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Presidential Risk
When dead presidents in a supernatural world play the board game of world conquest, their moves are carried out in the human world. Leaders are born and dictators rise to power as presidents past such as Teddy Roosevelt, Abe Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, and others, plot their moves. One of them makes a move, and an invasion takes place on Earth. In the supernatural world, it's about strategy, wits, and the will to win. On Earth, however, it's an action and adventure story featuring a psychopathic dictator threatening the United States, and the boy who will grow up to stop him from taking over the world. It might seem impossible, but history is being determined before it actually happens. In the end, it's all about leadership, and little Pauli Campo emerges from his meager existence to lead his country in the fight to avert a world war that could lead to the deaths of millions of people. This is the unGame, and the struggle for world domination continues with each roll of the dice in Presidential Risk.
396 pages, Paperback
Published May 29, 2015
4 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bronte
18 books130 followersMichael Bronte is a graduate of Union College in Schenectady, New York, and George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and lives in Monroe, New Jersey. "All of the heroes in my novels are everyday people," says Bronte. "Any of them could be your next door neighbor. None of us really know what we're capable of until the time comes for us to reach beyond the boundaries of our everyday lives. Remarkable feats of courage are performed everyday, by everyday people. It's amazing."
As a young teenager I remember reading paperback mysteries under a huge oak tree outside my parents’ neighborhood grocery store in Dalton, Massachusetts, a small town located in the heart of the Berkshires. I can recall pulling a book from the rack and getting locked in to those novels as the fragrant summer breeze of Berkshire County tried to turn the page before I was done reading it. I don’t know why, but I was greatly affected by a book titled The Fan Club, by Irving Wallace. When I was done reading it, I can still recall thinking that someday I’d be able to write a book like that on my own; I knew I could do it.
Well, the idea stayed dormant for over thirty years while I did what I thought I should have been doing for a living (looking back, it all seems so trivial sometimes) until I rekindled my infatuation with writing novels. Now, many years after that, and many mistakes and many failures later, there are nine Michael Bronte novels available. They are: The Dealership, Presidential Risk, Porchball, The Tenth Caller, Lost Friday, The Brothers, Call Me Crash, and The Handyman, and Homicide: Party of Twelve
As a young teenager I remember reading paperback mysteries under a huge oak tree outside my parents’ neighborhood grocery store in Dalton, Massachusetts, a small town located in the heart of the Berkshires. I can recall pulling a book from the rack and getting locked in to those novels as the fragrant summer breeze of Berkshire County tried to turn the page before I was done reading it. I don’t know why, but I was greatly affected by a book titled The Fan Club, by Irving Wallace. When I was done reading it, I can still recall thinking that someday I’d be able to write a book like that on my own; I knew I could do it.
Well, the idea stayed dormant for over thirty years while I did what I thought I should have been doing for a living (looking back, it all seems so trivial sometimes) until I rekindled my infatuation with writing novels. Now, many years after that, and many mistakes and many failures later, there are nine Michael Bronte novels available. They are: The Dealership, Presidential Risk, Porchball, The Tenth Caller, Lost Friday, The Brothers, Call Me Crash, and The Handyman, and Homicide: Party of Twelve
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 24, 2016
I'd like to start off this review by thanking the author, Michael Bronte, for sending me this book. I really appreciate this opportunity! Now, back to the review!
This book had a very unique plot line. It was very much NOT my usual type of book to read. I'm not really into politics, and I couldn't care less about Presidents. However, this book has the new component of fantasy with supernatural aspect that I enjoyed. I liked how the book took a normal concept- presidents, and turned it into something much more complicated and layered- a game. It was multi-dimensional and there was a lot of thinking involved. Fans of Dan Brown will truly enjoy this novel.
I really liked the character development in the novel but I felt like it was too overbearing. I feel like a lot of time was used to just explain the characters and their relationship and the actual storyline got submerged and downcast. I feel like instead of explaining the characters so thoroughly, the focus should have been more in making a clear plot because it felt extremely patchy to me. Some parts went too fast- to the point where I didn't comprehend exactly what the solution was and some parts were extremely slow- making me want to skim through. Also, since it wasn't explained that well, I got confused with the merging of the real world and the game.
