#17: Eclipse

Eclipse, by Richard North Patterson, tells the story of Damon Pierce, a successful Bay Area lawyer who takes the case of a political prisoner in the fictional country of Luandia (very obviously Nigeria with a fake name). It starts out when Pierce receives an email from Marissa Brand Okari, an old friend from college with whom Pierce desired more than friendship. Okari's husband, Bobby, is a political dissident advocating rights for his tribal group through peaceful means. During a rally, the bodies of three oil workers are found hanging from trees. Bobby Okari is charged with their murders, and the Luandian army massacres everyone in his village except him and his wife.

When Pierce arrives in Luandia, he realizes what life is like. He expects that his client will be put through a show trial, but he has to negotiate various dangers as he tries to help his client. He sees the vast contrast between PetroGlobal, the oil company exploiting the country's resources, and the citizens, who live in poverty. He is also forced to rely on other people he is not sure he trusts.

Eclipse was an interesting book to read based on the subject matter. The kleptocratic despot, Savior Karama, was unfortunately modeled after real leaders who use their countries' resources for personal gain and suppress any dissent. The pacing of the book was somewhat uneven - some parts were slow, but then the author included many various twists and turns, usually requiring Pierce to get in a rickety boat or vehicle for a harrowing journey into the unknown. Still, overall, it was fairly exciting and thought-provoking.

Rating: ****