This debut novel by Michael Ginsberg, who served as Senior Associate General Counsel in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence is a frightening fantasy – at least I want to believe it is a fantasy – of an America crippled by debt facing a China that is seeking to destroy capitalism. Actually, summarizing it like that it doesn’t sound that fantastical, which makes it even more frightening.

For decades financial experts have warned us that as a country we are living beyond our means. Difficult decisions have been deferred – figuratively kicked down the road. In the Debt Bomb, we are presented with a frightening picture of what happens when that road ends.

For years, China's spy agency has been watching the United States rack up trillions of dollars in debt, waiting for the right moment to weaponize that debt to collapse the American government and install a Communist puppet regime. At the same time, suburban accountant Andrea Gartner, an outspoken critic of the debt, is brought into the government by the President. Thrown into the world of politics and surrounded by crises on all sides, Andrea begins a desperate effort to save the United States.

I have mixed feelings about this political thriller. On one hand the story is really out there and sometimes it feels so ridiculous and dumb that I want to throw the book away, but on the other hand I could not stop reading. The story is fast paced and the characters is interesting to follow and I just had to know how it ended. Despite the shortcomings of the book I enjoyed it and I'm glad that I took the time to read it. If there will be more books about Andrea Gartner I'll definitely read them.

Thanks to the author, BQB Publishing and NetGalley for this arc.

Debt Bomb by Michael E. Ginsberg

Bravo to Mr. Ginsberg for a very interesting 1st novel. The plot is the key while the characters are under-developed. The story takes place in 2027 and centers around a plot by China to force the US to pay down its debt to China or be forced to turn over 4 trillion dollars of assets to be placed on ships and sent to China.
The main character is Andrea Gartner as a suburban accountant has seen in her family’s life as well as her clients the destruction of bankruptcy. She somehow comes to be the head of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in Washington DC under a new president. One month into the new presidency the Chinese pulled the plug and the US with Andrea in charge is trying to figure out how to pull the US out of financial default. I won’t spoil the story completely but only say they fail. For this reason, the book is both compelling and also hard to read knowing we are close to this debt bomb. I know there are holes in the plot. For instance, it is not clear why the Market does not bail out the US given the Stock Market will crash. But this is fiction at least I hope is not a forecast for the not so distance future. Well worth the read.

Well, my goodness. I have done almost 600 reviews for NetGalley, and can always find something good to say about a book. That is, up until now. This has to go down as the absolute worst book that I have ever read.
The premise was good. The American government's penchant for running up massive debts finally catches up with it. No more credit will be extended. One can imagine the chaos that would follow.
Rather, one thinks that you can imagine the chaos. The author manages to go so far off the rails, it feels like he lives in a completely different galaxy than the rest of us.
But before we get to the REALLY crazy stuff, let's start with some just mildly outlandish ideas. Like the newly elected President selecting an unknown CPA of a one person tax firm to run the OMB. No prior government experience, no experience dealing with multi-level organizations, nothing. Just go down to the local Wal-Mart and yank one of the tax preparers sitting in one of those little folding tables and have them write the world's most complicated budget! Then ignore everyone else in your government, your other cabinet members (who get almost no mention in the book), Congress, any think tank people, or any professional at all.
And our budget is so bad that we have to shut off the lights to all the monuments. And let the elderly die in the streets because we can't provide medicine. And let people bleed to death in automobile accidents, because we can't afford to fuel the ambulances. We even have to let the President run around town in the CPA's beat up old car, because his limos are not running.
Add in a mysterious Chinese woman who runs all the nefarious plots against America, some Russian spies, and several compromised, Manchurian candidates, who are highly placed senior government officials.
Add in a shooting war with the Chinese. One where the CPA's highly esteemed feelings take priority over ALL of the generals in the military. One where the rest of the world stands back as China and the US fight (well, the Chinese fight, the US not so much, because the CPA can't find fuel for the ships, or bullets for our guns).
BUT THEN THINGS GET REALLY DUMB!!!! Imagine a scenario where the President, all on his own, tells the Chinese to just come to America and take whatever they want from us, so as to pay back our debt. And they come. They cut the Statue of Liberty off it's base and take it. They take the paintings from the White House. They take John Glenn's space capsule from the Smithsonian. And on and on and on. It's completely ridiculous!
I wondered just who could have written such drivel? Or okayed it for publishing? Surely this is a joke?
At the end, there's a blurb about the author. Seems like a very highly educated, intelligent man. All I can guess is that Q Anon infiltrated his brain. Perhaps he can claim temporary insanity?
I'm sorry to write such a scathing review. But this is just too much. People cannot really believe this kind of drivel, can they?