Synopses & Reviews
An audible gasp of surprise is heard in the background of the camera, the picture wiggles slightly as the blast wave ripples through the earth, a wall of expanding smoke and a dull boom as the sond wave reaches the microphone. A general collapse sets in at the front of the building facing the camera: the façade slides down into the smoke like a calving glacier in a nature film.
We've just outwitted the baddest security outfit on the planet, and millions of dollars of carefully purchased influence has been blown away in three seconds. We can do this, I'm thinking. We can really do this.
CEO and Washington D.C. insider James Sands has made billions by privatizing bankrupt municipal water supplies, but his command of a dwindling resource infuriates citizen and environmental groups. When his partner is assassinated by the shadowy Army of the Republic, Sands begins to lose control of his company and his life. Desperate to save his empire, he turns to Whitehall Security, the massive private intelligence firm with far-reaching political connections. For a steep monthly fee, Whitehall will hunt down and destroy the enemies of Sands' enterprise, and disrupt any civil organizations that still oppose him.
Meanwhile, in Seattle, a guerilla named Lando leads The Army of the Republic on a dangerous campaign against the alliance of big business and government. Charismatic, cunning, and driven, Lando is obsessed with the idea of saving the country from itself, not matter what. Lando's reluctant ally is savvy political organizer Emily Cortwright, coordinator of a network of civil action groups that seek to inspire a mass movement powerful enough to overthrow the corrupt ruling party. But when peaceful public protests quickly give way to violence, Lando, Emily, and James Sands become lost in a welter of assumed identities and conflicting loyalties. With increasing intensity, rife with secret lives, deadly compromises, and false identities, all of them struggle to both redeem and destroy the people they love most.
Powerful, disturbing, and unforgettable, The Army of the Republic is a brilliant novel about what it means to live in a democracy.
Review
"One of the first works of art with the courage to live up to our historical moment. The Army of the Republic is brilliant, terrifying and much too close for comfort." Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine and No Logo
Review
"A white-knuckle thrill ride that goes from zero to 99 in the first paragraph and never slows down: Thomas Paine meets Rage Against the Machine." David Maine, author of The Preservationist and Monster 1959
Synopsis
A war of ideals tears a family and a troubled America apart, in this urgent and provocative political thriller.
Synopsis
In an America stretched by crisis to the breaking point, billionaire entrepreneur and government insider James Sands is riding high. Over the protests of civic groups and the increasing alienation of his wife, Anne, Sands is poised on the brink of an immensely risky and controversial deal that will give him control of all public water in the Pacific Northwest. But when his business partner is murdered by a radical group called The Army of the Republic, Sands finds himself losing control of his business and his life. Desperate, he turns to Whitehall Security, a private intelligence firm with far-reaching political connections. For a steep monthly fee, Whitehall will hunt down and eliminate any threats to Sands's enterprise. Meanwhile, in Seattle, a young guerrilla named Lando leads The Army of the Republic into a dangerous war of ideals. Charismatic and cunning, Lando is obsessed with the goal of saving the country from its corrupt ruling alliance by any means necessary. His reluctant ally is political organizer Emily Cortright, coordinator of a network of civil, religious, and labor groups. Bound together in a web of common aims and conflicting loyalties, the two plan a massive peaceful protest against a conference of national business leaders, which they hope will stagger the Regime. Beyond his control, through, Lando's Army of the Republic has already unleashed a chain of events that will electrify and frighten an uneasy nation. Hemmed in by their lethal compromises, Emily, Lando, James, and Anne struggle to redeem or destroy those whom they love most. Thrilling and unforgettable, The Army of the Republic is a brilliant, provocative novel about what it means to live in a democracy.
Synopsis
"One of the first works of art with the courage to live up to our historical moment. Brilliant, terrifying, and much too close for comfort."--Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine and No Logo In a revolutionary America at the edge of our imagination, two men face off in a struggle for the future. On one side is Lando, a twenty-something urban guerilla whose obsession with saving the country drives his Army of the Republic deeper into a violent campaign of bombing and assassination. On the other side is James Sands, a billionaire entrepreneur so determined to preserve his privileges that he unwittingly hires death squads to hunt down and murder his own family. Against the backdrop of mass demonstrations and corporate armies, this thrilling kaleidoscopic novel explores the deeper issues of love, family, and lethal rebellion.
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About the Author
STUART ARCHER COHEN lives in Juneau, Alaska, with his wife and two sons. He owns Invisible World, an international company importing wool, silk, alpaca, and cashmere from Asia and South America. His previous two novels, Invisible World and 17 Stone Angels, have been translated into ten languages. His extensive travels in Latin America provided part of the research and background for this book.