[fjtorres]

I've read Caliphate.
It is a distopia and clearly written as such.
To me it read like a cautionary tale, on the *perils* of religious hatred in general, and "islamophobia" in particular.

The story is presented as a Bond-ian adventure, not military sf, with asides and a series of flashbacks to the early 21st century used to fill in the backstory.
Where military SF tends to have libertarian, Civic/patriotic heroes (which some incorrectly brand right-wing, as if the left couldn't be patriotic, too) there are no heroes in Caliphate and the author very plainly makes the case that the American Empire is guilty of horrors comparable to or worse to those of the "islamists" that triggered the nazification of america.

The books being free, it would not be hard to check out the back-end part of the ninth chapter to see just how "sympathetic" the portrayal of the americans under President Buchman *isn't*. The only truly sympathetic character in the book is, in fact, a european muslim. Everybody else s generally driven by anger, hate, fear, or greed.

It is, no question, an *uncomfortable* book to read and should be avoided by those that don't like to have their worldview challenged. Just as Heinlein's FARNHAM FREEHOLD, Stirling's DRAKAS books, or Niven and Pournelle's FALLEN ANGELS (heh! Also free at Baen), or L. Neil Smith's PROBABILITY BROACH, or F.M. Busby's RISSA KERGUELEN, the author takes a contrarian premise, drops a bunch of very flawed human beings into it and spins an adventure story.
I know nothing of the author: it is the only one of his books I've read though my webscriptions feature several others. They are not particularly high on my TBR list but I understand one of them is built around the conceit of a unit of SS Nazis fighting alien invaders, which I imagine must've rattled a few cages.
(Shrug)
I don't mind cage rattlers; some of the best SF has been written with that goal.

I'm not about to recommend the book outright; the core story is merely a good Bond pastiche, but if anybody is interested in seeing just how bad the "clash of civilizations" could get...

Well, it's free...

Oh, and in case you haven't heard: the Baen Free Library features whatever books the writers choose to offer up. If you have a bone to pick, take it up with the author. Toodles!