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Critic's Corner
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"I never thought I could kill anyone. I don't mean in a rage, or in
self-defense, or in a war. I mean killing someone to get what you want.
That wasn't me. But even the best of us has that bad side."
Thane Coder, Green's protagonist in "Kingdom Come," met his bad side
when he least expected it. Thane and his wife Jessica had already attained the American Dream of
home, family, and wealth, and were living the good life when along comes
a temptation that cannot be ignored. More money than either Thane or
Jessica could ever have dreamed of. Think about it. How far would you go for unlimited wealth and power?
All it took for Thane was a shot at running one of the richest, most
influential corporations in America. An opportunity, he couldn't pass
up. And with his ambitious wife at his side showing him the way, his
fate was decided. What value are fame and fortune if you have to kill your boss, a man
who is like a father to you? And what if one murder demands another?
What does it take to make a man pay such a price? For Thane Coder, all
it takes is a back door, a snowy night, and an old hunting knife to
unlock more money than he could ever imagine. Suddenly, the Coders find themselves entering a twisted maze filled
with federal agents, the Mafia, a son hellbent on vengeance, and a
relentless, old-fashioned tracker willing to follow this husband and
wife to the ends of the earth to take them down. Green uses an interesting ploy to present this intriguing story of
avarice and blind ambition. In the opening chapter, Thane is talking to
a prison psychiatrist who is doing a pre- release interview before Coder
is put into the Witness Protection Program. You know immediately here is
a man trying to justify past actions that have no justification. The
story unfolds as Thane offers explanations of how he fell into a life of
deception and crime. Jessica started it all with her desire for more and more money. She
pushes Thane beyond his capacity to provide for her needs. And it is she
who shows him how to climb the ladder to the top of The King
Corporation. Once James King, owner of the Corporation, announces he's taking the
company public and will be naming a new company president, the game is
on. Who would it be? Scott, King's only son? Perhaps Thane, or his
partner Ben, who are the building contractors for the giant Garden State
project for King Corporation. It had to be one of the three who have
been friends since college. Whoever James names will stand to gain a
minimum of $20 million. Scott is totally against taking the corporation
public and so states his views causing a major row with his father, yet
it is Scott who is named president of the corp. When James is murdered, Scott becomes the initial suspect in his
father's death. Thane is then named President of King Corp. Jessica
planned it that way. Oh, she's a clever lady to be sure. She even made a
deal with Union boss Johnny G. "If we get rid of James King, and make it
look like his own son has done the deed, then Thane would surely control
King Corporation," she explains. "Thane would then cut a deal with the
union, use their men and their contractors to build Garden State
Center." Ah, yes, Jessica is not only greedy, her ambition knows no
bounds. What she fails to understand is that once you cut a deal with
Johnny G there is no going back. You become his animal . . . all the
way. Green takes you through every step of the lofty plan and through a
maze of turmoil that not even Jessica has considered. Each character
adds a sinister aspect to the plot, and ultimately shows that not only
does crime not pay, it kills the guilty and the innocent. Green is the author of ten previous thrillers as well as two works of nonfiction, including the New York Times bestseller, "The Dark Side of the Game." Green lives with his wife and four children in upstate New York, where he's writing his next book and practicing law. Copyright 2006, Patricia Ann Jones Save Up to 30% on this book at Amazon.com Jones is a published writer and book reviewer for Tulsa World newspaper. To comment on this review you may email pattij777@aol.com |
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