THE SECOND CONVENTION

In Congdon’s political thriller, a near-future America is in trouble.

The year 2036 is a tough one in the United States. Climate change has caused disasters like “aquifers drying up in the Midwest and West. Hurricanes dropping rain where it’s not needed.” Everything, from laptops to bread, is extremely expensive. Food shortages are a concern—even something as innocuous as raising chickens is technically illegal, since the grain required to feed chickens should be going to humans. One person who’s had enough of this steady decline is Tom Powell, who used to work as an attorney but now takes on carpentry jobs when he can get them. His wife, Abby, used to be a teacher; she now fixes laptops in their converted shipping container home. Tom is also the chairman of the local Revolutionary Party, a group that seeks to effect revolutionary change without resorting to violence. But when Tom gives a speech on the Fourth of July, he’s arrested for inciting a riot. (Tom had quoted a line of Thomas Jefferson’s that refers to “the blood of patriots and tyrants.”) The Revolutionary Party certainly attracts those capable of taking extreme actions, but the goal remains the alteration of the government by means of “discarding what didn’t work anymore, making it fit the times and reflect the majority.” Their message of change delights some and frightens others. When Tom decides to run for Senate, he needs to get serious about his path forward; with Abby’s desire to start a family, Tom must also take into account the safety of himself and his loved ones. With so many people “packing heat” in this world, staying safe is easier said than done.

This narrative about a dismal American future goes in directions that readers might not expect. As worked up as Tom is about the state of his country, he’s always careful to walk a fine line to keep out lunatics who might be willing to kill to enforce their vision of the future. Not that the line is an easy one to walk; Tom must regularly assure people that the cause is truly for the good of the people (the goal is always “democracy, not dictatorship”). The point is not to chase “nostalgia for the perfect past,” as others aim to do—never mind those who still hold “ice age thinking on climate change.” Both actual violence and the threat of more to come keep the narrative tense. With the environment and the economy in ruins, no ordinary people, regardless of their political views, are immune to the stressors of this world. Though the author clearly defines these issues, he reiterates them several times throughout the work; for example, characters repeatedly refer to things like a 30-year drought in the Southwest. Some passages grow wearying, dragged down by blandly chatty interjections like “Sounds good” or “Hey, I’ve got an idea.” Yet once readers are invested in Tom and his inner circle, it becomes imperative to see how things play out—a sweeping change in government will obviously not be easy or bloodless. The inclusion of some playful details, like a robot that claims to be in love, helps readers to stay engaged.

A nuanced, levelheaded take on change in a country fraught with internal trouble.