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Jack Swyteck #16
The Big Lie
As the Electoral College battle for the White House lands in a Florida courtroom, Miami attorney Jack Swyteck has never felt farther from the truth, fighting for a “faithless elector,” caught between a corrupt president and his manipulative opponent—with each revelation more explosive than the next.
The country is reeling. For the sixth time in American history, the winner of the popular vote will not occupy the Oval Office. President Malcolm MacLeod, the Machiavellian incumbent, was spared from impeachment only because his political foes were certain they would oust him at the ballot box. Now, he appears to have secured a second term, thanks to a narrow victory in the Electoral College.
His opponent, Florida Senator Evan Stahl, saw his campaign rocked by allegations of an extramarital affair—with another man. Despite the salacious headline-making scandal and the surrounding media frenzy, most Americans chose Stahl to lead the politically polarized nation. But Stahl is refusing to concede. Backed by millions of supporters, he looks to individual members of the Electoral College to cross party lines.
Gun lobbyist Charlotte Holmes is one of Floridas twenty-nine electors who is bound by law and by oath to cast her vote for MacLeod, who won Florida by the thinnest of margins. When Charlotte announces that she intends to vote her conscience and throw the Electoral College to Stahl, the president and his Florida machine haul her into court on felony charges—which, for some, isn’t nearly punishment enough.
Miami attorney Jack Swyteck is going to use every legal maneuver he can to keep his new client free—and alive. MacLeod’s hand-picked prosecutor is determined to prove Charlotte is unfit to cast a vote. Dredging through her past, he’s looking for skeletons to humiliate and discredit her, while others with far deadlier intentions have begun acting on their threats.
As the pressure mounts, Charlotte and Jack must decide how far they’ll go to stand their ground in the stand-your-ground state.
The country is reeling. For the sixth time in American history, the winner of the popular vote will not occupy the Oval Office. President Malcolm MacLeod, the Machiavellian incumbent, was spared from impeachment only because his political foes were certain they would oust him at the ballot box. Now, he appears to have secured a second term, thanks to a narrow victory in the Electoral College.
His opponent, Florida Senator Evan Stahl, saw his campaign rocked by allegations of an extramarital affair—with another man. Despite the salacious headline-making scandal and the surrounding media frenzy, most Americans chose Stahl to lead the politically polarized nation. But Stahl is refusing to concede. Backed by millions of supporters, he looks to individual members of the Electoral College to cross party lines.
Gun lobbyist Charlotte Holmes is one of Floridas twenty-nine electors who is bound by law and by oath to cast her vote for MacLeod, who won Florida by the thinnest of margins. When Charlotte announces that she intends to vote her conscience and throw the Electoral College to Stahl, the president and his Florida machine haul her into court on felony charges—which, for some, isn’t nearly punishment enough.
Miami attorney Jack Swyteck is going to use every legal maneuver he can to keep his new client free—and alive. MacLeod’s hand-picked prosecutor is determined to prove Charlotte is unfit to cast a vote. Dredging through her past, he’s looking for skeletons to humiliate and discredit her, while others with far deadlier intentions have begun acting on their threats.
As the pressure mounts, Charlotte and Jack must decide how far they’ll go to stand their ground in the stand-your-ground state.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2020
773 people are currently reading
1675 people want to read
About the author
James Grippando
50 books1,203 followers The first thing you should know about bestselling author James Grippando is that he is no longer clueless—or so they say, after “A James Grippando Novel” was a clue for #38 Across in the New York Times crossword puzzle. James is the winner of the Harper Lee Prize for legal fiction and a New York Times bestselling author with more than 30 novels to his credit, including the popular series featuring Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. His latest, "Goodbye Girl" (HarperCollins 2024), is the 18th in the Swyteck series. His novels are enjoyed worldwide in 28 languages. As an adjunct professor he teaches "The Law & Lawyers in Modern Literature" at the University of Miami School of Law. He is also counsel at one of the nation’s leading law firms, where he specializes in entertainment and intellectual property law, representing clients who have won more than 40 Tony Awards. He writes in south Florida with Atlas at his side, a faithful golden retriever who has no idea he’s a dog.
