Floodgate: A High-Stakes Political Thriller—Watergate in the Digital Age

Nat Idle

by Matt Richtel

It's Watergate. On servers.

On the eve of the presidential election, a conspiracy threatens to alter the outcome of the vote—and the future of American politics. At the heart of the plot is a powerful computer program, aimed at rooting out hypocrisy among politicians to expose their truths . . . and ours. Left to unravel the conspiracy is a bitter, hotheaded former journalist, but he's just not sure he cares enough to get to the bottom of it.

Genres: Thriller

100 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2012

About the author

Matt Richtel is a best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times based in San Francisco.
He co-created and formerly wrote the syndicated comic Rudy Park under the pen name Theron Heir. Since 2012, the strip is now written by its longtime illustrator Darrin Bell.

Reviews

[Jami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short story included with a full-length book by the same author. I enjoyed it; it was a quick read and the technology described sparks the imagination!

[Amy Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too rarely do I get the pleasure of whole-heartedly recommending something I've read. Today I'm thrilled to tell my readers you MUST read the just-released short story Floodgate by author and Pulitzer prize winner Matt Richtel. You won't find a better hour's entertainment for 99 cents. And you might discover a new favorite thriller writer.

I'm a fan of Matt Richtel, both his science-oriented journalism for the New York Times and his fiction. Check out my review of his science thriller novel  Devil's Plaything and you'll  see how impressed I was by his writing style, originality, and use of San Francisco as a setting. In summary, his voice is singular and compelling.

Richtel's new ebook exclusive short story Floodgate will give you the opportunity to sample his voice and see if it appeals to you as much as it did to me. Floodgate is a teaser for Richtel's next novel The Cloud, due for release in January 2013. I'm not exactly sure what the relationship is between the two stories but I guarantee The Cloud will be a great read. You can pre-order it now to make sure you don't miss it.

Oh, about the story...From the book blurb:

It's Watergate. On servers.

On the eve of the presidential election, a conspiracy threatens to alter the outcome of the vote—and the future of American politics. At the heart of the plot is a powerful computer program, aimed at rooting out hypocrisy among politicians to expose their truths . . . and ours. Left to unravel the conspiracy is a bitter, hotheaded former journalist, but he's just not sure he cares enough to get to the bottom of it.

Sounds like a lot of plot and character to tackle in a short story, but Richtel does it. Floodgate delivers everything you expect from a great thriller--in a fraction of the time. As in his novel Devil's Plaything, this story is about science/technology and society--no laboratories or killer viruses here. Download Floodgate to your favorite portable device, lay off the Angry Birds for a while, and enjoy a great short read.

[Beverly Swerling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very scary short story about an ex-journalist - bitter, cynical - who comes across a plot to use a computer program to hijack the next election. Richtel calls it Watergate on steroids, and it made me remember why I think he's such a great thriller writer, and am anticipating the release of his next novel. Which, we're told, is previewed in the 100 page Kindle shortie he wrote as a teaser. Bears mentioning that Richtel is a Pulitzer-prize winning NYTimes reporter on technology. Floodgate is ninety-nine cents worth of entertainment for sure. And for those of us with lots of electronic gizmos in our lives, pretty unnerving.

[Bob Sipes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent short story that leaves you wishing it was 500 pages long. The premise is timely and more realistic than most of the public realize. The author spends just enough time on the main character to make him important to the reader, but not enough time to make the reader care. The story ends in a rather tidy fashion and leaves the protagonist available for another story.

I recommend this story to all, but especially those interested in political thrillers, espionage, security, and technology. My only wish is that the author had not wasted such a great premise on a short story.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was included in the back of my copy of Richtel's novel The Cloud, which I received through the Goodreads Firstreads program.

The POV character, Zach Coles, an ex-journalist now doing office work for a political watchdog company, is drowning the sorrows of underemployment at the bar when a burly man approaches him and offers him $1500 to steal a flash drive from his boss's safe. If he doesn't, a little boy who may or may not be Coles' son will be killed.....

A very gripping story from beginning to end. I heartily enjoyed it.....

[Binay Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, suspenseful story on what technology can do to our everyday life, with a twist. It reminded me of a scene out of a movie...left me wanting more.

[Binay Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling, suspenseful and thought provoking short story, reds it-99 cents!

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Floodgate is a great, quick novella about political conspiracies in the digital age. Highly entertaining and fast paced.