| This may be one of the most important books you | | | | way to grow sufficient crops to maintain the |
| read this year. Richard North Patterson's latest novel | | | | population; worse the leaders were so corrupt they |
| is a compelling drama that will leave readers stunned. | | | | did nothing except work to improve their own |
| The novel is based upon the life of human rights | | | | interests. |
| activist Ken Saro-Wiwa who was hanged in Nigeria | | | | Bobby Okari, following the work of Martin Luther |
| fifteen years ago. May we Americans, who read this | | | | King, had begun a non-violent movement to seek |
| and other similar, revealing books, begin immediately | | | | attention of both the oil company leadership as well |
| to understand and encourage the reduction of our | | | | as the country's leaders. When his group became |
| country's oil demands that create these intolerable | | | | large enough and vocal enough to become a problem, |
| situations! May we weep for what our country's | | | | everybody turned against him. The only thing that |
| power-hungry people refuse to see! Surely the time | | | | worked in this country was to have sufficient money |
| has come to stop-surely this novel will help you | | | | to bribe those that could be bribed! |
| decide! | | | | By the time Damon reached Africa, Bobby's village |
| Marissa Brand met Damon Pierce in a writing class. | | | | had been totally wiped out, his father had been |
| While he fell deeply in love with Marissa, she was | | | | murdered and beheaded, and three employees of |
| already involved and committed to Bobby Okari. | | | | the oil company had been killed and their murder |
| Indeed, when Bobby went back to his homeland, | | | | blamed on Bobby. Bobby had been placed in prison; |
| Luandia, Marissa went as his wife. | | | | Marissa was under house arrest most of the time. |
| However, many years later, as Damon's wife was | | | | As Damon and his staff follow the events and try to |
| divorcing him; and he was considering where his life | | | | put together a defense for Okari, the story revealed |
| was going, Marissa contacted Damon and sought his | | | | is not only horrendous, it is representative of true |
| help-for Bobby! | | | | events! This is a must-read! America needs to wake |
| The call for help from Damon was not just because | | | | up to what our own greed has created in oil-rich |
| they had remained friends through the years, it was | | | | countries! |
| also because Damon was a lawyer and had | | | | Patterson has many well-written and thrilling novels in |
| previously gained extensive experience in human | | | | his past; however, in my opinion, this is his best to |
| rights trial negotiations. Bobby had begun to speak | | | | date! I commend him for addressing such an |
| out against the government and the lack of support | | | | important issue and in presenting it in what must be |
| to the people. The lands had been ruined by the oil | | | | considered an exciting drama that will keep readers' |
| company's activities, including the damage created by | | | | attention not only to the last page, but on into the |
| the theft of oil by those within the country, who had | | | | afterword! |
| no other way to keep from starving. There was no | | | | |