The Castro Gene [Hardcover]

Todd Buchholz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2007

The Castro Gene is seamless, suspenseful and shocking. After killing a man in the ring, Luke Braden quits boxing. While toiling as a security guard and yearning to reinvent himself, Luke is swept up into the high-flying domain of Paul Tremont. Tremont, the hottest hedge fund hand around, has a penchant for the dramatic and a disquieting need to control. Being Tremont's protégé has its perks-Luke trades in his ratty basement apartment for a penthouse view, his gym clothes for designer suits. But there are strings attached, and Tremont is pulling those strings.Why does Tremont need a washed-up boxer? The answer lies not in what Luke is, but who he is. Luke Braden is the only man who can execute Tremont's diabolical scheme. Fidel Castro risks one last trip to the U.S., and one man will be forced to stand in his way. Luke Braden is in for the fight of his life - or the fight for his life.Intricately plotted with unexpected twists and breathtaking turns, The Castro Gene is a knockout.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Buchholz's awkward fiction debut, young boxer Luke Braden, the son of a Columbia literature professor, quits the ring after killing an opponent, but manages to begin a new career as a rising investment analyst for Paul Tremont, a megalomaniacal and seemingly omnipotent financial wizard. Braden finds his ethics sorely tested as he struggles to stay on Tremont's capricious good side, unaware that he's a pawn in a decades-long shadowy duel that originated in the Kennedy administration efforts to topple Castro in the 1960s. The recent decline in Castro's health makes the present-day plot to kill him on a secret trip to the U.S. less than credible. Buchholz, the author of From Here to Economy and other nonfiction books, offers a surprising explanation for President Kennedy's assassination at the climax, but clumsy prose ("The former Havana Hilton droops over the Havana skyline like an addled dowager who's misplaced her bra") may prove too much of an obstacle for most readers.
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About the Author

Todd Buchholz is a former director of economic policy at the White House and a managing partner of the legendary $15 billion Tiger hedge fund. He is a frequent commentator on news programs and has advised many Fortune 100 companies. He is the bestselling author of several non-fiction books. The Castro Gene is his first fiction work.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 307 pages
• Publisher: Oceanview Publishing; First Edition edition (May 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933515066
• ISBN-13: 978-1933515069
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,071,595 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A fast-paced novel revolving around Castro, May 11, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Castro Gene (Hardcover)

What do a former boxer, a multi-billionaire king of hedge funds, and a feisty female environmentalist have in common? Strangely enough--it seems to be Fidel Castro.

This fast-paced novel revolves around the speculation that Castro left descendents who are now living in America. It also offers an unusual storyline. The hedge-fund genius, Paul Tremont, holds a grudge against Castro for costing him millions when the dictator marched into Havana. He picks up a young boxer, Lucas Braden, who has killed a man in the ring and swears never to fight again, and attempts to mold him into the perfect [..]. He also hires eco-protester Cori Leopard to get her off his back, and romance develops between her and Lucas.

Why Lucas and why now? You'll find out as this startling story unfolds and how "the Castro gene" in the players is exposed. The author, Todd Buchholz, who manages a hedge fund himself, has previously written bestselling books on economics.

Buckholz has written a fast-paced rocket-stride that will take you on a wild orbit. I have only one question: there is a logical "disconnect" between Lucas' grandmother and the woman she wants to kill. If Oriana is in love with Castro, then why should she want to kill a woman who apparently had nothing to do with him? We could use some further explanation here.

Armchair Interviews says: Stories about Castro and Cuba are always timely--and fascinating.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Stick with non-fiction, August 3, 2010

By 

Joan Marchand - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Castro Gene (Kindle Edition)

Mr. Buchholz needs to stick with financial non fiction writing. I could live with improbable plots, but this one is totally unbelievable. Not just the main premise of the book- the ancestry of the main character,which I could live with, but all of the plot development to get to the punchline. And his transitions are non-existent.

Even his financial machinations are incredible and crude- a mid sized US company buying a trillion dollars of stock on the basis of one phone call in one day just boggles my mind.

Stick with non fiction, Mr Buchholz. You don't have a clue how to write a fiction thriller.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Grade B movie would have been better, February 19, 2009

By 

Bill Higgins (Oak Park, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Castro Gene (Hardcover)

What a story!!!! Fertile imagination suggests unreal expectations which even James Bond would shake his head in amazement. But besides such a far-fetched plot and sub-plots is the writing. The author tries to describe every event with off-the-wall phrases." Examples: "he threw around Greek letters.....that Luke began to feel as if he were touring fraternity row." "Luke galloped toward..." "Caesar watching the gladiators." On and on it goes on just about every page. Even Yogi Berra's Deja Vu made the cut!

As I said if it comes out as a movie it might keep your interest but reading such poor writing is a waste of time!