Review of 'The Shortest Road' by David L. Robbins
Thebattles of Israel's War of Independence are raging in the opening pages of
TheShortest Road by David L. Robbins
(Wicked Son, May 2023). The novel isthe sequel to Isaac’s Beacon and continues the story of the complex,flawed protagonists of that previous book.Readerscaptivated by the struggles of American journalist Vince; Austrian refugeeRivkah and her machine gun-toting sister, Gabbi; and Malik, the mysterious,camel-riding Bedouin who befriends them; will have no problem jumping into thenarrative, but others will be confused by who they are and what they'refighting for.
Theauthor holds back no punches in his descriptions of Israel's bloodiest war andthe politics of the young country's leaders. Menachem Begin is portrayed as abrave Irgun fighter and idealist standing aboard the weapons-bearing Altalena cargoship before it is sunk by IDF shelling. Eye-patched Moshe Dayan is shown leading reckless commandoraids into Palestinian towns while Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion sits tightin his Tel Aviv office orchestrating the war efforts.
Especiallyhard for Israeli readers will be the extensive depictions of the eviction ofPalestinians as Israel extends its territories eastward from Tel Aviv. Highlightedare the rounding up of the residents of Lydda, their forced march to Ramallah,the looting of their homes, and the murder of some of the innocent refugees. Itis clear that the author has based his fiction on extensive historical researchso readers would be hard-pressed to doubt its authenticity.
Itis difficult to read The Shortest Road as a standalone novel, or to feelan emotional connection to its protagonists. The narrative falls short ofproviding their backgrounds and sentiments, so strongly delivered in the firstbook. Still, the author's language is rich and the descriptions are vivid andevocative, making it hard to stop reading.
NewYork Times best-selling author David L. Robbins is the authorof 16 novels and four professionally produced plays. Many of his books arehistorical, depicting the battles and conflicts of World War Two. In 2018,Robbins was named one of two most influential literary artists in theCommonwealth of Virginia.
Originally posted on The Times of Israel.
Relatedarticle:
Reviewof ‘Isaac’s Beacon’ by David L. Robbins