My favourite part of the book was the second part of the book. It was action-packed, and you had a lot of focus there. You couldn't stop reading and you were itching to find out what happened. But the first part was extremely slow, and kind of confusing in my opinion.
Overall, I would recommend this book to people who are very much into fantasy and politics, perhaps Game of Thrones fans or Dan Brown fans.
This book had a very unique plot line. It was very much NOT my usual type of book to read. I'm not really into politics, and I couldn't care less about Presidents. However, this book has the new component of fantasy with supernatural aspect that I enjoyed. I liked how the book took a normal concept- presidents, and turned it into something much more complicated and layered- a game. It was multi-dimensional and there was a lot of thinking involved. Fans of Dan Brown will truly enjoy this novel.
I really liked the character development in the novel but I felt like it was too overbearing. I feel like a lot of time was used to just explain the characters and their relationship and the actual storyline got submerged and downcast. I feel like instead of explaining the characters so thoroughly, the focus should have been more in making a clear plot because it felt extremely patchy to me. Some parts went too fast- to the point where I didn't comprehend exactly what the solution was and some parts were extremely slow- making me want to skim through. Also, since it wasn't explained that well, I got confused with the merging of the real world and the game.
My favourite part of the book was the second part of the book. It was action-packed, and you had a lot of focus there. You couldn't stop reading and you were itching to find out what happened. But the first part was extremely slow, and kind of confusing in my opinion.
Overall, I would recommend this book to people who are very much into fantasy and politics, perhaps Game of Thrones fans or Dan Brown fans.
June 15, 2021
Written in his usual wonderful style of writing which just sweeps you along in the book, and a most interesting choice of subject . This jumps from one 'set of characters' the ex presidents up there in the hereafter playing a game which is enacted in the real world of us lowly humans :) I sometimes found the jumps difficult to follow which is unusual with Michaels style of writing but my biggest problem was being a foreigner I had no clue who some of the presidents were that were referred to in the story. Michael, the book needs a glossary for us 'darned furreners' on the presidents and their nicknames and sequence in history. Some were current and obvious, others I was just guessing :) Worth a read if you like Michaels books and are prepared to concentrate on this one - I loved his main character.
August 15, 2023
I thought that this overall was not a bad read. I struggled with the first chapter and nearly stopped reading. I also found that the first part of the story was a little hard to follow at times and in some ways the "presidents" were a distraction. But as I kept reading I found that I had trouble putting the book down and kept wanting to get to the next chapter.
August 29, 2017
When I first started the book I didnt know if I would like it or not. The more I got into the story it became more intersting. It is very different but a good story. I won this in a goodreads contest.
March 23, 2016
I WAS PROVIDED WITH A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
I finished the book yesterday and have been struggling with this review ever since. Part of the reason is that I keep thinking there is a subtext to the story, but I'm not quite sure what it is. Its a little like tasting something and recognizing a flavor, but not being able to identify it. The other difficulty is that it's hard to identify specific things that I found good or lacking without spoiling the plot. I think these difficulties probably reflect well on the book. Whether you think its fantastic or find it lacking, I don't think you'll forget it 15 minutes after you've finished.
First of all, the title doesn't really reflect the story. There are dead presidents in the cosmos, and they are playing a board game, but that's really a separate plot from the main story. The relationship between this plot and the main story seemed very tenuous.
The first (roughly) half of the book is character driven. I found it a bit disjointed, as if some of the events were presented out of order. It made things a bit difficult for me to follow.
The last half of the book is really the meat of the story. This is well done, and I found it difficult to put the book down. There are a few places where events happen that aren't fully explained, but they don't deter materially from the story.
Finally, there is the subtext (or the hint of one). It seemed to me that the story contains a satirical thread, directed at either people who think war (overt or covert) is a perfectly reasonable solution to global and political problems, or people who think all other options should be exhausted before war is a consideration. There are things in the story that could be construed as barbs for either side. In addition, some of the characters on both sides seem like caricatures of national political figures in the U.S. over the past 20 years. Of course, it could also be my own perception making me see something that isn't there.