Series:
* Jack Swyteck
Series:
* Jack Swyteck
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
January 27, 2025
“Why would Florida be anything but strange?”
THE BIG LIE is a hard-core legal thriller in a political ambience – the great left wing-right wing divide; American culture; the antiquated and totally misguided implications of the Electoral College rules versus the popular vote; and dirty tricks and dirty politics up the wazoo. The premise of the tale is current, important and eminently plausible. For the sixth time in America’s checkered history, the presidential popular vote LOSER comes out on top when the Electoral College votes are counted on the night of the election. But, leading up to the actual meeting of the college, the likelihood of faithless electors in numbers sufficient to swing the election back to the winner of the popular vote has enraged the Republican President-Elect and current incumbent Malcolm MacLeod. It is clear that he will do anything – whatever it takes – to ensure that does not happen.
At the end of the novel, I walked away with the impression that the thriller was well-written, something beyond pedestrian and merely workmanlike but nowhere near the kind of story that I would award with a characterization of “gripping page-turner”. On the other hand, Grippando’s portrayal of the ugly, nasty, and utterly dysfunctional American political scene was at once brilliant, horrifying, frightening and devastatingly accurate while still managing to be laugh-out-loud, hilarious parody. No reader of either political party will fail to understand that, in THE BIG LIE, MacLeod is spelled “T-R-U-M-P” . And the satire is absolutely delicious. For example, when MacLeod attempts to pillory the Democrat candidate with an accusation that he betrayed his wife with a GAY affair (Gasp! Oh, horrors!), the Democrat response is a brilliant political marketing effort distributing millions of lavender baseball caps sporting the embroidered logo, “Make America Fabulous Again”. I mean, really, how rich is that?
A brilliant political statement that is well worth the read. And a strong ending leaves America’s future wide open to the questions of reality.
Paul Weiss
THE BIG LIE is a hard-core legal thriller in a political ambience – the great left wing-right wing divide; American culture; the antiquated and totally misguided implications of the Electoral College rules versus the popular vote; and dirty tricks and dirty politics up the wazoo. The premise of the tale is current, important and eminently plausible. For the sixth time in America’s checkered history, the presidential popular vote LOSER comes out on top when the Electoral College votes are counted on the night of the election. But, leading up to the actual meeting of the college, the likelihood of faithless electors in numbers sufficient to swing the election back to the winner of the popular vote has enraged the Republican President-Elect and current incumbent Malcolm MacLeod. It is clear that he will do anything – whatever it takes – to ensure that does not happen.
At the end of the novel, I walked away with the impression that the thriller was well-written, something beyond pedestrian and merely workmanlike but nowhere near the kind of story that I would award with a characterization of “gripping page-turner”. On the other hand, Grippando’s portrayal of the ugly, nasty, and utterly dysfunctional American political scene was at once brilliant, horrifying, frightening and devastatingly accurate while still managing to be laugh-out-loud, hilarious parody. No reader of either political party will fail to understand that, in THE BIG LIE, MacLeod is spelled “T-R-U-M-P” . And the satire is absolutely delicious. For example, when MacLeod attempts to pillory the Democrat candidate with an accusation that he betrayed his wife with a GAY affair (Gasp! Oh, horrors!), the Democrat response is a brilliant political marketing effort distributing millions of lavender baseball caps sporting the embroidered logo, “Make America Fabulous Again”. I mean, really, how rich is that?
A brilliant political statement that is well worth the read. And a strong ending leaves America’s future wide open to the questions of reality.
Paul Weiss
February 26, 2020
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I enjoyed this book! I have been a fan of James Grippando's work for a long time. I haven't read all of his books yet but I have read the majority of them. I have found his books to be consistently good and I look forward to each new release. I had a great time with this book from beginning to end.
