To be honest with you, I wasn't sure how to treat Kurt Schlichter's "People's Republic." It's a raw dystopian espionage suspense-thriller set in a post-civil war America now divided between red states (conservative) and blue (progressive, socialist) that isn't quite flushed out but which still expects you to take its premise seriously.
It's a political commentary that takes aim in two directions at once. On the one hand, at the most extreme American Democratic Party liberal-progressive social, economic and political values, those who embrace them and those who silently consent to them. And on the other hand, at a target reading audience of people like me, conservative-evangelical-veteran conservatives and/or libertarians, who may not be thinking through the consequences of our lukewarm involvement in American politics.
As a suspense-thriller, this is a mediocre, self-published effort. Given the array of impressive endorsements and Schlichter's background in social media, entertainment and the military, I am disappointed by the amateur packaging, ho-hum storytelling and desperate need for professional editing. On that basis alone, this is a two or three-star novel at best. But that's not the intent of the book.
As a searing commentary on the consequences of liberal-progressive values and the possible direction of California as the largest, most blue of the blue states it's another thing altogether. Quite imaginative. And that is the real intent of the book, to create that "Blue State" world so the unaware can wake up to the direction the "Blues" want to take the country.
I won't bother trying to describe the plot as its sole purpose is to give the reader a tour of a possible American future. A future in which West Coast/Northeast States have seceded to form a "People's Republic" (the blues) while the rest of the country (The South, Midwest and Rocky Mountain states AKA the reds) continues on as the United States of America. Schlichter's vision here is interesting, sometimes hilarious (although he is playing it straight) but barely plausible in my opinion. But he pleads his case, and the writing, as social commentary, is often spot on. Enough so to say that the "espionage suspense-thriller" running through the book is important only as it depicts how one unconstrained, old skool, alpha male of a 1980's era men's action novel variety (Kelly Trumball) might handle life in a snowflake progressive society run by limp-wristed liberal democrats, gangsta wannabes and doctrinaire college professor commissars. That part alone makes this worthy reading...
I know this is part one of a trilogy. I haven't read the others and can only hope that the story-telling, characterizations and editing have improved. Because the single joke of the novel is its depiction of blue society. Not sure how one carries that for another two installments. Schlichter is an interesting guy and if he can drag this gig on for a little while longer, my hat is off to him. But I get the joke. Not sure if I need to hear it again in the context of another half-baked plot.
This book is recommended as a 3.5 star blend of four-star social commentary and dystopian world-creation mixed with three-star plot and packaging. But recommended, nonetheless.
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![People's Republic (Kelly Turnbull Book 1) by [Kurt Schlichter]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51EzcCcSB-L._SY346_.jpg)
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Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2018
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Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2017
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Top reviews from other countries
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A new type of dystopia.
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