5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hits Way Too Close to Home, July 3, 2007
This review is from: Homeland Insecurity: A Novel (Paperback)
Richard Abanes is a known truth sifter. I have appreciated his careful handling in the titles I've read in his "... and the Bible" series.
Abanes (and his wife Evangeline) have wisely taken their research and passion one step further -- to fiction.
Homeland Insecurity is based on the truth behind the white supremicist movement and stretched, not too outlandishly, into what could and does happen when hate plays out.
This novel is not for the weak-hearted or already terrified. The horror of terrorism or a holy war where those who hate are willing to sacrifice it all for the cause is bone-chilling. The Abanes paint such a picture.
The fact that one of the fictional sites for an act of terror takes place in my home state, and I've been in the building, brought it even more uncomfortably close.
One of the most frightening passages occurs during the sharing of the white supremecist doctrine. They claim Christ.
The Abanes dug deeper into their "faith" and exposed the truth behind the beliefs that drive the hate -- but it is unsettling to see spelled out so clearly on the page.
A Bible teacher at our church read from a book one Sunday. He asked if we agreed with the statements, and we did, they were true and Biblically sound. And then he shared the name of the book. Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler. That was my first taste of the insidiousness of hatred's twisting power.
Homeland Insecurity has given me another serving.
This is not a novel that you will read for the deep characterization because it is told in an omniscent point of view and many characters are involved in the telling of the story. This is not of work of literary beauty either. Some of the plot line was predictable. I'm giving this novel a 4 star rating because of what I learned and the amount of work the author's put into dispensing the information into a believable end result of the ugly facts they have unearthed.
I believe the author's intention and desire was to craft another avenue of the truth, and have discovered the value of parables. I don't learn by memorizing facts and dates, but only when I can see those facts and dates through the eyes of another human being who causes me to care.
Unfortunately, Homeland Insecurity is not purely historical fiction. There are elements, but there are also warnings.
As appeared on NovelReviews blogspot
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3.0 out of 5 stars
A fast moving but juvenile-sounding book, September 25, 2010
This review is from: Homeland Insecurity: A Novel (Paperback)
I always enjoy when nonfiction writers attempt fiction, and in Richard Abanes' (co-authored with his wife, Evangeline) book, "Homeland Insecurity," he gives a good first attempt at it.
His story about white supremacists planning and carrying out attacks on America is compelling and fast-paced. It was also based partly on credible research he has conducted in some of his nonfiction works. Abanes has written various other books concerning religion and off-centered religious groups.
Still, the story and characters had a juvenile ring to it, and so this book should be best read by teenagers and fans of action. It might make a good television movie. But there were a lot of things that were not credible in it at all. But the Abaneses were able to introduce nice timing in the novel, and even introduced a hint of potential romance.
So this book was a decent read for those seeking to escape -- at the same time showing how dangerous the theology of the neo Nazis and white supremacists really is.
Last, Abanes showed a lack of understanding concerning the journalism field and how national articles are really put together by reputable magazines. But this is not a bad flaw. The purpose of many novels, after all, is "what if?"
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This one had me turning the pages, December 6, 2008
This review is from: Homeland Insecurity: A Novel (Paperback)
Richard Abanes is the most talented guy I've encountered in my life. He been a professional singer, dancer, actor, and non-fiction writer. Now he turns his efforts to fiction and has written a riveting novel that takes a peek into the world of white supremacists. The violence is scary, but it is the gospel of hatred in the name of Jesus Christ which is mind boggling to this reader. This book really didn't have a true protagonist. The good guy action is spread out among various characters, including a reformed supremacist who is now a man of the cloth. Thus, this is not a character driven novel, but one involving plot, intrigue, and action. The ending was perhaps a little rushed, but all in all, this was an enjoyable and informative read as Abanes sprinkles facts into the fictional batter.
Donald James Parker
Author of Reforming the Potter's Clay
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