I did want to mention that this story is a political one. I tend to go into books blindly if it is at all possible so I was a little surprised by this fact once I started reading. If I had read the book's description, I would have expected to see a lot of politics. I thought that the story raised an interesting question regarding the duty of the electors. The President in this story looked a whole lot like our current President. Too close in my opinion. I tend to enjoy characters that don't so closely resemble actual individuals but that is just my preference.
The book opens on election night and once again, everything hinges on Florida. The current President ends up winning the electoral college even though he was behind by eight million votes in the popular vote. If just a few electors cast their votes differently than their state voted, there could be a very different outcome. Charlotte is an elector in Florida and she decides that she will cast her vote for the candidate that did not win her state. Let's just say that things get very interesting for Charlotte once this decision is announced.
I enjoyed this story quite a bit. There were a whole lot of twists and turns that I did not see coming and I found the story to be very exciting. I really enjoyed all of the legal ramifications and maneuvers in the story. There were several different mysteries throughout this book and it was great to see everything start coming together as the story progressed. This book can easily be read as a stand-alone but fans of the series will enjoy checking in with Jack, Theo, and all of the other characters from the series.
I would recommend this book to others. I found this book to have plenty of action and excitement along with a very relevant premise. This was one that I didn't want to put down once I started reading. I cannot wait to read more of this author's work.
I received a digital review copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers - Harper via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts
I enjoyed this book. I have been a fan of James Grippando's work for a very long time. The premise of this book felt like something that could actually happen. It was more political than I expected since I rarely read what a book is about before diving in. If I had read the book's description, then I would have known that this would be a story full of politics. The President depicted in this book was a little too similar to the one currently holding the office and I have a feeling that Trump fans will not be impressed. I am not a fan but I have to say that I didn't completely enjoy the portions of the book that featured this character and felt that the similarities were just too much. I read for entertainment and enjoy characters that are unique much more than those that based on any known individual.
I really like Jack and love the way he is able to remain impartial. Charlotte was brave but made some pretty foolish decisions. There were several different mysteries playing out in this book and I was very curious to see how things would work out in the end. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. This book can be read as a stand-alone but fans fo the series will enjoy catching up with this group of characters.
I enjoyed this book! I have been a fan of James Grippando's work for a long time. I haven't read all of his books yet but I have read the majority of them. I have found his books to be consistently good and I look forward to each new release. I had a great time with this book from beginning to end.
I did want to mention that this story is a political one. I tend to go into books blindly if it is at all possible so I was a little surprised by this fact once I started reading. If I had read the book's description, I would have expected to see a lot of politics. I thought that the story raised an interesting question regarding the duty of the electors. The President in this story looked a whole lot like our current President. Too close in my opinion. I tend to enjoy characters that don't so closely resemble actual individuals but that is just my preference.
The book opens on election night and once again, everything hinges on Florida. The current President ends up winning the electoral college even though he was behind by eight million votes in the popular vote. If just a few electors cast their votes differently than their state voted, there could be a very different outcome. Charlotte is an elector in Florida and she decides that she will cast her vote for the candidate that did not win her state. Let's just say that things get very interesting for Charlotte once this decision is announced.
I enjoyed this story quite a bit. There were a whole lot of twists and turns that I did not see coming and I found the story to be very exciting. I really enjoyed all of the legal ramifications and maneuvers in the story. There were several different mysteries throughout this book and it was great to see everything start coming together as the story progressed. This book can easily be read as a stand-alone but fans of the series will enjoy checking in with Jack, Theo, and all of the other characters from the series.
I would recommend this book to others. I found this book to have plenty of action and excitement along with a very relevant premise. This was one that I didn't want to put down once I started reading. I cannot wait to read more of this author's work.
