THE RACE
Richard North Patterson
Henry Holt and Company
Political Thriller
ISBN: 9780805079487

• Read an Excerpt

Richard North Patterson, author of 14 previous bestselling novels, has hit the political campaign trail with his latest effort, THE RACE.

Lead character Corey Grace is a handsome and charismatic Republican senator from Ohio vying for his party's presidential nomination. Additionally, he is a Gulf War hero and a divorced man who is known for speaking his mind and voting his conscience rather than the party line. His principal opponents for the nomination are Rob Marotta, the party establishment favorite, and Bob Christy, a leader of the Christian right. To add to the mix, Grace has begun dating an African-American Hollywood actress, Lexie Hart. He also represents several anti-Republican ideals --- he is pro-choice, pro-stem cell research, pro-civil unions and environmentally conscious. These views make Grace an easy target, which his political opponents hope to exploit in an effort to run him out of the race.

With the inundation of political figures and celebrities in today's media, I found it impossible to read this novel without finding real-life characterizations for many of Patterson's fictional characters --- war hero/POW/handsome young candidate (John McCain meets John Edwards?), billionaire/entrepreneur/multi-media magnate (Sir Richard Branson?), African-American/Oscar-winning liberal actress (Halle Berry?), African-American/former military/ex-Secretary of State (Colin Powell?) and scheming political puppeteer (Karl Rove?).

While it was somewhat distracting to follow these characters without making real-life comparisons, it also gave perspective to the events that were to unfold. It is obvious that Richard North Patterson was an SEC liaison as well as a former board member of several Washington advocacy groups. The keen insights into modern political campaigning that he provides keep this story moving at a rapid pace while never losing interest or failing to emphasize the many issues the novel is tackling.

Grace not only faces an uphill battle for his party's nomination but he also is fighting to keep potentially career-ending secrets from being exposed. These secrets surround both his guilt over the death of a Gulf War comrade due to his maybe less-than-heroic actions as well as the fact that his younger brother (who committed suicide while at a military academy) was homosexual. Grace's radical, non-Republican views, coupled with his interracial affair with Lexie Hart, might be enough to cost him the nomination; exposure of his "secrets" would ensure that.

The depiction of the three-man race for the party's nomination is well-captured by Patterson, and there are many pitfalls facing Grace as a result of his opponents. Rob Marotta and his campaign manager, Magnus Price, go so far as to present Grace as a "Manchurian Candidate" who may be in league with Al-Qaeda, while Bob Christy pressures Grace on Christian ideals that oppose same-sex marriage and abortion rights. Toss in the fact that Grace fires his own campaign manager midway through the race and you can't help but wonder how he can overcome all these obstacles to secure his party's nomination.

The ending of this taut political thriller provides an unexpected twist, and there were just enough political betrayals and posturing throughout the tale to keep my interest to the very end. With the 2008 presidential race almost upon us, THE RACE proves to be a timely and compelling read.

    --- Reviewed by Ray Palen

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