The Shell Game

By Steve Alten

Book Overview

September Eleventh . . war in Iraq . . turmoil in the Middle East . . an impending war with Iran. They have one thing in common: oil. And the world is running out.

The Shell Game is a thrilling novel that faces the end of oil and the next big attack on American soil. This fictional tale resonates with chilling facts from real-life informants in the oil industry and the U.S. government, piecing together the terrifying truth about a nation addicted to oil.

The tale opens in 2007 as the CIA plans a nuclear attack on an American city, blaming the deaths of millions of Americans on Iran and inciting a retaliatory strike that will place the U.S. in control of Iran's oil resources. Five years later, petroleum geologist Ashley Ace] Futrell discovers that the world's oil supply is rapidly nearing its end. When his wife - a former national security advisor - is suddenly murdered, Ace finds himself hurtling down a rabbit's hole that leads to the brink of World War III.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1599550946
• ISBN13: 9781599550947
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Sweetwater Books
• Length: 487 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Be afraid, be very afraid...

This is one of the scariest, but very entertaining, thrillers I've ever read, mostly because it has lots of facts and connects a lot of dots, and is very plausible. Steve Alten has digested a lot of info about 9/11 and come to conclusions that any sane, thinking person would reasonably come to after impartially evaluating the evidence, that 9/11 was either an inside job or an enabled job in order to provide a "new Pearl Harbor" to facilitate the well-known neo-con goals of complete US control of declining mid-East oil. Alten plays out a scenario in 2011 where a much worse "black flag" operation partially succeeds with much more horrific results. Lots of plot and action and not a lot of character development, but this is not a literary novel. It's really a thoughtful, courageous wake-up call which will keep you riveted and maybe up all night with a sense of real forboding and not-irrational fear for our country and its future in the months ahead.

Terrifyingly possible

Despite the fact that this is a work of fiction, the basic facts of the story are based in reality, so it is possible that the events in this book may one day become fact. Aside from that, it's extremely well written. I especially liked how the quotes at the beginning of each chapter were tied to the events that occured in that part of the book. What I found even more disturbing than the content of the book was the quotes from REAL PEOPLE!

Outstanding

A perfect primer for anyone that wants to understand the history of foreign oil and it's impact on our society. A thrilling read.

Outstanding

Had a chance to preview The Shell Game. It's very entertaining and at the same time is an outstanding contribution to our national discourse. I believe this book has a chance to help bring about lasting positive change in America. Anyone who loves a novel and cares about our country should read it, and pass it on.

First Choice

I had a stack of books to read over the holidays and the most irresistable was The Shell Game by Steve Alten. While some might dismiss the book as a political fantasy, the drama struck me as painfully real, vital, urgent, and timely, given our current reality. The book is laced with quotes from sources which question the official story of 9/11, and the action casts light on "the next 9/11, a nuclear 9/11," how to stop it, and and how to stop World War IV. There are villains and heroes, lovers, lies, children, insights into the mindset of the Neo-Cons who have been trying to dominate the planet for these past decades. There are surprises, too. It is one of those very hard to put down sort of books, as you want to know - what will happen next, will the protagonist succeeed in the impossible task, who will live, who will die, and what will be humanity's fate. The political becomes personal, and the personal political, and the stakes grow higher and higher. Whether a person lives or dies, their intentions and actions have tremendous consequences in The Shell Game, and I think in the current world that we live in. One person, waking up spiritually, politically, intellectually to the profound reality of the moment, and taking action can make a tremendous difference. What I love about The Shell Game is the evolution of the main characters who are transformed by their own very personal understanding of political events, events which they themselves participated in. Not all the "evil villains" become "good guys" and there are those who steadfastedly continue to lie to themselves and others. The book delves into the extraordinary complexities of human understanding, the modern political system, and the mega-mainstream communications system which shapes human understanding, and can be used to seize and manipulate political power. For those who have struggled against the machine, the book holds some precious nuggets of truth, hope, and insight. For those seeking to stop the next 9/11 and World War IV, the book is a great opening for a dialogue on the painful truths and realities that most journalists and politicians do not dare to speak about. For those who dismiss the news and focus on their personal realities, and feel insulated from the struggles of the majority of people, this book will challenge their perception of reality, and perhaps inspire them to stop being a spectator and recognize their own power and responsibility to shape the future. I highly recommend it as a first choice on what to read, and hope that readers follow up on the source books, and give the author a hand in preventing "the next 9/11."