Balance of Power: A Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

James W. Huston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 26, 2009

Off the coast of Indonesia, an American cargo ship has been seized by terrorists, its captain kidnapped and its crew mercilessly slaughtered. In Washington, a peace-loving President's refusal to punish the transgressors has enraged the sitting Congress, led by a wrathful Speaker of the House.

An ambitious young congressional assistant, Jim Dillon has discovered a time bomb hidden away in America's Constitution—a provision that could be used to wrest power from the Chief Executive, a long-forgotten law that could incite a devastating constitutional crisis . . . and plunge the country into chaos.

Now, as a battle group steams toward a fateful confrontation in the Java Sea—commissioned by Congress and opposed by the President—Dillon finds himself in the center of a firestorm that rages from the highest court in the land to the killing fields half a world away. Suddenly there is much more at stake than the life of a single surviving hostage and a superpower's military credibility—as a great nation prepares for war . . . against itself.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

John Stanbridge, the Speaker of the House in James W. Huston's exciting and exceptionally timely first thriller, isn't exactly Newt Gingrich ("He was of average height with dark brown hair that was stiff and unruly. He wore it parted on the side, but the only time his hair looked neat was in the morning when it was still wet") but he is a hawkish, confrontational Republican who can't stand the idea that President Edward Manchester--a Democrat and a pacifist--is Commander in Chief of America's armed forces. So when Indonesian terrorists hijack a new American supercargo vessel and torture the captain and crew on live TV, Stanbridge is delighted to discover a clause in the Constitution that lets Congress go behind the president's unwilling back and authorize military action on its own. This leads to a Constitutional crisis, which lawyer Huston describes crisply, as well as some air and sea military action, on which former jet pilot Huston also brings a lot of personal expertise to bear. There's even a love story, involving top aides of the Speaker and the president, ensuring that Balance of Power will soon be playing at a movie theater near you. --Dick Adler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

A lot happens, to no great purpose, in this lackluster debut from former Navy pilot Huston. When Indonesians hijack an American freighter and kill the crew, the president refuses to retaliate. So the speaker of the house moves for impeachment on the grounds that the president is a closet Mennonite and pacifist, while his young aide Jim Dillon helps revive the congressional Letters of Marque and ReprisalAi.e., privateer commissionsAto punish the hijackers, thus setting off a minor civil war at sea. Dillon gets off the Hill and into the action when he carries a Letter of Reprisal to the U.S. Navy group in the Java Sea and, in an even loopier plot turn, asks to go ashore with the invading forces. Off the battlefield, Dillon proves himself a wimpy washout in a tepid romance; the "terrorists" turn out to be merely pirates; the crisis is declared moot by the Supreme Court; the speaker inexplicably kills the impeachment bill (there is never a word about a vice president); and Huston strives for an ironic politics-as-usual ending. Except for David Pendleton, a silky old pro of a lawyer who steals every scene he's in, the characters are cardboard cutouts, while the book's hawkishness wears thin fast. Film rights to Disney; audio rights to HarperAudio; author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Harper; Reprint edition (May 26, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061703206
• ISBN-13: 978-0061703201
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #639,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #100 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Political

More About the Author

James W. Huston grew up in West Lafayette, Indiana and attended the University of South Carolina on a Navy ROTC scholarship. He majored in History with a minor in English. During his senior summer he did an exchange cruise with the French Navy then attended the University of Warwick in England to study English Reformation history and English literature.

After college he received his Navy wings as a Naval Flight Officer and was assigned to VF-84, the Jolly Rogers on the USS Nimitz. With others in VF-84, he participated in making the movie, The Final Countdown, including flying in numerous scenes and filming and directing others. While with the Jolly Rogers he was selected to attend TOPGUN.

After leaving active duty he attended the University of Virginia School of Law. He moved to San Diego to join a firm and began flying in the Navy Reserves. After a few years he transferred his reserve duty to Naval Intelligence.

He started writing in the early 90s by writing op/ed pieces for the San Diego Union-Tribune. After a couple of years of writing for the paper, he decided to try fiction. Like many aspiring writers, neither his first novel nor his second was accepted for publication. But his third was different. It combined all his experience into a compelling story -- military action, political intrigue, and Constitutional Law. He found a clause in the U.S. Constitution that hadn't been used since 1812. He posed the simple question: "What if it was used today? What would happen?"

