Review by bernardtholen -- Heaven and Earth
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- Latest Review: Heaven and Earth by Arturo Riojas
Review by bernardtholen -- Heaven and Earth

2 out of 4 stars
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HEAVEN & EARTH
ARTURO RIOJAS 2017
Summary
An alien spacecraft arrives at earth, with purpose to:
1. Obtain information of humans on earth, and compare to that of previous visits,
2. Help earthlings fight disease, help with construction of large buildings, bridges, pyramids,
3. Recover bodies of aliens from 1947 crash site at area 51
But there are 2 classes of aliens: ruling, and subordinate, both with a hidden agenda.
There is a seminar in the USA, which the main characters of the story attend, to discuss findings of research surrounding astronomy, environment.
After the seminar, they are pursued by fbi, find area 51, meet and befriend an alien who help them escape from fbi , inform them of environmental and medical dangers of cadmium, and help them find solutions to the three societal conditions that have lead to the current state of complacency of earthlings:
1 misguided leadership
2 complacency and acceptance due to poverty, lack of education
3 ignorance and unwillingness for change, lack of education
But, the hidden agenda of aliens, and subsequent results of this prevent the main characters of the novel to find the immediate solutions.
However, the aliens have left an “ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM”, with a conundrum answer to fight the dangers facing humanity.
REVIEW
2/4 stars
The book can be summarised in 3 words: ”Cadmium is poisonous”
However,
Who would not move H & E to find a cure for, or prevent cancer, diabetes, and other environmental diseases, or at least make people aware of how we contract these, especially if a loved one has suffered, and died from such ailments.
Using the genre of science fiction Arturo Riojas brings some facts pertaining to the dangers of the metal “Cadmium” concerning causes of cancer and other environmental diseases to the attention of the reader, and caused by the social inequities on earth, and in particular, the USA.
He then steers the reader towards solutions involving communication and education, not the least part of which pertains to changing the lack of willingness to form judgement and opinions regarding the leaders of the free world to a willingness to do so.
I find the facts at the end of each chapter informative, however if the reader is interested merely in the storyline they may find the “Cadmium poisoning facts” interruptive to the plot.
Utilising a somewhat documentary style of dialogues between the sets of characters, both sets of whom are actually in agreeance without the other side’s knowledge,
Arturo explains the social problems of America from the aliens’ perspective; however, Arturo makes the assumption that Americans are representative of other nations on earth.
Despite the disclaimer, he often includes personal views of society using name-tags in a reverse spelling order to (perhaps purposely) align the sentiment of the character with real people.
And the astute reader will no doubt recognise the well-known political identities, and in this respect Arturo identifies his political ideals, social alignments, and cultural background.
Some examples are: (in reverse spelling order): Marcus Brutus, George (Bad)bush, basturd, Challenger (space ship name), Rumsfeld, Cheney and many others.
Another point of note is the similarity between the killing of Julius Caesar and the assassination of Egreog , using a “gift” of a watch from the leader to the subordinate, and the subordinate using this gift in a similar way to exemplify “The ides of March.”
Then staging a coup at that time, (albeit USA Eastern Standard Time).
Nevertheless, Arturo fulfils the purpose of the story, and brings his point across quite well, despite the simplicity of science fiction mixed with facts:
2 stars out of 4, (2.5 if allowed)
******
Heaven and Earth
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