Review of Sent to Watch

[Burnette Pitter]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Sent to Watch" by David J. Lebenstein.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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In his science fiction novel Sent to Watch, David J. Lebenstein presented a theory that suggested there might be more than one earth. The people who lived there and were thought to be extraterrestrials thought that there were more than 55 earths, each of which followed one of three political systems. The Interplanatory Federation, which was established to rule the earths, sent spies to investigate these other planets to learn more about them and have them join the federation. The spies were initially ordered to observe rather than interfere. They accomplished this by mixing with the inhabitants of the other planets to learn about their way of life and degree of technical development, then reporting back to the federation. As time passed, the sentinel mission was forgotten, and those in authority pursued their own goals, resulting in interplanetary and internal conflicts. A portion of the planets joined the federation, but others did not.

It was a fascinating book to read. Its pages were enjoyable to me. The author largely adhered to the premise and presented evidence of Ori Svavapass's aim to influence English governance through his progeny. His son Leonard became a significant American icon instead of the English leader he wanted him to be.
The space war was vividly described by the author, who did a fantastic job of it.

The characters' names changing when they travelled to different planets was the only aspect of the book that I did not like. I had trouble remembering who was who, even with the list of names he included at the beginning of the book.

I give this book five out of stars since it was well edited and because the entire narrative captures the meaning of the title. Those who enjoy science fiction and have a vivid imagination should read this book, in my opinion.

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Sent to Watch
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