I received a digital review copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers - Harper via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts
I enjoyed this book. I have been a fan of James Grippando's work for a very long time. The premise of this book felt like something that could actually happen. It was more political than I expected since I rarely read what a book is about before diving in. If I had read the book's description, then I would have known that this would be a story full of politics. The President depicted in this book was a little too similar to the one currently holding the office and I have a feeling that Trump fans will not be impressed. I am not a fan but I have to say that I didn't completely enjoy the portions of the book that featured this character and felt that the similarities were just too much. I read for entertainment and enjoy characters that are unique much more than those that based on any known individual.
I really like Jack and love the way he is able to remain impartial. Charlotte was brave but made some pretty foolish decisions. There were several different mysteries playing out in this book and I was very curious to see how things would work out in the end. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. This book can be read as a stand-alone but fans fo the series will enjoy catching up with this group of characters.
March 2, 2020
Ouch!! Boy did I get burned!! Up until "The Big Lie" I have loved ALL of Grippando's books. I put down finished because I am finished! Cannot waste one moment more on this book. I will never pre order another of his books and that is a shame. If I want to read about politics I will read the newspaper. Shame, shame James Grippando.
Does not even deserve one star....really would like my money back. There are too many really good books out there to waste time reading "junk".
Does not even deserve one star....really would like my money back. There are too many really good books out there to waste time reading "junk".
March 10, 2020
With the country the way it is today, with the government that runs it, being an election year, I want to open a book and forget for just a little while. Not so with Grippando's newest book, his dislike of our supreme leader is clear but I do not want to read a fictionalized version of it. I want to be taken away, can't put this book down, not dread picking it up and finishing it, but sadly I did.
March 1, 2020
Triggered
Nothing more than a sad political statement. I enjoyed these books until the apparent need to make everything these days political.
Nothing more than a sad political statement. I enjoyed these books until the apparent need to make everything these days political.
June 15, 2020
4.5 Stars. James Grippando has a knack of writing political/legal thrillers that are quite timely. This book is no exception. With the sitting president on the verge of being impeached, the election is on. The Democrat candidate is accepting the nomination when it hits the news that his marriage is breaking up as he was caught with someone else. The innuendo is that he is gay and that gives the president the ammunition he needs to run his smear campaign. When the Democrats with the popular vote by over 5 million votes, one of the members of the electoral college in Florida, flips and announces that she is going to vote for the Democratic candidate, the you know what, hits the fan.
First, let me say that I am not American, but Canadian. I do not quite understand the electoral college and how it has the final say, but I didn't need to in order to love this book. Charlotte Holmes shakes up the sitting President and all his supporters with her announcement. She hires Jack Swyteck to defend her in court, knowing her decision will not be accepted lying down. What follows is legal manipulating, more of a smear campaign, the President using his power to get what he wants to happen, threats, fear and a thrilling ride for this reader. Jack is one of my favourite characters. He is not necessarily charismatic, but he is a lawyer who knows his stuff and has morals and values. Theo makes several appearances in this novel, but does not play as big a part as in previous Swyteck stories. There is a bit more of Jack's personal life in this story, but I liked that, it makes him human and adds to his character. This story is well-written and plotted. I was trying to figure things out as the story went along and thought I had, but then there was a huge twist, which I have come to expect from James Grippando. This was a great story and one I recommend to those who like political/legal thrillers.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jonathan Davis. He did a great job reading this one, attempting to add individual voices to the characters. I say attempting because it is very difficult for a male narrator to do female voices and as two of the major players were women, that is tough. The voice used for the Attorney General of Florida, was actually a bit comical when I first heard it, but as the story went on, I became accustomed to it and recognized whenever it was her speaking. I very much enjoyed the audiobook of this story, but as I always recommend, having both a male and female narrator would have made this audiobook version even better. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
