Publisher:
Createspace

Publication Date:
12/17/2013

Copyright Date:
N/A

ISBN:
9781493560936

Binding:
Paperback

U.S. SRP:
13.95

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Fiat

By Jeffrey Schlaman

IR_Star-black
IR Rating:
4.5
Even libertarians should appreciate being poked fun at in this smartly written satire about what may become of the United States in the near future. Despite its very political content, it isn’t didactic.
IR Approved
FIAT is a brilliant novel, written with sly humor and intellect. The writing can really make you laugh while satirizing current economic and political trend.

On July 25, 2016, China dumps nearly 50% of its American debt on the stock market in retaliation for recent tariffs imposed by the USA. The Federal Reserve System responds by colluding to have private banks buy back enough of the debt to stabilize prices. A few months later, the chairman of the Federal Reserve is assassinated and replaced. The political landscape is radically altered as the Libertarian Party, a new Unity Party, and a populist One World Party/Church become predominant. In November, America elects its first Libertarian president. The Libertarian administration achieves drastic changes, scaling back welfare and reverting to the gold standard, causing the U.S. to go into a nosedive. A small group secretly forms an unincorporated town in Nevada to endure as the populace succumbs to financial collapse and rampant crime.

FIAT is a brilliant novel, written with sly humor and intellect. The writing can really make you laugh while satirizing current economic and political trends, imagining where they might take us to if carried to their extremes. Schlaman’s humor pushes the edge a little, barely politically correct at times. For example, a Vietnamese woman who owns a nail salon tells a white lady, “Americans doan wok. That’s why Asians own everysing.” There are also hilarious news story headlines: ““World Currencies Downgraded in Major Sell-Off; Bitcoin Considered as World Reserve Currency”; “New Trend: Insect Cafes (Yes, Even Martha Stewart Cooks Bugs!)”

There are cultural references ranging from quotes of famous figures to biblical passages to etymology. Some dialogue is in Spanish, Russian, and Japanese. The writing is challenging at times with unusual words: privations, shibboleths, stultifying.

A few weaknesses. The whimsical plot wanders a bit later on. The story has so many characters that many names become forgettable. Edward Snowden’s name gets misspelled. On one page is this note: [Artist’s rendering of symbols goes here]

Even libertarians should appreciate being poked fun at in this smartly written satire about what may become of the United States in the near future. Despite its very political content, it isn’t didactic.

Reviewed by Christopher James Dubey for IndieReader.

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