This is the first book I have read by David Icke, and I did my best to approach it with an open mind. I have to say that I have found aspects of his arguments surprisingly compelling. His claims about the marvels and fall of Atlantis and ancient extraterrestrial in human evolution and affairs, while highly speculative, are cogently argued and intriguing, and, despite some reservations I have, I can see some logic behind his arguments in favor of the existence of the secret cabal he calls "the Brotherhood" that has dominated numerous world events, countries, and "secret societies" for thousands of years. He makes some particularly strong points about how modern societies run on overconsumption and how this is ultimately unsustainable; Chapter 11, "Big is Beautiful," and Chapter 12, "The New World Order," are particularly strong in this regard.
Perhaps the strongest part of the book is Chapter 16, "The Politics of People," in which Icke lays out a program for the de-centralization of political and political power through greater individual and community control. His argument here for bringing welfare services under the control of local communities is supported by his correct assertion that ruling classes have centralized these services and then "squeezed" -- that is, cut -- when beneficial to do so.
My biggest disagreements with the author are his wholesale disparagement of religion and Freemasonry. While he does lay out a number of very valid criticism of the uses to which people have, over the centuries, put religion, I would argue that these are things are perversions of religion and not inherent in religion itself. I am also skeptical of certain claims that he makes based on "channeled" information, such as the odd notion that Joseph of Arimathea was the biological father of Jesus and that Jesus not only married and had children with Mary Magdalene, but also likely impregnated Martha, whom he incorrectly identifies as Mary Magdalene's sister.
Regarding Freemasonry, he implicitly treats it as a single, monolithic organization, which any Freemason can tell you it is not. Yes, there have been Masons in powerful social and political positions who have done dastardly things, but they were acting in violation of Masonic principles, not in honor of them. Again, he confuses a perversion of something with the thing itself.
Finally, scattered through the book are a number of minor inaccuracies, such as Icke's statement that President Woodrow Wilson took office in 1909 (he actually took office in 1913) and that Bill Clinton was a "Thirty-third Degree Mason." In fact, Bill Clinton, despite having belonged to the Mason-sponsored DeMolay boys' organization as a youth, never actually became a Mason. However, I take Icke's own point that one should not, in recognizing such inaccuracies, fail to recognize the elements of a work that are true or at least plausible.
On the whole, this is a thought-provoking read and, though discussing ETs to some extent, does not get into the more lurid concepts for which Icke became famous -- or notorious, depending on one's viewpoint.
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Photan345
Another interesting book by David Icke.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2018Verified Purchase
Mr . Review .
A book of two halfs.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 4, 2019Verified Purchase
bruby
very good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2020Verified Purchase
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Must read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2020Verified Purchase
GLYNIS
Informative
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2020Verified Purchase