First, let me say that I am not American, but Canadian. I do not quite understand the electoral college and how it has the final say, but I didn't need to in order to love this book. Charlotte Holmes shakes up the sitting President and all his supporters with her announcement. She hires Jack Swyteck to defend her in court, knowing her decision will not be accepted lying down. What follows is legal manipulating, more of a smear campaign, the President using his power to get what he wants to happen, threats, fear and a thrilling ride for this reader. Jack is one of my favourite characters. He is not necessarily charismatic, but he is a lawyer who knows his stuff and has morals and values. Theo makes several appearances in this novel, but does not play as big a part as in previous Swyteck stories. There is a bit more of Jack's personal life in this story, but I liked that, it makes him human and adds to his character. This story is well-written and plotted. I was trying to figure things out as the story went along and thought I had, but then there was a huge twist, which I have come to expect from James Grippando. This was a great story and one I recommend to those who like political/legal thrillers.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jonathan Davis. He did a great job reading this one, attempting to add individual voices to the characters. I say attempting because it is very difficult for a male narrator to do female voices and as two of the major players were women, that is tough. The voice used for the Attorney General of Florida, was actually a bit comical when I first heard it, but as the story went on, I became accustomed to it and recognized whenever it was her speaking. I very much enjoyed the audiobook of this story, but as I always recommend, having both a male and female narrator would have made this audiobook version even better. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
March 20, 2020
I've been a huge Grippando/Swyteck fan for many years. Over that time I have read (audio books) and thoroughly enjoyed most of their books. To put it in Swyteck's legal jargon, "I strongly object to this subject". The current President is clearly a satirical representation of our current President. For a while I thought I was listening to a SNL sketch with that no-talent Baldwin. I have read many novels about sitting (fictional) Presidents. They are just that-fictional. Not satirical characterizations of a current/recognizable President. Obviously Mr. Grippando is not a fan of our current President. I get that, and I fully understand his right to feel that way. I only wish that he would keep his political opinions out of my fictional enjoyment.
As for the remainder of the book, it was typical Swyteck and I must say it was pretty good. I will certainly read the book summary a lot closer before delving into another one of his books.
As for the remainder of the book, it was typical Swyteck and I must say it was pretty good. I will certainly read the book summary a lot closer before delving into another one of his books.
October 28, 2023
I hear enough politics in the news. Do not need it in the books I read. DNF after reading some reviews. Very disappointed in Grippando.
I'm keeping this review but with his recent boosk, Grippando is back to his great self.
I'm keeping this review but with his recent boosk, Grippando is back to his great self.
December 1, 2024
I love Jack Swyteck, but I didn't love this one.
2 stars
Happy Reading!
2 stars
Happy Reading!
June 16, 2022
Well, other than the gratuitous, grotesque, hyperbolic caricature of the Trump-like President in this story, James Grippando gives us another solid entry in the Jack Swyteck series...I really wish the media elite, like Grippando, understand their culpability in hardening the political division in America...In this one, Jack is drawn into representing a Florida Republican member of the Electoral College, who has decided to be a "Faithless Elector,” and go against the Florida November popular vote, and vote against the Trump-like Republican...Some real twists at the end make this a legal thriller well worth your time...Good Stuff!!!
February 27, 2020
Headlines
Cropland took today's headlines and tried to make a story. He failed. Charlotte is one of the dumbest characters I've read. The caricature of President Trump is ludicrous. And Jack can't get out of his own way. Sorry I wasted my money
Cropland took today's headlines and tried to make a story. He failed. Charlotte is one of the dumbest characters I've read. The caricature of President Trump is ludicrous. And Jack can't get out of his own way. Sorry I wasted my money
Read
May 25, 2022Did not finish
May 28, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole Jack Swyteck franchise. Family and characters were well developed and presented over a series of good novels. Grippando introduced me to people I cared about. Then the bottom fell out.
I should have learned my lesson from his lost novel: "The Girl in the Glass Box" but, I obviously didn't!
The Country is politically divided with passions unlike anytime in our history. And that division is very close to right down the middle of our population. When an author takes a position on either side of that political divide, to such a strong level that he belittles/offends the other half of the population, that seems completely arrogant and self destructive as an author. It astounds me when a commercial author of fiction would automatically offend and lose one half their audience.
