Review: Novel Ideas [Kindle Edition]
A novel of our near future:
Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Set in a future where Americans are censored on what they can write and most of the population loses themselves in the virtual world instead, Forrest Reed is a man apart. Writing novels that actually make people think instead of just do nothing, he is censored by the government and many of his novels are not allowed to be published as they cause people to think too much. Hundreds more of his books he never even tried to publish, believing them not worthy or knowing the government wouldn't approve. After astounding success with the books that he is able to publish, Forrest retires and goes to live on his own island, which is a Sovereign Nation with him as the only citizen, protecting himself and his works from being property of the United States.
Unfortunately, Forrest's world is thrown upside-down when a young girl, looking like a split image of his deceased wife, shows up claiming to be his granddaughter.
One of the best things about this book is that is DOES make you think. From the play on words in the title to the reactions when the government tries to censor Forrest & Penny, this book makes you realize that there is more than what you see in front of you. We're slowly becoming the civilization that Forrest fought against, watching remakes of remakes of TV shows and Movies (Seriously... how many times can they remake Superman or Spiderman?) and we have started to become blind to the world around us. Tethered to our computers and phones, unable to focus on the people with us, we are losing what it is to be human. There may come a time where the outside slowly deteriorates and isn't safe to live in, and we might not even notice because we're stuck in our heads, in our own virtual worlds.
Maybe someday we'll have a Forrest or Penny Reed to wake us up. For now, J C Allen does a very good job of it, if only people will read. This isn't a dystopian novel of the future... this is the road that our society is currently on and driving toward, and it is up to the people to decide is THIS is our future, or if we can change it.
This book can currently be purchased on amazon for $2.99 at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0082NSE00/?tag=shasworofboo-20
