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| Plot Summary of Balance of Power |
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"
Ballantine, Oct 2003, 27.95, 624 pp.
ISBN: 0345450175
Desperate and frightened Joan Bowden, sister of the First Lady, calls her brother in law, President Kerry Kilcannon because he once promised to help her. A repeat physical abuse victim, she tells Kerry that her husband John held a gun to her head, placing not only Joan in danger, but their six-year-old daughter Marie as well. From his days as a prosecutor Kerry knows first hand the consequences of battered wife syndrome so he and Lara try to help.
Tragedy occurs anyway. In DC sides on the gun control issue begin to form for another war. The Sons of the Second Amendment (SSA) have gun lobbyists with senators spouting apple pie challenge the bloody pulpit of the President and his congressional supporters, sick of massacres and innocent children dying. The Congress is bitter and divided by party lines as the debate turns ugly, personal, and acrimonious.
The third Kilcannon tale (see NO SAFE PLACE and PROTECT AND DEFEND) is a powerful, in your face, condemnation of the American political system that abets gun violence. Author Richard North Patterson makes no apologies as he denounces a system in which money buys Congressional votes, ethics mean nothing, and the second amendment is used as a convenient wrapper though the political infighting on the hill seems to simple. Fans on the side of seat belts on guns will appreciate this strong chiding of the American way while those who oppose any restriction will detest the novel.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Balance of Power |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
Spying/Terrorism Thriller
Yes
Cloak & Dagger Plotlets:
- power struggle within govt between two factions
- leader trying to reform
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- politician/elected ruler
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- politician/elected ruler
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- power
The antagonists are:
- evil politicians
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Southeast
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 0 (not a murder mystery)
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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