I should have learned my lesson from his lost novel: "The Girl in the Glass Box" but, I obviously didn't!
The Country is politically divided with passions unlike anytime in our history. And that division is very close to right down the middle of our population. When an author takes a position on either side of that political divide, to such a strong level that he belittles/offends the other half of the population, that seems completely arrogant and self destructive as an author. It astounds me when a commercial author of fiction would automatically offend and lose one half their audience.
March 14, 2020
I first must say that I'm a huge Grippando fan. Secondly, I have always enjoyed Swyteck and all that comes with him. Sadly, this just didn't measure up to his previous books. I listened to the audio and it all just felt like a jumbled mess. It jumped around and I found it difficult to follow who each of the characters were. It was way too political...there is always a place for a political frame in a book that has politics as a part of it, but when the narrator of the audio attempts to sound like Alan Baldwin on SNL doing his bit on our president, it's a bit over the top. I was sadly disappointed...
May 8, 2020
Not your best effort. I thought you were better than to let your political biases seep through. Disappointing. Two star at best. I normally very much enjoy this author but this book was a struggle to get through.
Decent storyline but that's the best i can say. My hope is that the authors next effort is reflective of his previous books.
Decent storyline but that's the best i can say. My hope is that the authors next effort is reflective of his previous books.
March 2, 2020
Very disappointed in this book. Way too much slant on today's political agenda against President Trump. Not at all a coincident.
April 18, 2020
I'm a long-time fan of Grippando's Jack Swytek books, but I especially appreciated and enjoyed the reference to the dynamics of the current political environment ... hilarious!
February 10, 2025
This is book #16 in the Jack Swyteck series and probably my least favorite. However, it still had all the things I like in this series. First the characters are well drawn and the stories are well constructred. I especially enjoy the endings. This author knows how to tie up all the loose ends with a big dose of satisfaction.
I also enjoyed the caricature of the president....it was hilarious. So 3. 5 stars for this one.
I also enjoyed the caricature of the president....it was hilarious. So 3. 5 stars for this one.
March 4, 2020
Tired of election media right now
March 4, 2020
What a silly book.
March 4, 2020
Winner! Winner! Winner! Do you think I enjoyed this thriller? It is a winner!!!
May 25, 2020
This book is not as advertised, a legal fiction. It is very meandering and not a good read. Karen’s review says it all, “Junk”. It is like the title says, “The Big Lie”.
March 11, 2020
3.5 stars
The man who won the popular vote will not become president thanks to the incumbent’s slim Electoral College victory. But when Charlotte Holmes, one of Florida’s electors, announces her intention to vote her conscience rather than vote for the candidate that won Florida’s popular vote, that leaves the corrupt sitting president and an unscrupulous Florida senator fighting for the White House.
When the president has felony charges brought against the gun lobbyist, Jack Swyteck steps up to defend this “faithless elector” against the president’s hand-picked prosecutor. Can Jack keep Charlotte from going to prison? Can he keep her alive? Will she go against tradition . . . and law . . . to vote her conscience? And who will become the next occupant of the White House?
Political machinations and back-room maneuverings take center stage in this, the sixteenth outing for Miami lawyer Jack Swyteck. As always, the well-drawn characters and the strong sense of place anchor the clever narrative while the plot twists and turns keep the suspense building and Jack manages to pull off a few unexpected surprises. However, some readers are likely to find the intense political focus of this well-timed tale rather off-putting.
Recommended.
The man who won the popular vote will not become president thanks to the incumbent’s slim Electoral College victory. But when Charlotte Holmes, one of Florida’s electors, announces her intention to vote her conscience rather than vote for the candidate that won Florida’s popular vote, that leaves the corrupt sitting president and an unscrupulous Florida senator fighting for the White House.
When the president has felony charges brought against the gun lobbyist, Jack Swyteck steps up to defend this “faithless elector” against the president’s hand-picked prosecutor. Can Jack keep Charlotte from going to prison? Can he keep her alive? Will she go against tradition . . . and law . . . to vote her conscience? And who will become the next occupant of the White House?