His other novels have built on the same themes. Politics. Law. Military action. Some have more of one area than the others, but they remain true to his style and ask compelling questions while providing a thrilling read. His eighth novel, FALCON SEVEN, is due to be released on May 11, 2010.

James W. Huston is a partner in the international law firm of Morrison & Foerster and works in the San Diego office. For additional information on his books visit his website: www.JamesWHuston.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Constitutional Crisis, Military Action, a Solid Debut, July 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Balance of Power: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

James W. Huston has garnered a bunch of fans with his debut novel. Along with Rush Limbaugh and the thousands of others who have read this interesting story of a constitutional crisis between a dovish President as Commander in Chief and a hawkish Speaker of the House, I found myself liking this book.

Huston does some interesting things with his characters. His fictional President, like the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has no military experience. His Speaker of the House, unlike his real life model, Newt Gingrich, is a former naval officer who saw combat in Vietnam as a brown water sailor in the navy's riverine forces. As a veteran, I found both the President and the Speaker unlikable. The President was an un- realistic idealist and the Speaker a jingoistic opportunist. Mr. Huston did a good job of developing both of these figures well enough to make me dislike them and in that, I felt he did a creditable job.

Perhaps the most valuable lessons learned from this book, especially to the unitiated, were the descriptions of the workings of the various branches of the federal government. Despite the fact that the book is a novel, I think it could be used as a primer on federalism for high school students. If used at the college level, I would recommend that it be used in political science courses covering both the Presidency and the Congress.

Mr. Huston's credentials as an F-14 NFO and Intelligence Officer shines through. His training as a lawyer shines through as well when he discusses the various constitutional issues that develop as a result of his plot. I would like to correct some of the other critics who wrote here on a point of fact. Mr. Huston was not an F-14 pilot. The dust jacket points out that he was an F-14 NFO (Naval Flight Officer). That's the Guy In Back. Remember Goose in TOP GUN? Needless to say, while he may not have actually flown them, he was trained to fight in them and that background lends him a credibility not available with other authors.

Mr. Huston, like a lot of lawyers has taken to writing and I think his debut novel was a fine first effort. I look forward to his next effort because this one reminds me of the early Tom Clancy. I just hope that he doesn't run out of steam (or plausible story lines) like Tom Clancy seems to have done of late. While Mr. Clancy seems to have invented the techno-thriller as a genre, there have been many who followed his example and provided the reading public with hours of reading entertainment.

I wish Mr. Huston good fortune in his writing career. He may well be Tom Clancy's heir in the political-military thriller arena.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Huston Outdoes Clancy, Coonts and Grisham!, June 2, 2000

By 

bobbewig (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Balance of Power: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

What if the President of the United States is unwilling to use the military to protect U.S. citizens, and defend the nation 's rights and ideals from attack? What if Congress used a hidden clause in the Constitution to authorize military action without the President's approval? That's the spectacular theme of Balance Of Power, the thrilling debut novel from James W. Huston.

For me, Balance Of Power's unique blend of the fascinating world of today's military technology with the intricacies of high-octane politics and legal maneuvering, makes it a new kind of intellectually-challenging, can't-put-it-down thriller. If you like military/political/adventure thrillers, you won't want to miss this book! It's like Tom Clancy and Stephen Coonts meet John Grisham on Patrick O'Brian's high seas. Balance Of Power's only flaw, albeit a minor one, is that it does not develop well enough the character of the bad guy, George Washington.

Huston has the potential to be a new master in this genre. I can't wait to read The Price Of Power,the sequel to Balance Of Power, to see if Huston can deliver a solid "one-two punch." Look over your shoulders Clancy, Coonts and Grisham-- there's a new player in town!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put it down... a great military thiller, November 6, 2001

By 

"njaviator" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Balance of Power: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

Written like this really happened and Huston was there... I found myself reading well in the the night despite having to wake early. This book will draw you in.

Mr. Huston did a great job with this one. I read 'Flash Point' and liked it equally as much. Though being a pilot myself may bias me slightly, I believe anyone who reads this book will enjoy it. The pace is fast and it gets your heart pounding. I highly recommend it.

Excellent work Mr. Huston. I think the Intelligence community could use your insight these days. be well.