"The Progressive Revolution"
Ever find yourself getting nervous about the heat of
right, left, and midstream political warfare? Or even
worse, find yourself apathetic after having enough of the
endless arguing and ineffective activity of those voted
into office to serve the American people? Just how far
would one particular political body go to guarantee that
its policies and beliefs become the mainstream of American
life? Orson Scott Card has done it again with a riveting,
fantastic, and frightening story of the progressive left
party's plans to so divide the red and blue states of
American politics that their own party has free reign to
start a Civil War, one in which their military hardware
practically guarantees success. Major Reuben Malik ("Rube") and Captain Bartholomew
Coleman ("Cole") have been highly trained by the military
to prevent terrorism of any sort by any means possible.
But what does one do when one discovers one has
unwillingly been part of the plot and actually helped move
the weapons of destruction into place for the final phase
of the takeover? For not only is a war to start but one
with futuristic weaponry that might be pictured in a sci-
fi movie with mega-robots and laser shooters razing New
York City and all over-flying aircraft. Such is the situation in which Rube finds himself, and it
is his wife, a former government aide, who forces him to
wake up and realize exactly what is taking over the
nation. He and Coleman just happen to be at the side where
the revolution begins, a scene that will keep you hanging
on the edge of your seat while you read. The plot doesn't slow down any during the rest of the
story, although there is plenty of discussion about
political theories, how America does or does not resemble
the rise and fall of the Roman empire or even how most
Americans are blind to precisely what is the aim of the
terrorists abroad or those at home who claim to be
fighting them in the name of "freedom." It's a complex plot that unravels through these pages, but
one just has to applaud Card for his ability to see beyond
the surface of what we all accept in a simplistic fashion.
It may even get the reader thinking - before the next
election campaign really gets swinging into full gear! Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on January 12, 2007
Reviewed by Viviane Crystal
Courtesy Crystal Reviews
Posted February 20, 2007
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