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34 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
On the Edge, December 17, 2008
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Richard North Patterson is an expert in providing courtroom drama that teaches the reader about the justice system, the corporate world, and the human heart.
In his new novel, "Eclipse," Patterson places his protagonist Damon Pierce in the midst of a power struggle between environmentalists, tribal groups in Luandia, and the conglomerate of petro-dollars and corruption symbolized by Luandia's corrupt, sadistic leadership.
Into this toxic political mix, Patterson throws Damon Pierce's abiding friendship and love for Marissa, a beautiful American he met at the University where Marissa's activist husband was speaking.
Years pass; Marissa continues to correspond with Pierce. Husband Bobby is in mortal danger from his activism. Only Pierce can rescue them.
The environmental disaster in Luandia matches up with the melt-down of Pierce's control over both his emotions and his own safety as he travels to Africa to defend Bobby Okari.
A compelling, if sometimes preachy, look at the Luandian people in the hands of greedy leaders and corporations where nothing matters more than money in the pockets of those who have the power to bring about change.
Advice to reader: do not let the first 50 pages impel you to toss this book. It gets better and better to the final explosive chapters.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
"We demand an end to their tyranny.", December 30, 2008
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Richard North Patterson's "Eclipse" takes place in the fictional West African nation of Luandia. One of the protagonists, Bobby Okari, is a Mandela-like figure who decides to organize his followers in protest against Luandia's dictatorial ruler, General Karama, and his henchmen, particularly the sadistic Colonel Okimbo. Although Okari espouses civil disobedience and non-violence, his adversaries do not hesitate to rape defenseless women, inflict torture, commit murder, burn villages, and despoil the land of its natural resources. Luandia is polluted, lawless, as well as economically, physically, and spiritually blighted. Karama has suspended the constitution, those who dare to speak out are incarcerated without trial by jury, and newspapers are shut down to prevent them from publicizing the outrages being perpetrated by Karama's corrupt government. Okari's goal is to foster regime change by rallying world opinion against the power brokers that are destroying the country for personal gain. Bobby demands that ordinary Luandians receive their fair share of "oil monies for schools, roads, clinics, [and] clean water to drink." His naiveté may cost him dearly.
Bobby's wife, Marissa, is a biracial woman who was born in America and followed her husband to Africa to support his crusade. She is terrified that Bobby's activism will cost him his life. Her close friend, Damon Pierce, is a California attorney who has carried a torch for Marissa since their college days. When Bobby is thrown in prison on trumped up charges, Damon offers his expertise to try to free him. However, what can one individual do to defeat an autocracy with strong ties to the oil-hungry United States?
Patterson is to be commended for his social conscience and for the considerable research that he conducted in order to produce this timely novel. Unfortunately, he falls into a common trap that tends to trip up writers who try to deliver a message in a work of fiction. The author lectures us repeatedly through his characters' stilted dialogue. He rails against the greed of nations that refuse to conserve energy and leaders who exploit their people in order to enrich themselves. Because the novel is so talky, any suspense that the courtroom scenes, Bobby's ordeal, and the budding romance between Damon and Marissa generate gradually drains away. What should have been an exciting and fast-paced thriller instead becomes a well-meaning but rather dull diatribe against the ways in which "oil blackens everything it touches."
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A thought-provoking, timely novel, March 9, 2009
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Truly, this is a novel of our time. Set in the fictional, oil-rich African nation of Luandia, we find Bobby Okari, a well-spoken leader of an ethnic group called the Asari, who is trying, in true Mandela-like fashion, to achieve change through dialogue and peaceful protest. Opposing him is Karama Savior, the sadistic, power-hungry dictator who runs the country. Greed has ravaged the country, corrupting every level of government, and pollution is rampant thanks to those wishing to siphon off oil to make their own profit. The main company drilling for oil is PetroGlobal (or PGL), an American company.
When 3 PGL workers are found lynched, Bobby finds himself arrested on charges of murder and sedition, after having watched the annihilation of his village, and the slaughter of every inhabitant, at the hands of the military, led by Karama's top general Okimbo.
Drawn into the trial is Damon Pierce, an American lawyer, who years ago fell in love with Bobby's wife. He now finds himself risking his very life for the Okaris in a country where no one can be trusted, bribes are a way of life, and those who disagree with the regime routinely disappear.
The novel highlights our greed for oil, and the effect that this resource has on the countries who have it. At what point do we draw the line and ignore human rights abuses, or even genocide, when to pursue them could threaten our oil supply, potentially posing a risk to national security? Do we have absolute morals or are they subject to negotiation?
These, then, are the principle questions the reader must ask himself as he finds himself inexorably drawn to the conclusion, desperately hoping for some way out for Bobby.
Using Nigeria as a model for his fictional country, and a similar situation that actually happened, I cannot think of a more timely novel, or a more disturbing concept than our morals being held ransom for the cost of cheap gas.
I highly recommend this book.
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