The
Mormon Candidate – A Novel
by
Avraham Azrieli© 2012 by Avraham Azrieli
Published by Create Space
Published coincident with a presidential
election pitting an incumbent, liberal President being challenged by a
conservative, one-term former governor who is Mormon, there are many
interesting and current reasons to read this book. However, it is a truly novel and has all the
elements of a very unlikely set of circumstances and coincidences that comprise
modern fiction. That said, it’s a great
read.
Azrieli has woven enough fact into
his fictional tale to make it believable and created enough pace to make it
compelling to read. It is a novel of
intrigue and suspense and is, by definition in this reviewer’s experience, a
page-turner. From the start of the book,
the reader is drawn into alliance with a character who is rather difficult to
develop sympathy. Ben Teller is a
minimally-employed, essentially-agnostic, self-declared investigative reporter
with a medical student stripper for a girlfriend and a series of stereotypical
allies (a wheelchair-bound editor, lesbian policewoman friend, dissident
religionists). Yet even the most biased
reader will cheer for this protagonist who seeks the truth (not the
“faith-promoting truth”) about the death of a fellow Harley rider. Through well-researched efforts and a
comprehensive supporting bibliography, Azrieli presents the shadowy world of
politics, religion, and suspense with enough plot twists to be captivating.
This book is not in the form of literary novel yet is very well written and draws in the reader from the beginning. In short, is it recommended reading, especially for an escape (but not too far) from current events.
Disclosure
of Material Connection: This book was received for free from the author, along
with a nominal stipend, but a positive review was not required. The opinions
expressed are my own. This disclosure is in accordance with the United States
Federal Trade Commission’s “Guides
Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” 16 CFR, Part 255.
