Audiobook Review: Abuse of Power by Michael Savage

From the Publisher: 

Jack Hatfield is a hardened former war correspondent who rose to national prominence for his insightful, provocative commentary. But after being smeared as a bigot and extremist by a radical leftist media-watchdog group, he ultimately loses his job and finds himself working in obscurity as a freelance news producer in San Francisco.

One afternoon Hatfield is on a ride-along with the SFPD bomb squad when a seemingly routine carjacking turns deadly, after police find several pounds of military-grade explosives in the jacked car. And when the FBI urges Hatfield to stay out of it, he knows he’s onto something big.

This event will open up a shadowy trail that leads Hatfield from San Francisco to Tel Aviv, London, Paris, and back again, as he works with a stunning Yemeni intelligence agent and a veteran Green Beret to expose a terrorist group known as the Hand of Allah---and a plot within the highest corridors of power that will dwarf 9/11.

In this lightning-paced first thriller, spanning the globe from Europe and Israel to the back alleys of San Francisco’s Chinatown, a reporter must make the choice between protecting his own life and investigating a terrorist cell whose goal is nothing less than total political control---no matter what the cost.

My Thoughts: 

I was not quite sure what to expect from a thriller written by Michael Savage. Anyone who has ever listened to his radio show knows that he is a very confident man and not afraid to voice his opinions. A good deal of this attitude comprises the main character, Jack Hatfield. In spite of all of those who oppose him, Jack remains true to his beliefs and ideology.

Like any good thriller, I found the pace to be fast and exciting. The plot comes at you quick and you have to keep up. That is what makes a thriller so, well, thrilling. There are no long, drawn-out character studies or other fluff to get in the way. This book is about action and intrigue. I always enjoy a book where the hero truly gets to be the hero.

A lot of the reviews I have read for this book are negative, based primarily on the political views of Michael Savage. He is conservative and proud of it. I can see where those that are more liberal minded may have issue with some of the views presented in the book. But if you go into this with a mind to read a good thriller, and not to defend or contest political theory, I think you will enjoy the read.

Peter Larkin's voice is a great match for this book. Most of the story is presented from Jack's point of view and I found it very easy to associate Larkin's voice for that of Jack Hatfield's. He sounds just gruff enough to be the tough journalist, yet can portray the other characters as well.

I enjoyed this quite a bit. While this is a work of fiction, I found myself thinking several times that a lot of the scenarios were not all that far fetched. The bad guys are believable and the heroes are the people we all yearn to be inside. I hope to see these characters again in future novels by Michael Savage.

The Author:

Dr. Michael Savage is a multimedia icon in the conservative movement. The Telegraph in the U.K. ranked him as one of the most influential conservatives in the United States, and with 10 million weekly listeners, the Berkeley Ph.D. is the third most listened-to conservative talk-show host. Recently featured in The New Yorker and Playboy, Dr. Savage is the author of twenty-five books, including four New York Times bestsellers. His media presence and profile earned him the coveted Freedom of Speech Award from Talkers magazine in 2007.

Dr. Savage holds a master’s degree in medical botany and a second in medical anthropology. Additionally, he earned his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in epidemiology and nutrition sciences. He is an ardent conservationist, is dedicated to his family, and is a proud patriot of his country. Visit his Web site at www.michaelsavage.wnd.com.

Rating: 4/5

Book Details:

Abuse of Power by Michael Savage
Narrated by Peter Larkin
Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: September, 2011

Disclaimer:

I received a review copy of this audiobook from the publisher.