Fatherless: A Novel by Dr James Dobson and Kurt Bruner-Book Review

It’s 2042, and a long-predicted tipping point has arrived:  For the first time the elderly outnumber vigorous young people, creating an untenable economic and moral situation. How will a debt-crippled nation pay for the health care needs of a growing number of seniors living longer? As laws change allowing the elderly to end their lives, they become viewed as financial liabilities, as do the disabled. Jaundiced eyes turn toward any couple with more than two children, making the problem worse.

Caught in an intensifying battle between competing cultural agendas is reporter Julia Davidson—a journalist seeking to revive a flagging career; influential young Congressman Kevin Tolbert, a Christian facing his own dilemmas; and a supporting cast of engaging characters who find themselves deep in an ominous conspiracy.

In the dystopian tradition of 1984, Brave New World and The Hunger Games, Fatherless projects the headlines of today into the desperate choices of tomorrow.

Fatherless: A Novel is the first foray into fiction for noted psychologist, author and radio host Dr. James Dobson. The first book in a trilogy, Fatherless shows us what life could be like 30 years from now if current policies and trends continue in the direction they are now. Fatherless is a thought provoking novel. Unfortunately, the financial, moral, political and spiritual situations found in Fatherless could all to easily happen in our lifetime. I could only read 1-2 chapters at a time and then I had to put the book down and reflect on what I had read. The situations in the book are troubling and some people will read this book and think them not plausible but personally I find them not only plausible but possible.

The theme in this book proves what my pastor always says at election time, “Always vote pro-life. Any person who is willing to take the life of an unborn baby is just one step away from taking the lives of the disabled and the elderly.” This is exactly what happens in Fatherless, where anyone unable to work (ie the elderly or disabled) are called “debits” and seen as a drain on society instead of the gifts from God that they are.

Fatherless is a well-written, well-rounded book. Though this book is Christian fiction, it doesn’t shove Christian ideals down your throat. In Fatherless, you get to see the lives of 4 different individuals who each have differing belief systems, morals, political views and lifestyles making choices and see how those choices affect them and the people around them.

I cannot wait for Childless to come out this fall and Godless to come out in the summer of 2014 so I can find out if America survives the economic and moral bankruptcy of Fatherless. Reading this work of fiction has served to remind me that it is imperative that I pray for this country, our political and our spiritual leaders every day. This story is one I pray never comes true!

Fatherless: A Novel is available on Kindle for $10.67 or softcover for $13.43.

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All opinions are 100% mine. There are affiliate links in this post.