March 22, 2021
In this underwhelming near-future political thriller from Fisher (The Pack), the failures of the Biden administration set the stage for the election in 2024 of President Ian Wrightman, a career politician considered a lightweight by his Senate colleagues who ran on the slogan “restore order.” On July 11, 2026, terrorists attack the Pearl Harbor Memorial, New York’s Lincoln Tunnel, and Louisiana’s Atchafalaya River, killing thousands. Months later, cyberterrorists hack into the system of a passenger plane and take control, eventually landing the plane safely. In response to these incidents, Wrightman pushes through initiatives that curtail free expression and civil liberties. His efforts are monitored by journalist Rollie Stone, who becomes more and more alarmed at Wrightman’s power grab. Implausible details, such as Uber offering firearm rentals and Rollie’s comment that “ambulances from every hospital in the city” were trapped racing to a two-vehicle accident in Manhattan, erode the suspension of disbelief. Margaret Atwood this is not. Those interested in how a competent president could wreak havoc on the U.S. might want to check out this polemic. Agent: Frank Weimann, Folio Literary Management.