Political machinations and back-room maneuverings take center stage in this, the sixteenth outing for Miami lawyer Jack Swyteck. As always, the well-drawn characters and the strong sense of place anchor the clever narrative while the plot twists and turns keep the suspense building and Jack manages to pull off a few unexpected surprises. However, some readers are likely to find the intense political focus of this well-timed tale rather off-putting.
Recommended.
Read
August 28, 2020I am shelving this book for a while. The topic is just too close to current events and I don't need any extra anxiety!
July 22, 2024
Exciting mystery
intrigue and evil abound in this next chapter in JS’s life. Evenly plotted, an easy read to keep attention on. Some homosexual references and situations. Albeit an entertaining read,
intrigue and evil abound in this next chapter in JS’s life. Evenly plotted, an easy read to keep attention on. Some homosexual references and situations. Albeit an entertaining read,
August 15, 2020
I was slightly disappointed with this book as I felt that Grippando portrayed one of his characters as a poorly veiled spoof of Trump. This took away from the overall plot - a plot that seemed quite disjointed.
I love the Jack Swyteck series and so hoping this was just a “bad day at the office” for James. 🤔
Bring on the next one!
I love the Jack Swyteck series and so hoping this was just a “bad day at the office” for James. 🤔
Bring on the next one!
October 10, 2020
The Big Lie is undoubtedly political. No getting around how the author reflected on the current state of affairs. Normally, I would’ve thrown the book down or got my money back. However, he’s such a great writer, I wanted to give it a chance and see what happened. Given the blatant political nature of the story, I don’t like being preached to. Yet, the author managed to avoid that while at the same time drag out the usual tropes touted by each side without directly showing his own particular biases. Some of you may not agree with that given how he portrayed the right-wing incumbent, but all one has to do is watch either side of the news, or, of course, a dose of Saturday Night Live to get plenty of material to make it believable without going too overboard. Of course, some will never agree with that.
You have to look at the other side too. The challenger did not come out looking like a saint, and that was especially true later on. Once you actually read the entire book, I rest my case, as Jack would say in the courtroom. Once you do that, you may not be so sure which side the author may really be on, personally.
I’m glad I stuck with the story because ultimately, it was a good one, and enjoyable right until the end. It was a weird end, but still sort of satisfying.
I’d much prefer Jack to stick to much less political stuff, as I don’t need to be reminded of the very nasty political situation we’re in right now. Then again, when it’s spun into a fantasy such as this, with a lot of legal maneuvering, and a surprising result, it’s a nice diversion. Recommended.
You have to look at the other side too. The challenger did not come out looking like a saint, and that was especially true later on. Once you actually read the entire book, I rest my case, as Jack would say in the courtroom. Once you do that, you may not be so sure which side the author may really be on, personally.
I’m glad I stuck with the story because ultimately, it was a good one, and enjoyable right until the end. It was a weird end, but still sort of satisfying.
I’d much prefer Jack to stick to much less political stuff, as I don’t need to be reminded of the very nasty political situation we’re in right now. Then again, when it’s spun into a fantasy such as this, with a lot of legal maneuvering, and a surprising result, it’s a nice diversion. Recommended.
April 27, 2020
Liberal Love Fest
Don't bother unless you enjoy trashing Republicans and a thinly veiled Trump antagonist. Has all the liberal shibboleths- a tweeting bigoted Republican potus, an evil gun lobby and a gender-confused Democrat. A waste of energy when I can read the same drivel in The New York Times or The Washington Post.
Don't bother unless you enjoy trashing Republicans and a thinly veiled Trump antagonist. Has all the liberal shibboleths- a tweeting bigoted Republican potus, an evil gun lobby and a gender-confused Democrat. A waste of energy when I can read the same drivel in The New York Times or The Washington Post.
April 20, 2020
I've read 18 books by the author. But, this one just missed the mark with me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews