Fiction Addict

Genre: Political

Publisher: Howard

Publication date: June 3, 2008

Reviewed by Jeremy Taylor

In today’s political climate, it seems a novel about politics might be eclipsed by the real-life drama playing out in Washington every day. Yet with surprising skill for a first-time novelist, Ralph Reed, veteran political insider and former Christian Coalition director, presents a scenario that is almost as compelling as the real thing.

California governor Robert Long is facing liberal Senator Salmon Stanley for the Democratic presidential nomination in a hotly contested race. Stanley is declared the winner, but Long is not ready to quit—especially since Stanley’s victory is marred by allegations of fraud. When Long decides to run as an Independent, all bets are off as election day approaches.

Dark Horse is a fun read plagued with only a few first-time-author errors. Probably the biggest flaw is the sheer number of characters—too many to keep track of. But the plot pacing is good, and the prose is tight; Reed does not resort to over-the-top description or the gratuitous language that makes some first novels read like vocabulary primers.

An element in the book that is either interesting or annoying, depending on one’s point of view, is the obvious similarity between characters and real-life players on the American political scene. People like Colin Powell, Matt Drudge, James Dobson, George Soros, and others make appearances under thin disguises. This technique usually works best in a parody setting (Roland Merullo’s American Savior comes to mind), but the realistic interactions between characters and Reed’s firsthand understanding of how politics works help keep any corniness to a reasonable low.

If the book has a morale, it might be, “Follow your heart, and you can achieve your dreams.” It’s not exactly the most compelling message for a political thriller, but Reed inserts enough redemptive content in the form of one main character’s spiritual epiphany to mostly make up for it. Objectionable content is minimal but not entirely absent, as certain characters behave in ways one might expect overpaid and overworked politicians and aides to act under extreme pressure.

All in all, Dark Horse is a better-than-average first novel. It’s well worth reading for anyone interested in the sometimes brilliant but often greasy and underhanded way politics is done in Washington. For anyone looking for a break from the everyday drama of our real government, Dark Horse is a recommended escape.