The Rake: A Political Satire and Suspense Novel of Presidential Ambition and Dark Secrets

by William F. Buckley Jr.

A prototypical child of the sixties, Senator Reuben Castle coasted through his early life on a cloud of easy charisma, leaving behind more skeletons than a highly questionable Vietnam record, an abandoned wife, and worse. Now, two decades later, his greatest dream is within reach. But his personal history is about to become his political epitaph—unless he takes the direst of measures to protect himself.

From William F. Buckley Jr.—nationally bestselling author and one of the keenest political minds of our time—comes an ingenious blending of satire and suspense, the riveting tale of an all-too-recognizable presidential candidate and the dark shadows cast behind him.

Genres: Fiction, Politics, Novels

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 14, 2007

About the author

William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American author and conservative commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing style was famed for its erudition, wit, and use of uncommon words.

Buckley was "arguably the most important public intellectual in the United States in the past half century," according to George H. Nash, a historian of the modern American conservative movement. "For an entire generation he was the preeminent voice of American conservatism and its first great ecumenical figure." Buckley's primary intellectual achievement was to fuse traditional American political conservatism with economic libertarianism and anti-communism, laying the groundwork for the modern American conservatism of US Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater and US President Ronald Reagan.

Buckley came on the public scene with his critical book God and Man at Yale (1951); among over fifty further books on writing, speaking, history, politics and sailing, were a series of novels featuring CIA agent Blackford Oakes. Buckley referred to himself "on and off" as either libertarian or conservative. He resided in New York City and Stamford, Connecticut, and often signed his name as "WFB." He was a practicing Catholic, regularly attending the traditional Latin Mass in Connecticut.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. Nasty main character. Nasty politics. Nasty ending. Sorry I wasted my time on it.

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed some of Buckley’s Blackford Oakes spy novels. The book jacket described this story as a blend of satire and suspense offering an archly pointed portrait of a familiar icon; “A novel by the defining conservative of our times, about a figure bearing an unmistakable resemblance to the defining liberal of our times.” Knowing the story is about a politician’s run up to the possible nomination for president in the 1992 election, you can probably figure that out. I enjoy the crispness in Buckley’s style of writing.

[Des · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family/political drama. A quick read. The biggest weakness: the dialogue; it's hard to believe anyone actually talks like this, though I admit I don't travel in the same circles once frequented by Mr. Buckley.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was written well I just didn't find it entertaining

[Julia Kotlińska · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

"The Rake" is the first William F. Buckley Jr. novel I have ever read, and it will probably be my last. If anyone other than Mr. Buckley had submitted this manuscript to a mainstream publisher it would not have been picked up. I know this book was written late in WFB's life, and maybe he was past his prime, so I am giving him some allowances in that regard.
I really cannot praise this text, so I will give some reasons why I was so disappointed in it. First off, the book suffers from horrid characterization. WFB has a tin ear for female characters in particular. Not a single female in this text seems real; they are all one dimensional or stereotypical. Particularly painful to read are any scenes between the main female character Henri and her friend Amy. In general the dialogue in the book is wooden and plodding. The text is so melodramatically written that there is no nuance or subtlety anywhere. Especially embarrassing is a denouement that also incorporates the news magazine "60 Minutes" that is not only completely unrealistic, but also (for lack of a better word) stupid. "The Rake" is simply too heavy handed and obvious to have any real suspense. WFB telegraphs his intentions to the reader, almost like he does not trust us to think it through. Buckley's attempts at integrating French (the language) into the text also seem contrived. The book begins and ends with lines written in French, I guess so that we know that WFB spoke the language? His attempts at creating a southern dialect are also the stuff of junior college creative writing classes. Amateurish and painful to read.
Plotting is also very weak in this book, with too many digressions from the main story, all with no discernable purpose. Examples abound, including a ridiculous story (brought up out of nowhere, and then dropped) involving one characters' college roommate and plagiarism on a term paper, and another involving a characters' status as a former Miss America. To all of this the reader can only ask "why?"
"The Rake" is an easy and quick read; it is just not a very good one. It is just another clichéd story that has been told much better, by other writers in much better books. I am a fan of WFB, and his intellect and prodigious output, but with "The Rake" his status takes a little hit.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Buckley’s Blackford Oakes novels and picked up this book for no other reason than that. Buckley true to form throws in phrases in other languages without necessarily translating, French in this case, and uses some words that send me to a dictionary. He spins a good political mystery that kept my attention. You know “whodunit” from the beginning, but Buckley may surprise you on what is done to the villain. He also uses a more powerful device than “a woman scorned” to bring down the villain. Too bad Buckley is dead and we won’t be seeing more interesting books like this from him. Adieu Monsieur Buckley!

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think it's appropriate that a book about loose ends is full of loose ends itself. There must be some obscure greek term for this...something along the lines of synecdoche or metonymy. In any case, it was not a bad read -- a little predictable, perhaps, and not unputdownable -- but I enjoyed it. However, if you want a really fun political comedy, I highly recommend Christopher Buckley's Boomsday.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was drawn to this William F.Buckley political novel by the expectation of a well-written and engaging story. I expected it to be my dessert in this frothy political environment because it featured a charasmatic young politician.

There weren't any remnants of the urbane and witty Buckley who wrote the Blackford Oakes novels so many years ago. This was a predictable, competant novel. Nothing special in any way.

[Raymond · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a quick, easy read. That’s the kindest thing I can think to say about this political satire by Mr. Buckley.

The central character, Reuben Castle, is one-dimensional, a narcissist, and eventually just boring. Pundits would have it that Bill Clinton was the model for Mr. Castle, but then pundits like to hear themselves talk. George W. Bush would have served as model equally well.

Justice was served neither within this novel, nor by it.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The latest novel from now 81 year-old WFB is a little slow in parts and not particularly daring, but it has a solidness to it. The characters are well drawn and, outside of tendency toward florid language on occasion, it is well written.

Not a first rate thriller or mystery but an enjoyable story nonetheless.

[J. Ewbank · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book by Buckley is not like most I have read by him. This was a novel and he is usually writing more commentary pieces. This however, was a good and interesting book. The characters are certainly believable in our political situation and the plot is not difficult to believe, in fact it is easy to believe. Enjoyed it.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the death of William F. Buckley I thought about how much I had enjoyed his newspaper articles, and remembered that he had also written some fiction. This book is well written and has hints of Bill Clinton's political career in it.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reuben Castle, a man of charisma, becomes a man of politics. It is almost preordained. His career climaxes in 1991 with a likely run for the presidency. But there are skeletons in his closet...

I kept searching for comparisons to someone else who ran in 1991- Bill Clinton.

I miss WFB.

[Krista Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very nearly awful! It was predictable and boring.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a zillion years I wouldn't have thought I'd love a book by the scion of the Buckley tradition - but I sure did. Good book.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buckley's first novel, I believe. Enjoyed it.

[Barbara Post · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was okay. The plot and character development were a little thin though.

[Edward Mccaffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story line - suspense builds chapter by chapter - interesting character development.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting tale of a psychopath who fell to justice instead of becoming president.

[Susan Stans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really liked the book, but don't think it was as good as others I have read. Love Buckley's vocabulary.

[Lance Cahill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Talk about a lackluster ending! Buckley wrote his novels while on vacation and it seems it was checkout time in Nassau at the end.

[Noelle M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reasonably well done story. Weak ending.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of Buckley's better novels. Too much summary and not enough scene. The characters were flat. It was a quick read, though.

[The · Rating 2 out of 5]

An uninspired effort by Mr. Buckley.