The better points of a conspiracy point to the inevitability of certain parties in covering up the truth. The reality becomes that once people realize they are doomed to failure, they try even harder to stay afloat even though they know it is futile.

The unraveling possibilities of the characters in “Bloodland” [Alan Glynn/Picador/312pgs] revel in a kind of post-modern niche where old school values don’t take into account the new order of consequence where everybody’s life is up for sale or at least for scrutiny on the next Twitter feed. The notions of power as persisted are sound even within the structure of a European basis as compared to America. Angles have become cuttthroat in periphery way but with the same dire consequences. Secrets have to be kept and bottom lines need to be maintained.

The importance of the African continent is also brought to bear with the idea of non-policed corporate structuring leading to third world human rights violations simply as a by-product of the business. The key in how the narrative is based is stuctured around the fact that politics and the corporate mentality are becoming more of the same to the detriment of the everyman. The unraveling aspect which is the crux of this story revolves in the death of a tabloid princess, fodder for the masses because of her burn bright tendency with dangerous consequences mentality. This lady, Susie Monaghan, just happened to be on the wrong helicopter because of the wrong bag of cocaine, when another high profile but ultra secret take out order came through.

The hero of the story revolves in an unsuspecting but eventually enlightened journalist who because of tenacity and proximity to the players involved happens to achieve “a get” in the right place at the right time. This ploy plays with less than dexterous results because the interior life of this protagonist is simply that of a pawn and less of an active ingredient. The perception of certain characters such as a real estate magnate who saunters in losing his grand dream of a utopian development only to succumb to the killing of state leaders seems a more likely choice of empathy because his essence of paranoia reflects very much in the corruption seemingly abound around him. Balancing this with the killing of a former prime minister in broad daylight brings about more mythic enticements and high drama.

The resolution which plays out more like the final act of a mid-range Hollywood thriller comes off as more mechanical than sizzling whereas the lead up to a suicide scene and the visiting of a CEO to the country he is consequently raping through a warlord has much more divergent possibilities which are not quite explored fully. The jumping structure of different viewpoints within the book structure also takes away from the linear intention of the book which while clear on its timeline loses at times, its omen of suspense.

C

By Tim Wassberg

This is not my typical genre that I would pick to read but the description captured my attention. I did have a hard time following along with the characters a bit and the storyline but figured it out since I would go back to the beginning of the book a few times. The writing was well done in itself but not my type of story. I received a copy of this via Netgalley.