Book Review
Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers’ Favorite
Presidential Conclusions by Douglas J. Wood is a powerful political thriller with compelling characters. A story with an international setting in the future, with complex terrorist issues affecting the US, Ukraine and the Middle East. The reader follows the life of US President Samantha Harrison, a strong female president faced with monumental challenges. In this spellbinding thriller, the reader is introduced to her unique way of making decisions that affect her people and other countries. Follow her in her dealings with past US presidents and her determination to solve a major terrorist threat. But can she succeed?
It is surprising to note that this book, the third in a trilogy, was written before the most recent presidential elections because the reader might have thought it was inspired by Hillary Clinton’s political journey. I was hooked right away and couldn’t help but notice the realism in Douglas J. Wood’s writing and its prophetic message. I loved the fact that the protagonist is a woman and readers will root for her. It will be impossible for a keen reader to read this engaging story without reflecting on the current American political conundrum. The author masterfully weaves the themes of racism, patriotism, terrorism, and politics into the story without distracting the reader in any way.
There are very revealing passages in the story, especially in the words of the protagonist. Here is one of the statements that hit close to home and call for serious thought: “We are not a country of vigilantes, but we must be vigilant. We are not people who look at others and judge them as terrorists because of the color of their skin or the heritage of their parents. But we are people intelligent enough to know that profiling to protect our safety and the well-being of our loved ones is a justified caution.” Presidential Conclusions arrests the reader’s attention and forces them to follow compelling characters like Samantha and Ayatollah Ali Khomeini until the last page. The balanced writing, the gripping plot, and the strong sense of pacing are elements that make this novel a great success.