Father's Day: A Novel

by John Calvin Batchelor

Temporarily transferring power to the vice president while on disability in the year 2003, President Ted Jay is shocked when the vice president refuses to relinquish command five months later, an action that threatens to tear the nation in two. Reprint.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

483 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Timothy]

The story line was awesome! However, it was hard to read in some cases. John was trying a little too hard to be clever with the writing style. The names of the characters were a little over the top as well. All and all, it was a pretty good read. It was even a little bit predictable but I did enjoy it.

[Don]

Too predictable.

[LAB]

I had not previously read anything by John Calvin Batchelor until I read his political novel Father’s Day (Henry Holt, 1994). It is a fast-paced, action-oriented story that includes elite military operations, back room politics, and White House schemes. It is set in 2003, which was the future at the time the book hit the stores.

The US president is mentally unfit for office and goes into a hospital for treatment. Vice President Garland, now the acting president, sets into force his plan to reconstruct America. When the president serves notice that he will resume his duties, Garland has no intention of letting the old man back into the White House. Meanwhile, quietly and well below the radar screens, a military unit practices for a coup. Well-placed in the middle of the fracas are others who desire high National office. Who will emerge as the president?

I enjoyed the plotting and scheming of the story but found some of the characters a bit unbelievable. The events leading up the ending scenes were more exciting than the end of the book, however. I thought it weak. No symbols or trumpets, no salutes or applause, just the putt-putt of a golf cart

[Erik Graff]

I wouldn't have looked twice at this political suspense thriller if I hadn't gone to seminary with its author and followed his publications. As it was, I found this at the Evanston Public Library booksale during a break from work and snapped it up immediately. Having just finished his rather good historical novel, American Falls, I read it with high hopes which were soon disappointed. Unlike American Falls, from which I learned some things about the Civil War's intelligence services and the Copperheads, I learned nothing from this book whatsoever. Still, out of respect for an old friendship (with a fellow who is now, judging from his webpage, in the pocket of the political right), I finished the thing.

[Tom]

WAY TOO LONG