My one strong criticism is with the very end (literally the last two pages). It was corny and seemed like something that was slapped on as an afterthought. Fortunately, it didn't deter from the story either.
Overall, I think this is a pretty good book that you will likely enjoy.
I finished the book yesterday and have been struggling with this review ever since. Part of the reason is that I keep thinking there is a subtext to the story, but I'm not quite sure what it is. Its a little like tasting something and recognizing a flavor, but not being able to identify it. The other difficulty is that it's hard to identify specific things that I found good or lacking without spoiling the plot. I think these difficulties probably reflect well on the book. Whether you think its fantastic or find it lacking, I don't think you'll forget it 15 minutes after you've finished.
First of all, the title doesn't really reflect the story. There are dead presidents in the cosmos, and they are playing a board game, but that's really a separate plot from the main story. The relationship between this plot and the main story seemed very tenuous.
The first (roughly) half of the book is character driven. I found it a bit disjointed, as if some of the events were presented out of order. It made things a bit difficult for me to follow.
The last half of the book is really the meat of the story. This is well done, and I found it difficult to put the book down. There are a few places where events happen that aren't fully explained, but they don't deter materially from the story.
Finally, there is the subtext (or the hint of one). It seemed to me that the story contains a satirical thread, directed at either people who think war (overt or covert) is a perfectly reasonable solution to global and political problems, or people who think all other options should be exhausted before war is a consideration. There are things in the story that could be construed as barbs for either side. In addition, some of the characters on both sides seem like caricatures of national political figures in the U.S. over the past 20 years. Of course, it could also be my own perception making me see something that isn't there.
My one strong criticism is with the very end (literally the last two pages). It was corny and seemed like something that was slapped on as an afterthought. Fortunately, it didn't deter from the story either.
Overall, I think this is a pretty good book that you will likely enjoy.
February 15, 2016
What is Operation GANGLAND?
Who is the Black Ghost?
Will President Pauli be able to solve the US/World problems?
This sums the book up “governmental catastrophe.”
Some of the names the writer/author came up with would sure fit out bureaucrats today.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A fairly well written political satire book. Once again it wasn’t very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another political satire great movie, or mini TV series. It was OK for me & finally pulled together at the end, so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Smashwords; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Who is the Black Ghost?
Will President Pauli be able to solve the US/World problems?
This sums the book up “governmental catastrophe.”
Some of the names the writer/author came up with would sure fit out bureaucrats today.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A fairly well written political satire book. Once again it wasn’t very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another political satire great movie, or mini TV series. It was OK for me & finally pulled together at the end, so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Smashwords; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
January 4, 2016
I've never read a book like this. The spoof of the presidents was comical (most of the time), but the juxtaposition of the game moves to the real world was very well done. Scenes and characters were realistic and I couldn't help but root for Pauli as he encountered one obstacle after another.
August 31, 2010
Written by a coworker's husband, so I'm looking forward to checking it out!
Unusual plot-- sort of Dan Brown mixed with fantasy. Not my genre, but may appeal to others.
Unusual plot-- sort of Dan Brown mixed with fantasy. Not my genre, but may appeal to others.
June 30, 2018
This book is so bad I can't force myself to finish reading it. I made it through the first several chapters just out of duty, but I can't do it anymore.
Why do I feel this way?
1. The book is disrespectful, bordering on offensive to pretty much everyone.
2. The book meanders so much, even though I made it to Chapter 11, pg. 74, I still don't know what's going on.
3. There is a fair amount of gratuitous violence and cussing.
4. There are strange references to people's race that don't seem to help with characterization. They seem to be there simply to show how "woke" the author is.
I've wasted enough time with this book. I'm out of here!
Why do I feel this way?
1. The book is disrespectful, bordering on offensive to pretty much everyone.
2. The book meanders so much, even though I made it to Chapter 11, pg. 74, I still don't know what's going on.
3. There is a fair amount of gratuitous violence and cussing.
4. There are strange references to people's race that don't seem to help with characterization. They seem to be there simply to show how "woke" the author is.
I've wasted enough time with this book. I'm out of here!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews