The idea that naturalists, nature writers, artisans, architects, culture critics would be considered as subversives or terrorists - seems more bizarre than many SF premises. It's hard to say if Lopez believes that free speech and personal freedom are seriously threatened by America's war on terrorism. He is however clearly upset by fact that his vision of nature and reality is a minority vision, and perhaps a marginal vision.

Each story an argument for the values that Lopez and other post-modern culture critics and nature writers take seriously. There is no story or plot. The narrative voices of the characters are indistinguishable from one another. All the characters are introspective, self-centered, self-righteous and bitter.

The members of Lopez's fictional band of Rainbow warriors opted out of the conventional life, and led the lives they wanted, but are upset that they aren't being applauded for it. As lead narrator Owen Daniels explains, he and his friends "cannot tell our people a story that sticks." He attributes the indifference of America to his kind of story to a mass addiction to mediated entertainments and pop culture. Lopez inadvertently illustrates the ponderous self-importance of the American New Left, its contempt for the good judgment of ordinary people, and its well-founded frustration at being on the margins of real life.

"Resistance" is worthwhile. Lopez is a wonderful writer, He challenges his readers, and while he may not have made his point decisively, he presented it gracefully.

At the same time, I would say that writers like Wendell Berry and Barbara Kingsolver have also made the same points gracefully, and in a more constructive and realistic way.

(A short version of this review was published in the Winnipeg Free Press on Sunday July 4, 2004).