Review: The Future of Genocide?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 13, 2014
Kill Them Wherever You Find Them by David Hunter is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller centered on the exploits of Jeff Stauffenberg, an intelligence operative assigned to the Project developed by the Israeli intelligence agency, the Mossad. Their scientists have discovered the secret of time travel, and their objective is to change the future by going back to skew the effects of the past on historic events. Facing a possible catastrophe in an imminent biological attack on the Holy Land, Jeff is ordered to eliminate individuals to preempt their destinies as a Hebrew version of the Terminator. Only Jeff's Mormon beliefs are the cause of conflict and dissonance as he battles with his conscience with the fate of a nation at stake.Dr. Moshe Levin is a major protagonist who proves enzymatic in creating Jeff's inner turmoil. In the opening scenes, he speaks Hebrew and makes numerous referrals on its society and faith-based culture during a top-secret briefing. Yet he announces that each man has been fitted with a neuro-poison capsule which allows them to take their own lives, invalidating God's sovereign authority in doing so. We also see Jeff's Mormon religion being both condoned and endorsed by Moshe. Although there is a great deal of dialogue justifying the conversion, it conveys an element of deception as they support a religion other than that professed during the classified meeting.Hunter's novel brings up a number of interesting questions for discussion as Jeff finds himself immersed in a number of Middle Eastern scenarios, in a life-and-death struggle against opposing `faith-based' regimes. We see the contradiction as the Hebrew-Muslim conflict is explored, dating back to the Biblical episode of Israel vs. Ismael. There is a racial and religious animosity that only violence seems able to resolve. The author then demonstrates the futility of the last resort as foreign governments implement the nuclear annihilation of the USA for no reason other than their megalomania and sheer nihilism.The novel challenges us to consider the value of survival at whatever cost, and the merit of preserving a society and culture whose self-defining qualities have become so tainted and contradictory. Kill Them Wherever You Find Them by David Hunter will have you asking why.