Tag: Political Fiction

‘Looking for Tank Man’ is Ha Jin’s Powerful Reckoning with Memory and Protest

‘Looking for Tank Man’ by Ha Jin. Photo: Other Press

Book Spotlight: Looking for Tank Man by Ha Jin

From Ha Jin, the acclaimed author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Waiting, comes a riveting and timely new novel Looking for Tank Man. In this powerful story of protest and suppression, Ha Jin explores the enduring impact of truth, memory, and moral courage. Available for pre-order, it has a release date of October 21. (Other Press, 2025)

About the Book

When the Chinese premier visits Harvard, international student Pei Lulu encounters a lone protester whose act of defiance will upend her understanding of the People’s Republic—and of herself.

For the first time, Lulu learns of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and the government’s violent response. Her search for answers takes her deep into her family’s past, uncovering surprising stories of resistance, and into the heart of a university course built around firsthand accounts of that fateful time.

At once a compelling coming-of-age story and a tribute to the courage of activists, Looking for Tank Man keeps the tragedy of Tiananmen alive in the public memory and serves as a stark warning about the perils of authoritarian power.

About the Author

Ha Jin grew up in mainland China and served five years in the People’s Liberation Army before pursuing a degree in English at Harbin University. He has become one of the most acclaimed voices in contemporary fiction.

His novel Waiting won the National Book Award for Fiction, the PEN/Faulkner Award, and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Ha Jin is currently the William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor in English and Creative Writing at Boston University and a fellow of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

His works have been translated into over thirty languages. His most recent novel, The Woman Back from Moscow, was published by Other Press in 2023.

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The Cost of Conscience: Exploring Justice and Corruption in ‘The Middleman’

‘The Middleman’ is Mike Papantonio’s new thought-provoking legal thriller. Photo: Barnes & Noble

“The Middleman” by Mike Papantonio is a gripping legal thriller that explores the high-stakes world of whistleblowers, corruption, and corporate greed. Drawing heavily from real-world headlines, the novel weaves a fast-paced narrative that’s as timely as it is thrilling. Papantonio, a renowned trial lawyer, uses his insider knowledge of the justice system to craft a story that feels disturbingly authentic.

The plot centers around Amy Redmond, the president of EirePharma, the Redmond family business and a powerful Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM). EirePharma was recently taken over by the charismatic CEO Connor Devlin who she suspects of using racketeering practices—and perhaps murder—to raise the prices of insulin for his own profit that ultimately harms consumers.

Amy is engaged to Connor but she tentatively decides to become a whistleblower as she tries to gather evidence to make sure Connor pays for his crimes. Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis and his law firm have a reputation for taking on America’s Big Pharma, so when Deke’s college friend and Amy’s cousin Matt Redmond presents him with a case of possible fraud, he agrees to investigate the matter. Amy is caught in the middle of a deadly game of wills between a formidable gangster, who in the eyes of the public is a respected businessman, and a law firm that is determined to investigate and uncover Connor’s crimes.

As the stakes rise, the characters are drawn into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, where truth comes at a steep price. Murder, manipulation, and lies blur the lines between right and wrong, keeping readers on edge until the final page. The narration is non-linear, providing the necessary character development to make them relatable. There is not much court drama and the language doesn’t include too much legal terminology; instead, it focuses on the intense relationship between Amy and Connor, as Amy tries to gather the necessary evidence to convict him and Connor’s use of mobster-like tactics to preserve his way of life. Papantonio doesn’t just tell a story—he delivers a wake-up call about the consequences of unchecked power and the courage it takes to stand against it.

Overall, “The Middleman” is a suspenseful blend of mystery and moral urgency. By exploring the themes of family, friendship, justice, and good vs. evil, it creates a compelling and thought-provoking story. With sharp dialogue and a plot full of twists, this book is recommended for fans of John Grisham or anyone intrigued by the dark intersections of law, politics, and corporate influence.

*The author of this blog received a copy for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Related post: Mike Papantonio’s ‘The Middleman’: A Legal Thriller That Hits Close to Home

Book to series adaptation: ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ by Amor Towles

The series adaptation of ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ will be available on Showtime/Paramount +. Photo: Amazon

Amor Towles is an American novelist who graduated from Yale College and received an M.A. from Stanford University. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers “Rules of Civility,” “A Gentleman in Moscow,” and “The Lincoln Highway,” as well as the short story collection “Table for Two.” His books have collectively sold more than six million copies and have been translated into more than thirty languages. His 2016 novel “A Gentleman in Moscow” was adapted into an 8 episode series and will be available on Showtime/Paramount + starting on March 31, 2024. It stars Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Rostov. (Amazon, 2024)

“A Gentleman in Moscow” is a beautifully transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel.

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.

New book release: ‘Love Is Not A Crime’ by Lee Cushing

‘Love Is Not A Crime’ is the new novel by Lee Cushing. Photo: Google.

