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Death Panels: A Novel of Life, Liberty, and Faith
The year is 2042.
American Christians are decimated, persecuted. Most of them huddled together on a federal reservation, the rest forced to worship in secret underground communities.
The State knows all and controls what you eat, what you watch, how you think and pray. Tolerance is the highest virtue. Deviance is the norm; speaking out against it is a crime.
Any lifestyle choice is fine as long as it doesn t lower your federal Healthcare Score. Too low and the Health Continuity Councils or Death Panels will hold your life in their hands.
For powerful, ambitious Senator Axyl Houston, this isn t enough. He wants the Death Panels to have the power to euthanize the genetically weak and imperfect; he wants America to lead the global Unified Order in purging future generations of disease and imperfection.
Against him stands David Rudder, an escapee from the Christian reservation called the Cloistered Dominion or Dome who in the simple, merciful act of rescuing a Down s syndrome baby from termination becomes entangled in a chain of events that could lead to a revolution for the Culture of Life. Or to its final destruction.
The Death Panels is an exciting and disturbing story of a not-too-distant future in which our current political battles over life and freedom have reached an explosive crossroads, and a clarion call to all Christians and lovers of liberty.
New from Saint Benedict Press.
American Christians are decimated, persecuted. Most of them huddled together on a federal reservation, the rest forced to worship in secret underground communities.
The State knows all and controls what you eat, what you watch, how you think and pray. Tolerance is the highest virtue. Deviance is the norm; speaking out against it is a crime.
Any lifestyle choice is fine as long as it doesn t lower your federal Healthcare Score. Too low and the Health Continuity Councils or Death Panels will hold your life in their hands.
For powerful, ambitious Senator Axyl Houston, this isn t enough. He wants the Death Panels to have the power to euthanize the genetically weak and imperfect; he wants America to lead the global Unified Order in purging future generations of disease and imperfection.
Against him stands David Rudder, an escapee from the Christian reservation called the Cloistered Dominion or Dome who in the simple, merciful act of rescuing a Down s syndrome baby from termination becomes entangled in a chain of events that could lead to a revolution for the Culture of Life. Or to its final destruction.
The Death Panels is an exciting and disturbing story of a not-too-distant future in which our current political battles over life and freedom have reached an explosive crossroads, and a clarion call to all Christians and lovers of liberty.
New from Saint Benedict Press.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 19, 2010
As a reviewer for the Catholic Writers Guild I was given the opportunity to read a new book by author Michelle Buckman called Death Panels: A Novel of Life, Liberty and Faith.. The title certainly sounded intriguing. Before reading it I had wondered if it would be high on polemics concerning medical boards and low on a worthwhile story line. I soon found this was not a concern at all as I quickly got pulled into the story and raced through the book following the characters and plot.
In some ways it reminded me of Monsignor’s Robert Hugh Benson Lord of the World which is a dystopian novel of the end times. This novel starts in a future of 2042 that in some ways has some of same facets of Lord of the World, but without the eschatological aspects. The future is the bottom of that slippery slope where bureaucracies take over healthcare decisions and more and more power is taken from the individual and transferred to the government. The Culture of Death is in full force and both the start and end of life is under attack. Modern tolerance reaches its ultimate conclusion where nothing is actually tolerated and Christians are living on reservations called a Dominian. The main character comes from such a Dominian and is illegally in the city where circumstances put him on the run trying to save a life.
So while the story correctly critiques socialized medicine and people giving up more and more rights to the government, the novel primarily succeeds as a story. I liked the characters who I found believable and the thread of hope throughout despite the dire overtones. Simply a very good novel which also contains solid commentary on where we are heading if we don’t stand up for the Culture of Life. We already have Christian arrested for preaching the Gospel to Muslims. The continuing horror of abortion and threat of euthanasia. Judges trying to force same-sex marriage on us. So the future this novel shows is unfortunately not that far off, but also not inevitable.
When I first wrote this review the novel was not yet released, but it was released last week.
In some ways it reminded me of Monsignor’s Robert Hugh Benson Lord of the World which is a dystopian novel of the end times. This novel starts in a future of 2042 that in some ways has some of same facets of Lord of the World, but without the eschatological aspects. The future is the bottom of that slippery slope where bureaucracies take over healthcare decisions and more and more power is taken from the individual and transferred to the government. The Culture of Death is in full force and both the start and end of life is under attack. Modern tolerance reaches its ultimate conclusion where nothing is actually tolerated and Christians are living on reservations called a Dominian. The main character comes from such a Dominian and is illegally in the city where circumstances put him on the run trying to save a life.
