Once an ardent supporter of his chosen political faction, former virtue marketing professional Adam Brand is now adrift. He has no motivation, no direction, no job, and no prospects. Jaded by the antics of right-wing conservatives and unimpressed with left-leaning supporters, Adam is done with the flawed parties that ruined the country that once was. These days, years after seven states split from the rest, citizens are left with disappointing options: to stand with Old America or hitch their wagons to the Real New America. Adam fancies himself a socialist and is disgusted with both options, though when big money comes knocking, he opens the door wide and leans into his capitalist side. A former associate offers Adam a chance to make a difference, though not in the way he imagines. By working his marketing magic, he aligns himself with the enemy to pull in a huge paycheck by wrangling the influenceable masses. Conscience and morality aside, Adam might be embracing the greatest fiscal opportunity of his lifetime. Until he catches sight of a remarkable woman at a rally. Will she be the linchpin that guarantees his financial success or the loosened safety pin on society’s grenade?
Like a trippy dystopian reality conceived in the mind of a mad genius, Lincoln Prior is an unrefined gem of poignant, often humorous social fiction. In a world where demographics, focus groups, and buzzwords hold the most sway, Sam Lad has a finger on the pulse of society and bases an entertaining story around it. Grammatical issues ranging from misspellings to missing or misplaced punctuation, along with unusual slang that teeters between inventive and indecipherable, however, pull readers from the intriguing story and reduce the impact of its message. Still, perspicacious insights on society’s decline temper this, and perceptive audiences will appreciate the honesty in the dialogue and observations. “Protestors chaining themselves. The stabbings. The food riots. It’s like elevator music for America.” Unmitigated political angst gushes from the pages like water from a fire hydrant with its plug blown off. Well-documented aphorisms such as “if it bleeds it leads” and “sex sells” are amplified and then refined down to a science as Adam gets neck-deep in a contrived political scam he never wanted. Slightly futuristic but devastatingly believable, Lad’s commentary on current social issues resonates deeply with readers interested in the direction of America and the world. The raw potential will leave fans hoping for more from this innovative author.
