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The Shell Game

Reviewed by Robert Pritchett

Author: Steve Alten

http://www.stevealten.com

Sweetwater Books

http://www.sweetwaterbooks.net

http://www.theshellgame.net/

$27 USD

ISBN: 978-1-59955-094-7

Strengths: Interesting Plot line.

Weaknesses: Swearing.

Interview: http://cdn.libsyn.com/visibility911/visibility911_steve_alten.mp3

Oil Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUUHCFlGbSU

Jack Blood Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YgUiiqpqjs

Introduction

I'm so glad I didn't read any reviews or sites regarding this book, because some folks in the "9/11 Truth Movement" pretty much diss this book, because it doesn’t finger the Israeli's in connection with 9/11 but rather, goes after the House of Saud, instead. This kind of activity against the author is obviously misinformation and disinformation brought on by intelligence community trolls. Steve Alten does rely heavily on a truthful book, "Crossing the Rubicon" by Michael Ruppert for the basis for his plotline.

 

On the other hand, my research goes in a different direction and no, I'm not a "Neo-Con", but I believe that the so-called oil shortage and Global Warming™ activities are blatantly false (read my article on Global Warming from the May 2008 issue of macCompanion magazine). Ergo, Steve Alten ends up becoming a possible tool of the left by preaching the same goofy Gaeist Gospel.

 

Now remember, "The Shell Game" is a work of fiction and a novel. It essentially fits the "edidence" (wrap a truth with lies) mode of writing. But look for the nuggets of truth. They are in there. If that is what is keeping the Intelligence community up nights, then it must be a good plot line.

 

What I Learned

Much of what I read confirmed my own suspicions regarding the existing state of politics and that our Constitutional liberties have been shredded by unchallenged Executive Orders (11310 and 11921) and the Patriot Act, so Steve's book becomes a Word of Warning. His fiction may become fact, if indeed we end up attacking Iran.

 

Part way into the book I read that a President McKuin is in charge and neither Osama (not mentioned) nor Hillary Clinton are in the Oval Office with things happening in 2012. I finally did a doubletake after seeing McCain as President. McKuin – McCain. Get it? And Ron Paul is not mentioned either, however, there is a guy named Mulligan who speaks al lot like Ron Paul and becomes president later. So it really is a work of fiction ;^)

 

We are lead to believe that there is a piece of software that allows Intelligence Agencies total view of worldwide electronic surveillance using an app named "Promis". It is reworked to take down the Arabian banking system's support for anti-American groups.

What really is the message behind the book? Our freedoms and liberties are on the brink. There is time, but not much, for us to do course corrections regarding our combined future.

 

Why would there be groups attacking the author directly and threatening his life for a work of fiction? The book might otherwise be forgotten after a while, but because the negativism against the author, this indicates that there may be more truth amidst the edidence than previously supposed.

 

Do we accept the baby food we have been served by our government? Can we turn things around with a sea change of opinion regarding the setups time and again by our so-called leaders and their handlers?

 

I enjoyed the quotes interspersed between the short, sometimes disjointed chapters. I liked the fact that Steve included a "Facto or Fiction" section at the end of the book along with a Suggested Reading section.

 

Why 2012 as the year for the story? The Mayan Calendar.

 

Conclusion

Usually I read a novel just for fun. I could do that with this book, but it made me think about what possibly could happen – and very well could happen. After all, a Nuke does go off in the US as part of the storyline, so this is a "Pre-Jericho" point of time. (Jericho is a 2-season story of corporate take-over of the country after a number of nukes take out parts of the country and the survivors work at trying to stay civilized.)

 

Will the current US Administration be tried for treason? Will we be able to get away from oil as currency? Does "Promis" exist? (Yes, it does) Is there a nanobot Mu chip that can be inserted into us as part of a vaccine? (Yes, that RFID chip does exist.)

 

The twists and turns in the book really are apt in the title. And the cover art is really good too.

 

I enjoyed the book, except for the occasional use of mild profanity. That is why I lowered the rating on the book. Plausible? Yes. Probable? Only time will tell. Hopefully I will live long enough to see beyond 2012 and our troops will be home and we will be using other sources of energy that do not compromise our country and not literally keep us over a barrel.

 

For more reading, see The Control Paradigm by Leslie R. Pastor.