Contemporary romance novels have many sub-genres and those with LGBT characters are more common nowadays. Today’s new release is a combination contemporary romance and political fiction. “Love Is Not A Crime” by Lee Cushing is about a woman who has an affair with the daughter of the Malaysian king who is executed when the affair is discovered so now she requires a bodyguard to protect her. Politics come into play because her parents are major players in the political world. This sounds like an interesting concept considering that in some parts of the world, same sex relationships are still considered a crime. If this sounds like your type of read, check out “Love Is Not A Crime,” it is available on Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd, and Smashwords.

Lee Cushing is a paranormal thriller author and a lifelong fan of the occult. Having become obsessed with supernatural folklore and the world of horror from an early age, Lee has spent years studying tales of the occult and immersing himself in stories of otherworldly phenomenon. He is also the owner of a number of vampire and horror-related groups in Facebook, where fellow fans of the supernatural come together to celebrate and discuss all things paranormal. His debut novel, “Voodoo Mambo,” blends high-stakes action and shadowy agencies with a dark underworld of demonic creatures and their insidious plots to attack humanity. Lee draws his inspiration from classic horror movies – including Hammer and Universal – as well as beloved TV shows including Doctor Who, Supernatural, The Avengers, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. In his new novel “Love Is Not A Crime,” Bellatrix Hale’s life is in danger after she has a one night stand with the King’s daughter, who was executed for it, and ends up falling for the female bodyguard who was hired to protect her. (Lee Cushing, 2023)

“Love Is Not A Crime” – When Bellatrix Hale watched the video of Latheefa Ayub being executed simply because she slept with her, she felt disgusted that the King had his own daughter executed because she was gay and had a one night stand with Bellatrix, an act which was forbidden in Malaysia and punishable by death. Worried about the King’s reaction to having executed his own child, Bellatrix’s mother hires a security detail to protect her when the King sends a hit team to kill her for sleeping with his daughter. Cara Jordan was a bodyguard, one of the best in the business. Bellatrix hired her to keep her safe from the King’s assassins. The attraction between the two women was immediate. Will Cara keep Bellatrix safe from those who want her dead and will the two women find happiness in each other’s embrace?

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Book of the week: ‘Braxton’s Turn: Watch Out Washington’ by Stephen R. Marks

‘Braxton’s Turn: Watch Out Washington’ is a humorous political novel by Stephen R. Marks. Photo: Stephen R. Marks

Stephen R Marks is the author of “Braxton’s Turn: Watch Out Washington.” He started writing it in 2012 and as a busy businessman running a company, he had little time to devote to the manuscript until he retired in early 2020. His company helped raise money for research and he was asked to join the JDRF Los Angeles Board of Directors in 2011. That experience exposed him to the work of advocacy groups, parents, and the medical research community in pursuit of a cure for type 1 diabetes. Yet despite millions of dollars raised through charitable giving combined with large annual research grants from the U.S. Congress, there was still no cure and no preventions in hand or on the horizon. In 2012 he got the idea for a story about how the right man, in the right place, at the right time could lead the efforts that would result in the cure. That developed into the story of Jonathon ‘JB’ Braxton; a story filled with comedy and quirky characters in addition to serious discussion of life with type 1 diabetes and other social commentary. Hopefully, it will be a source of hope and inspiration to those in the diabetes community and to those who desire our country to have better people seeking public office. (Stephen R. Marks, 2023)

“Braxton’s Turn: Watch Out Washington” – In the spring of 2012, an unlikely transformational figure inadvertently breaches the perimeter of U.S politics. Unencumbered by political ambition and devoid of greed or lust for power, Jonathon Braxton reluctantly enters the arena. Fueled solely by a desire to advocate for more medical research funding to find a cure for type 1 diabetes afflicting his son, Braxton agrees to speak at the 2012 Republican National Convention courtesy of two influential power brokers who see ‘JB‘ as the future of the party. Lance Reibus, the Republican National Committee chairman, is pressured by two important power brokers, Carlton and Cornelius Hale, into giving Braxton a prime time speaking slot with the intent to showcase Braxton to the party and to the country. Braxton is aware of their motives but does not care as he sees this as an opportunity to advocate for his cause and one that cannot be passed up despite his disdain for politics.

Braxton’s passionate speech advocating for increased funding for stem cell research catapults him into the political limelight and launches his political career and a journey that leads him to the U.S. Congress and the height of U.S. political power. Along the way he remodels Washington DC political norms and cable TV opinion shows as he becomes a regular on Wallis Kriss’ Big News Sunday show. Braxton’s monthly Sunday morning appearances with Kriss become must watch TV for much of the country and serve to reshape the U.S. political landscape.

As the 2016 presidential election comes into view, Braxton finds himself in the orbit of the Democrat front-runner, and current Secretary of State, Heather Carrington. The Republican Braxton intrigues Carrington and they form a bond as Carrington faces uncertainties about her desire to be president and Braxton strives to navigate the halls of Congress in pursuit of his agenda. On the cusp of the election, a series of events bring Braxton and Carrington closer together and lead to a surprising conclusion as Braxton brings both the Democrat and Republican parties to the brink of extinction.

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