Title: The Moment of Menace
Author: Joe Rothstein
Publisher: Gold Standard Publications
ISBN: 97809976999851
Pages: 345
Genre: Literature & Fiction / Political Thriller
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Pacific Book Review
The past few decades in our world have brought into question how we view democracy and democratic governments as a whole. While the United States is a prime and prominent example of this argument, the world has seen people becoming divided on how we approach topics such as denuclearization, gun control, discrimination, police brutality, and so much more. Recent years have seen politicians rise not from lawmaking backgrounds, but businessmen who run with little political experience, and make changes which benefited America. Having a system in place to make sure not one person rises above the power they were given by the people is crucial to a democracy. As Beau Willmon once said, “The checks and balances is a way to prevent government from either devolving into an autocratic tyranny or an autocratic mob mentality.”
In author Joe Rothstein’s political thriller, The Moment of Menace, the author explores the battle of wills between a democracy and the autocratic elite who hope to rule the United States instead. Building upon the author’s second book in a series about a Mexican-American heiress who is elected President of the United States, the third book in this series finds the President, nicknamed Tenny, fighting against an elite group of businessmen and women, scientists, intelligence officers and military leaders who have gathered together under the group “The Salvation Project” in an effort to take control away from corrupt political systems. Yet their mission has swayed towards murder and corruption themselves, and Tenny faces off to the final battle to prove whether a democratic government can truly rule in place of an autocratic elite.
This is a heart-pounding and entertaining read. The author did an amazing job of crafting a narrative that played equally with the politics of Washington with both the international and domestic action and suspense of a good thriller. The tension and heavy atmosphere is evident early on in the narrative, as life and death takes and global conspiracy take center stage within the book’s first chapter alone. From there, a heart-pounding adrenaline ride of backroom politics and dangerous moves from a shadow cabal will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
The author created a truly engaging read which will fit perfectly with fans of political thrillers, especially those that feature a unique balance of action and politics and suspense. As a fan of this genre, I was absolutely floored by the incredible world-building and intrigue the author was able to achieve. The cast of characters felt vibrant and seemed to just jump right off the page, and allowed for readers to get fully engrossed in this narrative.
Haunting, high-octane, and engaging, author Joe Rothstein’s The Moment of Menace is a must-read political thriller of 2022. The novel perfectly stands on its own two feet while also curating both a returning cast of characters and newcomers alike to allow longtime readers of this series the opportunity to see the evolution of characters like President Tenny and others. The emphasis on the issues facing our world today and the need to push aside old political ideals made this story’s plot so interesting, and I couldn’t put it down!
