midst.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: Where else can you get witty satire, political attacks, brilliant symbolism, and futuristic aliens all in one place? Reading this book, you will laugh, you will cry, you will want to read it again. Well, maybe not cry, but definitely say "Ouch," as Zubrin points out a not-so-flattering view of our own society. Regardless of your political standpoint, however, you are likely to be both insulted and laugh your behind off, as Zubrin makes fun of everyone. The book is also chock full of symbolism beyond the obvious, things that do not seem amusing to the characters, but are brilliantly amusing to the reader -- "Inside jokes" of our own society. The most brilliant thing of all is that he exaggerates moderately little, but enables us to laugh at the ridiculousness of our own society as it is. The cover says it best -- "A world crazy enough to be our own." Cleverly conceived and sharply hilarious, The Holy Land has a little something for everyone who enjoys a good satire.
Rating:
Summary: New Twist on the War on Terrorism
Review: Zubrin does a fine job of blending the satire and sci-fi genres into one cohesive novel with Holy Land. I'm sure most of you are wondering what this reads like, well thinking something along the lines of Swift meets Bradbury... The tongue-in-cheek satire is definitely there throughout the whole story with a huge amount of sci-fi action/drama. The plot involves the struggle between the United States Government (Arabs) and the Minervans (Jews) fighting for Kennewick, Washington (Israel). The Western Galactic Empire (USA) is forced to intervene and all kinds of crazy hell break loose... There are many crazy twists that will make you laugh, and many parts that will cause you to cringe. Overall, Holy Land takes a fairly liberal view at the War on Terrorism and shows how hypocritical the all of the participants have been and continue to be. With that said, the first 100 pages are a little tedious (not very much action). After that the novel picks up pace and becomes very fluid. Buy it, you wont be sorry!
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious spoof about the Arab-Israeli war and terrorism
Review: Zubrin has come up with a great satire here. The story keeps readers alert and had me laughing out loud. And it makes the point that the majority of people who have much to say about the Arab-Israeli war or about terrorism show little genuine concern for human rights.
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