THE SAVAGERY OF MAN

Devastated nations maneuver to regain power and fight over advanced technology in Kanati’s future-set thriller.

Chaos ensues on a global scale in the mid-21st century: For starters, a second American Civil War looms as states secede and the president is assassinated. Not long after POTUS wrote off America’s multitrillion-dollar debt, China’s economy collapsed and Russia’s troubled government followed suit. In the United States, Max Doss, working for a covert agency, searches for the person or persons behind the president’s assassination, but an even more essential mission involves tracking down a Vietnamese scientist who may be the key to unlocking the alien tech that more than one country has long harbored. With world-power status up for grabs, a handful of nations embark on an “alien space race” to gain access to extraterrestrial technology. Meanwhile, the world has its collective eyes on two extraordinarily influential men: Temüjin (the reputed direct descendent of Genghis Khan) and Kurt Stromquist, who each strive to establish a “single world order.” Kanati’s riveting story moves Doss all over the globe, from Seattle and New Orleans to Pakistan and the Caribbean. The military-trained agent often finds himself in brief but memorable action scenes, like a car chase that ends in a gunfight and a worthy display of his fisticuffs. However, what really drives the narrative is the characters’ political maneuvering; countries are rarely certain what rivals are planning or already have in motion, and Temüjin and Stromquist’s agendas are shrouded in mystery, which stokes everyone’s anxiety. Other wild card factors include the mysterious entity “Mother” (who works with Doss) and “the Council,” a clandestine organization that likely participated in the president’s assassination. The author’s concise, unadorned prose delivers keen dialogue and clear descriptions, and the seamless blend of real-world history and fiction gives this novel a welcome touch of plausibility.

An exhilarating, realistic political tale with shades of SF.