Will Hollywood Invade Baghdad Before Bush? Reprinted from DallasNews.com GOLIATH (Forge) the latest thriller penned by New York Times best-selling author Steve Alten (MEG; A Novel of Deep Terror, The TRENCH, DOMAIN), hits bookstores across the nation this week, paralleled by the efforts of Hollywood super agent Joel Gotler (The Firm) who is representing the movie rights with producer-managers Ken Atchity and Chi Li Wong of AEI (Atchity Editorial/Entertainment International, Beverly Hills). Goliath, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea meets 2001: A Space Odyssey," is a fictional thriller about a victim of terrorism, Simon Covah, who steals the Goliath, a futuristic nuclear stealth submarine. Covah intends to use the Goliath's nuclear arsenal to stop global oppression and terrorism, and unlike President Bush, needs no coalition to approve his actions. Among Covah's first demands: the elimination of all nuclear weapons and the public execution of Saddam Hussein....or Baghdad will be wiped off the map. Written before the events of 9/11, GOLIATH promises to generate strong attention in both Hollywood and among book lovers in light of the ongoing war on terror. Its highly authentic and heavily researched nautical theme, based upon extensive research with a team of military consultants, crystalizes an unanswered question about our own national security policy: how far should we go? With each passing week, events in GOLIATH are materializing in our headlines, which begs another interesting question: will international events dictate movie scenes in GOLIATH, or will Hollywood dictate international events? Says author Steve Alten, "The underlying theme of GOLIATH is that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. What is disturbing is that Simon Covah's motivations are not that different from President Bush's. Terrorism and acts of oppression are evil, and we want to crush evil, but evil is rarely a black and white issue. A reaction to an act of violence is necessary, but retribution also taints the soul. At some point, the lines can become blurred, and we are seeing that in the Middle East as well as in the United States. How a GOLIATH filmmaker addresses these issues could potentially have an impact on the public's perceptions regarding the West's ongoing war on terror, but it might also bring to light our "unofficial policy" of looking the other way when it comes to human rights travesties in China, Tibet, and other lesser- known lands." (GOLIATH excerpts: http://www.SteveAlten.com.) GOLIATH is now available in bookstores nationwide and is receiving high praise from critics. Booklist calls Goliath, "an exciting read," while Publisher's Weekly states, "Alten offers readers, particularly young adults, much to think about, morally and politically, in a world haunted by weapons capable of universal destruction." Alten's ties with the military recently afforded him a VIP tour aboard the USS Scranton, the actual Los Angeles-class fast attack sub featured in GOLIATH. "Riding in that amazing machine, seeing what the officers and crew go through everyday to protect our nation...I never felt more proud to be an American."

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