Richard North Patterson is the Edgar award-winning author of multiple best-selling novels. He could be called the thinking man’s John Grisham.
Our hero, Kerry Kilcannon is a familiar character. He won the Democratic Party's nomination for president in "No Safe Place". He found himself at the centre of a debate on late-term abortion in the follow-up, "Protect and Defend."
In "Balance of Power", he marries his fiancée, Lara Costello – a first for the White House. More importantly, he’s trying to make good on a campaign promise to bring some sanity to the gun control hot potato of American politics.
Kilcannon’s older brother was assassinated, and he has survived an attempt on his own life. Then an airport shooting soon after his wedding brings the issue into sharp, personal focus.
A newspaper uncovers a story, telling of Lara’s sister, Joan Bowden's abuse by her husband. Bowden loses it and purchases a legal gun, advertised as a weapon never used for hunting - only for killing people. He also uses legal bullets that are designed to implode inside a victim and tear that person apart. He is ‘legally’ armed to the teeth and he commits murder. He leaves the first family, along with the rest of the nation, grief-stricken.
Kilcannon sets out to make major changes to existing gun laws and thus begins a major political war. He vows to eradicate gun violence and crush the most powerful lobby in Washington – the Sons of the Second Amendment (SSA).
Enter our villain, Senate Majority Leader Frank Fasano. The SSA declares all-out war on Kerry Kilcannon. Fasano is used to deploy the SSA’s arsenal of money and intimidation to destroy his presidency. A high-stakes game ensues. The charismatic, untested young President is determined to win. But at what cost?
This eagle eye’s view of American politics is frightening. If one accepts that this may be the way the government is forced to behave, it means that the USA is a tragedy awaiting a catalyst that will thrust it into an abyss. And Bill Clinton testifies to the accuracy of the Washington plot lines in a blurb on the cover.
Patterson was a trial attorney before he turned best-selling author. He continues to pursue and examine the most volatile of American issues.
At time, “Balance of Power” made me feel as though I was in a legal or political class, but it kept me on the edge of my seat. Patterson has a rare story telling gift. He entertains while he informs.
In the end, being the extraordinary author he is, he raises more questions than he answers. And although one feels one knows where Patterson stands on the gun control issue, he allows the reader to take his own ideological stand.
Patterson’s characters are well crafted and he has made use of a compelling plot. He ties it all together in one brilliant legal drama. “Balance of Power” is classified as a legal / political thriller. It is much more than that, which probably means that it won’t sell. I don’t think the “Have a nice day” American society is ready for this wake-up call – yet!
review 2003/2004