Book Review: MISSION TO EARTH by Fil Munas
- In Book Reviews
- 02:00 PM, Dec 01, 2016
- Dr. Nick Nipan Shroff
I feel honored presenting this review of the recent “extraterrestrial” novel, Mission to Earth, written by my good friend, Fil Munas. Professionally, we went separate ways; I became an Urologist, he became a Psychiatrist. After several decades, Fil’s novel has brought us together in a splendid way, indeed!
Mission to Earth is like not like any other book I have ever read. It is simply out of this world, just as its title unabashedly claims. The author uses the extraordinary literary device of an alien visitor called Mac, from the planet Galymon, who lands on Earth. The author then proceeds to breathtakingly describe the past, present, and future for our besieged planet and mankind. This premise might sound rather arrogant for a mortal, but Mac is no mere mortal and tells a riveting tale. Mac has no gender, so I should be cautious when I use personal pronouns here!
What I particularly enjoyed about the book is that it skillfully blends sophisticated and complex scientific information into a gripping and engaging tale, encrusted with juicy and delectable tidbits, pushing the horizons of knowledge and fantasy to their limits. It is a sumptuous smorgasbord, a fable for our times.
I especially like books that entertain and educate as well. Mission To Earth is one of those, and high on my priority list. The novel describes the challenges facing our species, Homo sapiens, and our embattled planet’s entire biosphere, at this critical moment in Earth’s history. A sixth major mass extinction of life is well on its way here—since the last one that vanished the dinosaurs happened 66 million years ago—and Dr. Munas describes that process in detail. It is a tale of excitement and terrifying prospects, and conveys the need for an immediate action.
The pace of the novel is hectic, and sometimes overwhelming. Borrowing generously from biology, physics, chemistry, astronomy, mathematics, sociology, anthropology, evolutionary theory, and everything else in-between, the author paints an alarming picture of a future for the planet, saturated with great danger for our species. That danger is self-inflicted it seems, and threatens to annihilate humans, and their blameless fellow species as well. We must stop and listen.
An unusual feature of this novel is how the book is organized. I can’t remember another one quite like this. The primary novel is made up of various secondary “novellas” set within indentations or embellishments—these stand on their own and can be read individually. This exceptional feature allows the reader to enjoy the book by opening it anyplace and reading the text at any point along the main narrative
The novel is elaborate and packed with complex information that is often strident and disturbing. So the devise of cutting it up, and permitting the reader to open and shut the book at any place and reflect on the ideas presented in real time, is certainly welcome. I recall here a popular sci-fi novel, The Black Cloud by Sir Fred Hoyle the renowned astrophysicist. In that novel we encounter an advanced being that benignly attempts to transfer special knowledge to a human, with disastrous consequences due to overloading of circuits. So Fil’s design for his novel is fortunate! Psychiatrist, Dr. Surendra Kelwala has favorably compared Mission To Earth with Physicist Stephan Hawking’s A Brief History Of Time. I think that, that comparison is appropriate.
Finally, I must say, the writing style itself is reader-friendly and respectful, and never patronizes the perspicacity or intelligence of the reader. As for me, I felt I was the novel’s protagonist, Mac, coming to life here on Earth. I wish Mac every good fortune with the Mission!
Although I know the author personally, I recommend without nepotism Mission To Earth to all curious and thoughtful readers.
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