Hacks

by Christopher S. Wren

The glamorous but dangerous world of foreign correspondents springs to life in this action-filled, satirical tale of war and cutthroat competition, set in Equatoria.from "Assigned to cover yet another ethnic conflict, T.K. Farrow, a jaded newspaperman, finds himself competing for scoops against Cassandra Benoit, a fresh-faced Canadian schoolteacher-turned-amateur reporter who strings for public radio. Even as she challenges everything he and his hard-bitten colleagues take for granted, T.K. finds himself drawn to Cass, who is intent as much on saving humanity as on reporting the news. As Equatoria explodes into full-fledged civil war, T.K. and Cass's rocky affair is interrupted by a boozy Washington pundit, a TV anchorman with a face that launched a thousand focus groups, and a sinister guerrilla leader known as the Doctor. When the final battle sends laptop computers, television cameras, and satellite up-links crashing into darkness, T.K. must make a decision as professionally and personally daunting as any he has should he rescue Cass or hang in to cover the best story of his career?"

Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

hilarious updating of Evelyn Waugh journalistic satire with a technologically challenged foreign correspondent with keys coming off his keyboard in Africa.

[Hubert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really difficult novel to read - concerns a set of reporters who live and work in a fictionally-named Central American country on the verge of a civil war. Is meant to be funny and reverent, but is very tiresome to read. Also, way too much dialogue; not enough reflective prose.