"An interesting alternate history saga"
Ever since he crossed over from his polluted dying
United States to this alternate Confederacy, detective Win
Bear has been quite happy about his "plight". He never
wants to go back to his birth world especially since he
enjoys his work as the only detective in the area and he
loves his wife. However, terrorist activities killing thousands
apparently caused by some of Win's peers, other crossers,
have created a serpent in Eden. Bear knows he must stop
this group before some founding fathers get together and
form a government like the one he left behind that two
centuries earlier destroyed his previous world. THE AMERICAN ZONE might have played out better before
9/11, but in light of that debacle the theme looks weak
because the international world is ignored as a threat.
Understanding the Libertarian theory that entangling
alliances causes much of the trouble including the 9/11
tragedy, most of the audience will still resent the premise
that big government leads to big counter acts by
terrorists. L. Neil Smith cleverly interweaves Libertarian
sermons into his alternate American history tale that will
be easier to follow if the audience reads THE PROBABILITY
BROACH first as this story follows in sequence. This is a
well-written alternate historical novel starring a
wonderful hero, but then there is 9/11 to challenge the
underlying axiom of Mr. Smith's basic premise. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted December 18, 2001
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