A Philip K. Dick Award Nominee
“The novel is as tense and thrilling as any of Brown’s work, and as full of rage and hope. It’s a novel that truly reckons with the enormity of both our climate emergency and the system that produced it – a tale of human imperfection and redemption.” — Cory Doctorow, bestselling author of Walkaway
In this second dystopian legal thriller from the author of the acclaimed Rule of Capture and Tropic of Kansas, lawyer Donny Kimoe juggles two intertwined cases whose outcomes will determine the course of Americas futureand his own.
In the aftermath of a second American revolution, peace rests on a fragile truce. The old regime has been deposed, but the ex-president has vanished, escaping justice for his crimes. Some believe he is dead. Others fear he is in hiding, gathering forces. As the factions in Washington work to restore order, Donny Kimoe is in court to settle old scoresand pay his own debts come due.
Meanwhile, the rebels Donny once defended are exacting their own kind of justice. In the ruins of New Orleans, they are building a green utopiaand kidnapping their defeated adversaries to pay for it. The newest hostage is the young heiress to a fortune made from plundering the countryand the daughter of one of Donnys oldest friends. In a desperate gambit to save his own skin, Donny switches sides to defend her before the show trial. If he fails, so will the truce, dragging the country back into violence. But by taking the case, he risks his last chance to expose the atrocities of the dictatorshipand being tried for his own crimes against the revolution.
To save the future, Donny has to gamble his own. The only way out is to find the evidence that will get both sides back to the table, and secure a more lasting peace. To do that, Donny must betray his clients secrets. Including one explosive secret hidden in the ruins, the discovery of which could extinguish the last hope for a better tomorrowor, if Donny plays it right, keep it burning.
Dive into a gripping, post-revolutionary America in Christopher Brown's "Failed State: A Novel (Dystopian Lawyer, 2)," a Philip K. Dick Award Nominee that blends legal thriller with speculative fiction. This paperback edition, published by Harper Voyager in 2020, plunges readers into a nation teetering on the brink after a second American revolution. Forget the simple black-and-white morality; Brown crafts a nuanced world where justice is a bargaining chip and the lines between right and wrong blur with every page. Following the acclaimed "Rule of Capture" and "Tropic of Kansas," Brown returns with lawyer Donny Kimoe, a protagonist navigating a treacherous landscape of political intrigue and personal redemption. The ex-president has vanished, leaving behind a power vacuum and lingering fears of a counter-revolution. As Washington attempts to rebuild, Kimoe finds himself entangled in two high-stakes cases that will determine the nation's fate and his own. He faces the ghosts of his past actions during the revolution. The plot thickens as rebels, once defended by Kimoe, establish a supposed green utopia in the ruins of New Orleans. But their methods are far from utopian, involving the kidnapping of their former adversaries, including the heiress daughter of one of Kimoe's oldest friends. Forced to switch sides, Kimoe defends her in a show trial, risking everything to prevent a descent back into violence. His legal acumen and moral compass are put to the ultimate test as he navigates betrayals, hidden agendas, and explosive secrets that could shatter the fragile peace. He knows that failure here could reignite the conflict. Christopher Brown expertly blends elements of mystery, thriller, historical fiction, and science fiction, creating a chilling alternate history that feels unsettlingly relevant. The novel explores themes of political upheaval, environmental justice, and the ethical dilemmas of revolutionary movements. It is not just a thrilling read, it is a though provoking exporation of the human condition within political and social chaos. "Failed State" is more than just a legal thriller; it is a dystopian tale that resonates with contemporary anxieties about climate change, political polarization, and the very future of democracy. Cory Doctorow, bestselling author of "Walkaway," praises the novel for its tension, thrilling plot and its powerful exploration of climate emergency and the system that created it. Whether you're a fan of Philip K. Dick, George Orwell, or contemporary authors like Margaret Atwood, "Failed State" offers a compelling vision of a society grappling with the consequences of its choices. Get your copy now and prepare to be captivated by this thought-provoking and action-packed novel that will leave you questioning the true cost of revolution. Perfect for readers seeking a gripping blend of suspense, political intrigue, and dystopian speculation.