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Boston By Zach Buscher What better time to release a novel concerning the fate of an election than in the most simmering months of a hotly contested presidential race? That said, Gary Grossman's new political thriller, Executive Actions, is no thinly veiled allusion to the current state of affairs in Washington, but something far more imaginative. The setting of Executive Actions is a not-too-distant, yet unspecified, future. Grossman does cull some major issues from recent news, such as the Israel-Palestine conflict and Middle Eastern instability; however, it is still a work of fiction. The plot is something that a paranoid conspiracy theorist would dream up. Seeds for a long-germinating plan to control the government are first planted by Cold War-era Russians, then taken up by Iraq, Syria and, finally, Libya. The goal is infiltration of the highest branch of American government. Secret Service agent Scott Roarke, our protagonist, stumbles upon the case while investigating a botched assassination attempt on Teddy Lodge, a hotshot Democratic congressman and the party's nominee for president, days before the Democratic Primary. The shooting ends in the murder of Lodge's wife, Jenny, giving Lodge a much -needed boost in momentum. At the behest of the incumbent president Morgan Taylor, an old friend, Roarke goes looking for clues in a mystery that incorporates a variety of characters and locations, including New York, Tripoli, Miami, Washington, D.C., and Boston. The action culminates in a rather unfulfilling climax that leaves many questions unanswered, not surprising considering that Grossman is currently working on a sequel. For some reason, the novel is hard to put down, though the supposed twist ending is revealed in the inside of the jacket. It flows nicely and, at 515 pages, it still is a quick read. Executive Actions excels in its dialogue, which is consistently clever and entertaining. This is Grossman's strong suit. The author must have researched extensively, because there is a lot of military and political jargon contained within the novel. Scott Roarke exudes smoothness and, as the central protagonist of the story, he is quite an engaging character. Morgan Taylor is perhaps more intriguing, a true leader throughout. The real standout is the assassin, a skilled character who can easily assume any number of identities, and an expert killer to boot. Executive Actions has a high degree of commercial appeal for fans of Tom Clancy; Grossman may have found his Jack Ryan in Scott Roarke. The ultimate goal of the conspiracy seems to be to withdraw American support from Israel. Executive Actions is definitely accessible to the masses, good relaxing or bedtime reading. It also seems a likely candidate for a Hollywood makeover. It is a notch above your standard political fiction fare. |