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Title: The Price of Power by James Huston ISBN: 0-380-73160-6 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 March, 2000 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.36 (28 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: fantastic legal, political, and military thriller
Comment: An outstanding follow up to Huston's superior work, The Balance of Power, we return to events in the days after his first novel. Though readable on its own, to me the book is better if you have read Balance of Power.
Admiral Billings, having obeyed the Letter of Marque and Reprisal issued by Congress, largely thanks to Speaker of the House Standbrige and over the strenuos objections of President Manchester, and hand delivered by Speaker's aide Jim Dillon, successfully defeated the terrorists who attacked the Pacific Flyer killing all of the crew except for the captain, whom they kidnapped. These events closing out the Balance of Power, the beginning of Price of Power finds him under arrest upon his return to Pearl Harbor. The court marital, convened at the authority of the President, charges the Admiral for disobeying a direct order from the commander-in-chief and guilty of murder for those Americans who died in the attack.
Meanwhile, some of the terrorists, including their leader who calls himself George Washington, we find had escaped and kidnapped the American head of a mining company in Indonesia and his wife. Also, those terrorists who were captured on the US Navy raid, returned with the USS Constitution back to Hawaii, may be released as there may be insufficient evidence to hold them for trial (this partially at the insistence of President Manchester).
Will Admiral Billings be court martaled and convicted, a pawn in the continuning struggle between President Manchester and Congress, particulary the Speaker of the House? Who will defend him? Will the terrorists be defeated? Will the hostages be rescued and the terrorists defeated once and for all, and who will give them the order to do so, Congress or the President?
A gripping thriller, though both a work of military fiction and great courtroom drama, to me the legal aspects of this novel somewhat outshine the military aspects. The court martial and brilliant defense of Admiral Billings was riveting, keeping me up late at night, and it was fascinating to see the continuing struggles between President and the Congress, as impeachment proceedings under Standbridge's direction of Manchester occur.
The real hero of the book though, fascinating given all the high powered lawyers, politicans, and military leaders, is Jim Dillon, the aide to Standbridge and the originator of the idea for a Letter of Marque and Reprisal (see Balance of Power). A very likeable character, quick of wit and great at thinking on his feet, but not possessing all the answers and becoming sick of the political fighting, is the core character of the novel.
A fastastic novel, one of the best explorations of the "fallout" from a previous novel I have ever seen, in some ways is better than Balance of Power. I never thought I would be a fan of courtroom drama, but the trials scenes were so extraordinary that I just may give Grisham and others a try. An excellent work of miliary fiction, lots to keep Tom Clancy and technothriller fans happy, even Marchinko fans happy with the US Navy Seals, key players in this work! Highly recommended.
Rating: 2
Summary: Balance of Power, part deux
Comment: James Huston's second effort, 'The Price of Power' is a direct sequel to his 'Balance of Power'. Both novels put together can easily be read as one novel and I will hazard a guess that the original draft was just that - a work that was split into two parts.
The terrorist from the first book, "George Washington', survives and kidnaps an American mining executive and his wife. He is quickly killed and his wife is held hostage with the demand for the release of the captured terrorist band from the previous novel. It is unclear in the novel if the reader is supposed to believe that the executive's wife is dead or alive.
The second thread of the novel are two courtroom procedures: the impeachment of the President on the grounds that he is a pacifist and cannot fulfill his duties as President of the United States and the court martial of Admiral Billings who led the original assault on the terrorist island. Still another plot thread is the use of another clause in the Constitution to justify further military action without the authority of the executive to rescue the hostage.
'The Price of Power" is better written than the previous novel because there are fewer dangling plot threads and the main characters behave with greater consistency than in the first book. The author also does a good job with his simple but effective courtroom dialogue sequences which are the true heart of the novel.
However, as in his first novel, the author uses his characters and storyline to present a right-wing interpretation to the Constitution and the roles of the President and Congress. The author misreads the Constitution and expects up to believe in some unlikely scenarios. For example, can you imagine a true pacifist getting through the President primary process? How about a President's mother testifying at an impeachment hearing? Or how about a court martial that judges on the constitutionally of an act and not the UCMJ?
As with his first novel, you need to put your brain on hold for this one, but if you do, you will enjoy this well paced fantasy novel for right-wingers. I intend to read his next novel, "Flash Point' which I hope is more military action than right-wing political fantasy.
Rating: 4
Summary: "A Solid Sequel"
Comment: James W. Huston does a terrific job handling the fallout from "The Balance of Power." While the first chapter with the kidnapping of an American corporate exec and his wife is written in a rather choppy style, it improves by leaps and bounds after that. The scenes involving Admiral Billings' court-martial are flat out excellent. Huston presents great arguments on both sides. One moment you think Billings will come out OK, the next it appears he has no chance to win. I do wish the impeachment trial of the President was done better. Those scenes were just not as compelling as the Billings court-martial. Again Congressional aide Jim Dillon is a first rate hero. At times he seems over his head, but that first class mind of his is always working to get out of what appear to be no-win situations. The return of the terrorist who calls himself George Washington is a great monkey in the wrench. He's more ruthless in this book than in "Balance." Even with the two problem areas I mentioned, the book overall is a winner.
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Title: Fallout by James Huston ISBN: 0380732831 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: The Shadows of Power by James W. Huston ISBN: 0060008369 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 29 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Secret Justice : A Novel by James W. Huston ISBN: 0060008377 Publisher: William Morrow Pub. Date: 27 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: Executive Power by Vince Flynn ISBN: 0743453956 Publisher: Atria Books Pub. Date: 06 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: Term Limits by Vince Flynn ISBN: 0671023187 Publisher: Pocket Star Pub. Date: 01 July, 1999 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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