Review of Energy Dependence Day
Posted: 24 Aug 2021, 11:31
[Following is a volunteer review of "Energy Dependence Day" by Christian F. Burton.]
Right/Wrong, Good/Bad, Righteous/Evil—easy enough in context. But what happens when the context is removed or changed. Where is the line? How do you judge the decisions of others whose cultural norms are not your own? Christian F. Burton explores these moral dilemmas in Energy Dependence Day, a fast-paced, action-packed thriller set in Saudi Arabia.
Disruption at all levels of society emerges when a corrupt government supports the religious institutions dedicated to exposing that corruption. Sometimes it is hard to tell who is a true believer and who is just a hoodlum. Saudi citizens are caught between the power structures that attempt to regulate their lives.
The characters Energy Dependence Day are charming and problematic in turn. Each is working to create an acceptable future. Each character struggles with the contradictions in their world.
An imam is fighting corruption, oppression, and hoodlums on three different fronts. A young woman struggles under the yoke of misogyny and finds the more liberal elements of society just as abusive. And a group of young men torn between two worlds attempts to balance their beliefs with their privilege. An academic finally takes his radical teachings into the world while trying to support his family in their accustomed style.
All these characters intersect with the lives of two men, orphans, who have minor status and little opportunity in Saudi society. First is Husam, raised in terrorist camps after watching the death of his parents. Al-Faruq is a state police detective. He saw his widowed mother thrown into the streets after refusing to become a subservient second wife.
Energy Dependence Day gets it right, where so many thrillers set in the war on terror miss the target. The story shows a cultural understanding missing in so many stories set in the Arab world. Mr. Burton’s characters are well developed and well-rounded, showing their flaws and their talents. Each character is the victim of similar circumstances, yet each has found a different path.
My only negative comment would be that there are many characters with many names unfamiliar to the western reader. This made it difficult for me to keep track of who was doing what at times.
I highly recommend Energy Dependence Day and rate it 4 out of 4 stars. The book is exceptionally well-edited. This story provides action, adventure, and a fair and balanced approach to an often-cliched topic.
This book will please fans of the thriller and action genre. The author’s background in the military and the Arab world will help readers teach and entertain simultaneously.
******
Energy Dependence Day
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Right/Wrong, Good/Bad, Righteous/Evil—easy enough in context. But what happens when the context is removed or changed. Where is the line? How do you judge the decisions of others whose cultural norms are not your own? Christian F. Burton explores these moral dilemmas in Energy Dependence Day, a fast-paced, action-packed thriller set in Saudi Arabia.
Disruption at all levels of society emerges when a corrupt government supports the religious institutions dedicated to exposing that corruption. Sometimes it is hard to tell who is a true believer and who is just a hoodlum. Saudi citizens are caught between the power structures that attempt to regulate their lives.
The characters Energy Dependence Day are charming and problematic in turn. Each is working to create an acceptable future. Each character struggles with the contradictions in their world.
An imam is fighting corruption, oppression, and hoodlums on three different fronts. A young woman struggles under the yoke of misogyny and finds the more liberal elements of society just as abusive. And a group of young men torn between two worlds attempts to balance their beliefs with their privilege. An academic finally takes his radical teachings into the world while trying to support his family in their accustomed style.
All these characters intersect with the lives of two men, orphans, who have minor status and little opportunity in Saudi society. First is Husam, raised in terrorist camps after watching the death of his parents. Al-Faruq is a state police detective. He saw his widowed mother thrown into the streets after refusing to become a subservient second wife.
Energy Dependence Day gets it right, where so many thrillers set in the war on terror miss the target. The story shows a cultural understanding missing in so many stories set in the Arab world. Mr. Burton’s characters are well developed and well-rounded, showing their flaws and their talents. Each character is the victim of similar circumstances, yet each has found a different path.
My only negative comment would be that there are many characters with many names unfamiliar to the western reader. This made it difficult for me to keep track of who was doing what at times.
I highly recommend Energy Dependence Day and rate it 4 out of 4 stars. The book is exceptionally well-edited. This story provides action, adventure, and a fair and balanced approach to an often-cliched topic.
This book will please fans of the thriller and action genre. The author’s background in the military and the Arab world will help readers teach and entertain simultaneously.
******
Energy Dependence Day
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords