Review by Amanda Deck -- Kennedy's Revenge

This forum is for volunteer reviews by members of our review team. These reviews are done voluntarily by the reviewers and are published in this forum, separate from the official professional reviews. These reviews are kept separate primarily because the same book may be reviewed by many different reviewers.
Forum rules
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
Post Reply
User avatar
Amanda Deck
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 587
Joined: 02 Jun 2018, 21:00
Currently Reading: A Sight For Psychic Eyes
Bookshelf Size: 113
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-amanda-deck.html
Latest Review: Winds of Fall by Alberto Mercado

Review by Amanda Deck -- Kennedy's Revenge

Post by Amanda Deck »

[Following is a volunteer review of "Kennedy's Revenge" by Stephen L Rodenbeck.]
Book Cover
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review


In Kennedy’s Revenge: The Election of 2016, Rodenbeck alternates chapters of history and politics with a riveting fiction tale of the rise of a surprise candidate for the American presidency. This new president immediately sets about rooting out corruption to build a society that works for the good of its citizens.

The information chapters cover, in extreme depth, the world’s banking systems, ‘backstage’ politicking, conspiracies hatched by wealthy, powerful men of the past, and analysis of the reasons behind the continual wars we’re involved in. He also delves into systemic medical establishment corruption and practices that encourage poor health and nutrition in advanced countries.

The fiction story follows Fitz Cavendish, a man who has recently discovered his father was none other than a former president. This has a major impact on his life, leading him to research the man and his presidency. Fitz is drawn into political intrigue to try to right wrongs, and to put America on the path it should be on. He envisions a system that works for the good of the citizens instead of for the wealthy criminals manipulating events for their own benefit. These wealthy, powerful people have no intention of allowing this to happen.

Your university economics, history, and politics classes are necessary to get full value out of this, I believe. It’s an overload of information, but if this is where your interests lie, you might enjoy comparing the author’s version with your own and with current “news”. If this isn’t an interest of yours, you probably will be totally lost; even so, the issues discussed in this book ARE affecting our health, our finances, and our future. Agreeing with Rodenbeck’s facts and the interpretation of them isn’t necessary, but having an informed opinion is probably wise.

One thing I heartily disliked in the non-fiction sections is the author’s continually addressing the reader as a gullible, misinformed citizen. He makes it clear that only he and a few other enlightened individuals know of the theories/information he presents. While it’s entirely possible that many of us haven’t gone this far into the research, if you’ve chosen to read this book, you probably have more than a passing familiarity with the narrative he presents despite his insistence that you’re too brainwashed to know.

The fiction part was phenomenal in my opinion. I had become invested enough in the characters that I was rooting for them, so when events take a turn for the worse, I felt the shock down to my feet! Whether or not you consider Rodenbeck’s proposals feasible or not, he offers hope that there is a way to govern a society for the benefit of all. I’m intrigued by a couple of his ideas to the point that I’ve discussed them with others for their opinions.

I rate this 3 out of 4 stars. There were too many errors and an overuse of the phrase “for the avoidance of doubt” for a full four stars (though he also had some hilarious lines). Also, the demeaning way he often addresses the reader can’t be overlooked. I certainly wouldn’t drop it lower because I loved the story, and am amazed at the depth of thought and research that obviously went into this. You just need to know what you’re getting into when you choose this book.

******
Kennedy's Revenge
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords

Like Amanda Deck's review? Post a comment saying so!
Post Reply

Return to “Volunteer Reviews”