Title: Insanitytoo
Author: Donald Lee Overman
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media
ISBN: 978-1638710431
Pages: 292
Genre: Fiction / Thriller
Reviewed by: Philip Zozzaro
Hollywood Book Reviews
The Year is 2022 and the leader of Russia yearns for the greater glory of the Soviet Union. The respect and power of the awesome “evil empire” has dissipated; countries they once dominated buckle at their oversight. Vocoding, the current Russian President, has a plan to utilize alliances with fellow countries (Iran, China, North Korea) to take aggressive actions around the globe, and do so unmolested. Their alliance and agenda plans to hit its stride around the 2024 Presidential election in the United States.
The alliance of the four common enemies of the United States strikes a chord as real time relations with all four countries can best be described as frosty. The echoes of “Russiagate” reverberate as the scheming Russian President plays his friends to his own will, nursing their grudges against the US and their “Democracy.” In 2022, President Hassam is listening to his intelligence reports with growing alarm, detecting the growing hostilities in the Far East and Russia. He remains resolute in his decision not to ramp up tensions; he is a lame duck President (by his own volition) and seeks diplomacy over military strikes. He is surrounded by a balance of hawks who demand swift action and doves who urge strength and maybe compromise.
The 2024 Presidential Election is heated, the activities undertaken by the Russians and others are no longer easy to be ignored. The inaction of President Hassam is creating fodder for the candidates as they debate the issues leading to the first Tuesday in November. The candidates receive briefings from the Intelligence agencies, and candidate and soon to be President Elect Hopkins is alarmed at the martial maneuvering of the unfriendlies. She is convinced of their intentions, and wants to move before there is no turning back.
Hopkins quickly assumes the responsibilities of President before official inauguration. Her will is strong, she perceives that not quashing the troubles before they consume the world would destroy the world, let alone her incoming administration. Her perseverance marks her as an ideal heroine.
Insanitytoo has the makings of a fascinating geopolitical thriller, the intrigue woven in with the opening words. The characters, despite strong introductions, are placed in appropriate power-positions, and the narration, often using flashbacks, set the scenes with the characters’ words appearing as if from transcripts (or recorded). The strength of the plot and cast of the characters makes Insanitytoo a must-read for geopolitical fans – which includes a very broad audience nowadays.