Customer Reviews

Land That I Love

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When I received a copy of William Freedman's novel "Land That I Love" from the fine folks at Rebel e Publishers, I took one look at the cover and made a few snap judgments. I mean, really...Barbie with a gun in front of Mount Rushmore? How strange was this book going to be, anyway? (So sniffs a woman who reads books covered with nekkid male torsos. Honestly, I should be ashamed.) I'm a sucker for a laugh, however, so I dove in to this story expecting something fluffy and funny. What I actually got completely surprised me. Yes, this story is humorous; it is also fiercely satirical, intelligent, and extremely well-written. This clever novel is filled with political and social commentary, most of it humorous but some of it serious, and while the fun it pokes is frequently sharply pointed, it is never mean-spirited.

"Land That I Love" retells the story of 911 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with, of course, much artistic license. The Eminent Domain plays the role of the United States, and America and its timber represent - you got it - Iraq and oil. And while I did not exactly make a character-by-character list, I had a heck of a good time playing the game of trying to identify who or what concept each one represented to me.

This story is not just a retelling of Iraq, however. It also contains elements of "Star Trek" and "War of the Worlds" that will delight fans of science fiction. One of the recurring gags in the story involves the repeated demise of red-shirted young occupation soldiers, all by the name of "Coder." Mr. Freedman also manages to fit Gene Roddenberry and H. G. Wells into the story in very minor roles, and even though when they use the phrase "Beam me up," they are talking about a certain Kentucky bourbon, it still doesn't fail to strike a comic note.

One of the most humorous and distracting aspects of Land That I Love is Mr. Freedman's naming of his characters. Faced with monikers like Sajak Pickfour, Sanmateo Veecey, Reit Daytrader, and M. Griffin Croupier VII (don't call him "Lucky"), I found myself so caught up in the beginning with the multitude of colorfully-named characters that I almost lost my grasp of the story. But after a little initial confusion, which I believe reflects more on me than on the novel, I settled in to enjoy the heck out of the story, the characters, and the occasional intercepted zinger or two.

I found "Land That I Love" to be a wonderful, colorful, and very thought-provoking novel. It has just a whisper of a Douglas Adams feel to it (if I can say that without detracting from the obvious intelligence and talent of the author) but is without a doubt utterly unique. And believe me when I say that the cover featuring Amazon Silicone Barbie actually does make a funny kind of sense. I highly recommend this novel to readers who are looking for something smart and witty and just a little bit different from the norm. Give this one a read. I'm convinced that you won't regret it or forget it any time soon.

Did you hate the presidency of Dubya? Do you think American conservatives are evil? If you like political satire and both of those questions apply to you, you'll enjoy this book. It's like a modern version of "The Mouse that Roared" for our times. Michael Moore + Douglas Adams = Land That I Love.

Land That I Love is a laugh out loud, pee in your pants satirical parody of the political tomfoolery that surely goes on behind the closed doors of power. If WTF pretty much sums up your reaction to the first eight years of the 21st century, you're gonna love this book. No sacred cow from that dark period of American history goes unscathed in this remarkable book. Spot-on, over the top, totally irreverent, Land That I Love will keep you entertained, and laughing, from start to glorious finish.