A finely tuned fusion of political satire and science fiction.
A procedural mishap leaves Doctor Stefan Westin in the enviable position of becoming Earth’s savior. But the task will be demanding and the circumstances are more than a little suspect. Initially, Stefan’s only guidance surrounding the monumental project comes in the form of a cryptic Field-of-Dreams-like message uttered in his head, “If you ask us, they’ll be gone.” As the details of the job are slowly revealed by a less than forthright alien facilitator, Stefan enlists the help of his level-headed partner, Tara, to sort out the details and work through the ramifications. To heal the planet, Stefan and Tara have to choose the worst offenders in Earth’s history to be deported to another planet, effectively mitigating their negative environmental or political influence throughout history. Each candidate will exact a corresponding fee from Stefan, and the aliens don’t accept US dollars as payment. A few obvious choices are removed from Earth’s environmental equation, yet the climate remains in peril, so the couple advances to a last-resort scenario to save the planet. If a time-travel mission doesn’t fix things, Earth’s fate will be a one-way trip to the recycle heap. Jumping from one brutal moment in human history to the next might be asking more of Stefan and Tara than they can give, but they have to try because they are Earth’s only hope.
Doctor Refurb is an unpredictably wild journey through time and politics helmed by two immensely relatable protagonists. Marty Essen does a brilliant job infusing lightness into a novel that tackles serious issues, including sex-abuse church scandals and the distressing decline of the planet’s health. If you’re not fully onboard with liberal ideologies, the politics might weigh down the outrageously hilarious plot. And there is no question that the momentum slows as the intrepid heroes tackle consequential injustices committed in the name of religion through the ages. Still, comedy rules in this outlandish look at a whimsical what-if scenario. Humor abounds, both obvious and subtle, resulting in a finely tuned fusion of political satire and science fiction that is sure to elicit intelligent, if not hysterical, conversation. A rousing platform to stimulate change, Doctor Refurb is an assertive novel that treads equally in fact, fiction and compulsive entertainment.