So while the story correctly critiques socialized medicine and people giving up more and more rights to the government, the novel primarily succeeds as a story. I liked the characters who I found believable and the thread of hope throughout despite the dire overtones. Simply a very good novel which also contains solid commentary on where we are heading if we don’t stand up for the Culture of Life. We already have Christian arrested for preaching the Gospel to Muslims. The continuing horror of abortion and threat of euthanasia. Judges trying to force same-sex marriage on us. So the future this novel shows is unfortunately not that far off, but also not inevitable.
When I first wrote this review the novel was not yet released, but it was released last week.
May 22, 2011
A review copy that I remember Jeff Miller liking and so I sought it out as his taste and mine often agree. A thriller with a religious twist.
Before that, briefly, I can say that this book was a thrilling and riveting read that left me thinking about the real-life implications of health policies, the limits and correct evaluation of tolerance, and the preciousness of life. It is the story of a dystopian United States where physical perfection is thought to be the only good, where any imperfection is thought to cause suffering, and where Christianity has been outlawed under the tolerance acts. As with any good futuristic novel, Michele Buckman has taken certain aspects of modern society and examined what happens if they are continued and carried out to a logical, extreme conclusion. It is in the stories of the people involved, however, that she makes it come to life and I was literally on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen to many of the characters. Interestingly, for a novel by a Catholic author and that has a pro-Christian, pro-life message, Buckman never defaults to "and then a miracle happened" to tell her story. The people in all their humanity, both good and bad, tell the tale and that is a big strength of the novel.
A full review to come.
The State knows all and controls all: what you eat, what you watch, how you think and pray. Tolerance is the highest virtue. Deviance is the norm; speaking out against it is a crime.
Before that, briefly, I can say that this book was a thrilling and riveting read that left me thinking about the real-life implications of health policies, the limits and correct evaluation of tolerance, and the preciousness of life. It is the story of a dystopian United States where physical perfection is thought to be the only good, where any imperfection is thought to cause suffering, and where Christianity has been outlawed under the tolerance acts. As with any good futuristic novel, Michele Buckman has taken certain aspects of modern society and examined what happens if they are continued and carried out to a logical, extreme conclusion. It is in the stories of the people involved, however, that she makes it come to life and I was literally on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen to many of the characters. Interestingly, for a novel by a Catholic author and that has a pro-Christian, pro-life message, Buckman never defaults to "and then a miracle happened" to tell her story. The people in all their humanity, both good and bad, tell the tale and that is a big strength of the novel.
January 25, 2013
Heavy-duty and depressing but impossible to put down. If you are considering reading this book, be forewarned: It is really hard to read. As in, there are dead kids and babies in this book. Since having children of my own, I can't generally handle that sort of thing and if I had known ahead of time, I probably wouldn't have read this book. But I didn't know and I started reading and by the time the really horrible, depressing stuff came up, I was hooked. Buckman has created a harrowing depiction of our possible future if we continue down the road we're on. Specifically, lack of respect for life and too-powerful governments running our lives and making inhumane bureaucratic decisions in the name of efficiency. The story is well-told and totally gripping so that, as much as I wanted to stop reading, I had to see what would happen. At many points in the story, I told myself, "Oh, that could never happen." Then I saw the news story about the Belgian doctor euthanizing 45-year-old, otherwise healthy twin brothers merely because they were deaf and going blind. (On Dec. 14, 2012.) Guess what? It's happening already. Read "Death Panels" and take a good look at the sorry, demoralized, sick, sick society we still have a chance not to become.
January 31, 2011
A few resources for anyone considering this book, available here:
Book Trailer (Video):
http://www.youtube.com/user/StBenedic...
Look Inside (Preview):
https://www.tanbooks.com/previews/SB0...
Order (Product Page):
https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/De...
Book Trailer (Video):
http://www.youtube.com/user/StBenedic...
Look Inside (Preview):
https://www.tanbooks.com/previews/SB0...
Order (Product Page):
https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/De...
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews