Tyler Conway, a student at the University of Southern California, has yet to line up work for the summer before his senior year. At the suggestion of a family friend, Tyler begins interning for Kevin Maxley, a former city councilman turned real estate developer running as a moderate Republican in a swing district in the Inland Empire. Running against Maxley is Dick Mullhill, a Democrat and … and former banker backed by the Democratic Party establishment. As Tyler learns all of the ropes of campaign life, he comes across conspiracy theory-prone voters, a congressman’s zealously flirtatious sister, and a group of hard-partying college Republicans. Tyler soon learns of rumors of misbehavior and corruption in both campaigns, and that the car accident death of a former coworker of his father’s may not have been all that it seemed. As election night 2012 rolls around, Tyler figures it all out, for better or worse.
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I have been wont to read more and more politically oriented books over the last few years. I’ve read both fiction (usually satire) and non-fiction books about the current petri dish we call the United States government. Of all the books, INLAND INTRIGUE is the most boring account of a 2012 campaign for the United States House of Representatives you could possibly find. The campaign seems to consist of a candidate, the candidate’s campaign manager, and an intern. It is the intern, a college student headed into his senior year, that is the focus of the book.
Michael Hughes has never met a word he doesn’t like. I found many instances of real words, correctly spelled, that were used incorrectly. His sentence structure is erratic and jarring, often separating words that should be contiguous with an unnecessary phrase.
I hate to not finish a book. For that to happen, it needs to be pretty much unreadable for one reason or another. In INLAND INTRIGUE, way too much space is dedicated to describing driving from one place to another. Every highway, highway exit, and street is described and named. Even after having given a micro-description of a route to a particular place, the next trip to that place is again related. Interspersed with the various commutes, we find out that the intern’s family has two vehicles, eat out at favorite restaurants a lot, and when eating at home it is usually microwavable fare or meatloaf.
Sorry, but my advice on this one is give it a pass.
This novel chronicles the life of a young man who is about to enter his senior year of college. He is home for the summer and his Dad procures him a job with a political party-a small congressional seat. The job is as boring as his normal days which as you will read constantly consists of naps, swimming and sitting in the hot tub! Now this is a conservative family–at least the Dad is and so is the son. The Mom and sister are not exactly with them on this!
I THINK that this author was trying to say that all politicians and politics (whether Republicans or Democrats) are about one thing and one thing only–but I will let you make your own judgement on this.
It can be slightly boring–but then so is politics!!
Inland Intrigue by Michael Hughes
Was offered this review copy and thought it might be one I’d enjoy reading. New author to me also.
What I like from the very start are the selections of words I’ve never heard as I tap on them to find out what they mean.
There is not much diaglog but enough so you get to learn more of the family and their views on many subjects.
Very detailed hour by hour at times of Tyler and what he does all day while passing the summer months away. Like the travel and learning different and new things about the campaign.
Love mystery surrounding the envelopes…consequences, betrayals, it’s got it all and then some.
Received this review copy from the author via Goodreads connection and this is my honest opinion.