The Race: A Novel
Written by Richard North Patterson
Narrated by Michael Boatman
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
Can an honest man become president? In The Race, this timely and provocative novel from bestselling author Richard North Patterson, a maverick candidate takes on his political enemies and the ruthless machinery of American politics.
Corey Grace—a handsome and charismatic Republican senator from Ohio—is plunged by an act of terrorism into a fierce presidential primary battle with the favorite of the party establishment and a magnetic leader of the Christian right. A decorated Gulf War Air Force pilot known for speaking his mind, Grace's reputation for voting his own conscience rather than the party line—together with his growing romance with Lexie Hart, an African-American movie star—has earned him a reputation as a maverick and an iconoclast. But Grace is still haunted by a tragic mistake buried deep in his past, and now his integrity will be put to the test in this most brutal of political contests, in which nothing in his past or present life is off-limits.
Depicting contemporary power politics at its most ruthless, The Race takes on the most incendiary issues in American culture: racism, terrorism, religious fundamentalism, gay rights, and the rise of media monopolies with their own agenda and lust for power. As the pressure of the campaign intensifies, Grace encounters betrayal, excruciating moral choices, and secrets that can destroy lives. Ultimately, the race leads to a deadlocked party convention where Grace must resolve the conflict between his romance with Lexie and his presidential ambitions—and decide just who and what he is willing to sacrifice.
Richard North Patterson
Richard North Patterson is the author of over twenty bestselling and critically acclaimed novels. Formerly a trial lawyer, he was the SEC liaison to the Watergate special prosecutor and has served on the boards of several Washington advocacy groups. He lives in Martha's Vineyard, San Francisco, and Cabo San Lucas with his wife, Dr. Nancy Clair.
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Reviews for The Race
105 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Race centers around Ohio senator Corey Grace, who makes a bid to be a candidate for the Republican presidential primary. However, Grace is a fairly unconventional Republican. He's divorced, he is in a rather public relationship with a well-known African American actress, he supports stem cell research, and overall straddles the line of the traditional Republican conservative. I had mixed feelings about this novel. I read the abridged audiobook and really wasn't too invested in the story for the first 1/3 of the book. But it picked up. Though published ten years ago, it hits many of the topics that are hot buttons currently: racial tension, gay rights, terrorism, religious fundamentalism, and the increasing role that the media plays in today's society. I liked Grace's character, although I think that's where the realistic (unrealistic) quality of the novel comes into play. While the story touches on a lot of today's contemporary issues, I find it difficult to swallow a story such as this. Besides an ending that was fairly unrealistic, it's hard to imagine a down-to-earth, pleasant, & likeable character such as Corey Grace in today's political world. It's a nice thought, but hard to picture.I enjoyed this novel for its entertainment value. Less so for it's realism.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/55448. The Race, by Richard North patterson (read 4 Mar 2017) This is the sixth novel by Patterson I have read. I was originally attracted to his work because he was a lawyer and I figured his books would be better in depicting legal matters than books by non-lawyers. But this ook has no legal implications, but deals with a fictional race for the Republican nomination for President in 2008. It was written in 2007. The central figure is Corey Grace, a war hero and a Senator from Ohio who often in the course of the book fornicates with a black movie star. His opponents in the race are a Senator who will do anything to win and a very right-wing preacher. Grace, in addition to being divorced and being involved with a black movie star, will not say the things which in 2008 a Republican was expected to say. In other words, he is a moderate Republican such as no longer holds office in today's world. So the novel does accurately reflect the Repuvlican senator of today. Their are exciting events in the story but it seemed to me to be pretty formulaic and about what one would expect fom a novelist admiratory of a liberal Republican. I am not sure it was worth reading, even though I would like to see Republicans who had the courage of their liberal convictions. But this book is fiction and not true to today's political spectrum.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5The Race is poorly written, not very believable, trite, and annoying to read. There was little to no credibility or positive aspects about this novel. What makes it worse was that the author clearly had a political agenda in this novel. The level of bias interfered with any possibile enjoyment. I don’t read fiction to hear about an author’s political beliefs, but Richard North Patterson clearly used this as a soapbox for him to espouse his own theories.In this novel, Senator Corey Grace, a Republican from Ohio, who is a Gulf War hero, is in line to get the party’s nomination for the upcoming presidential race. He is opposed by some of the people pulling strings within the party. The race changes when he enters a relationship with Lexie Hart, an African American actress lobbying for stem cell research.There is so much wrong with this novel and just about nothing right. For one thing, stem cell research is the biggest issue in the campaign, when in real life it ranks about 100th in terms of political priorities. Secondly, the characters are characaturish cartoons instead of real people. The political axe-grinding by the author is nauseating. There is nothing remotely believable about any aspect of this novel. This is one of the worst novels I have read. Don’t waste your time with it.Carl Alves – author of Blood Street
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5As a Brit my knowledge of the US political system is based almost entirely on watching the West Wing. I enjoyed learning how the presidential nomination system works, although it seems overly complicated! I wonder if anyone exists in politics anywhere in the world who is as true to them-self as the lead character Corey Grace. I also found it quite frightening to think that so many Americans hold the opinions this book suggests on gay marriage and race. This book definitely gave me a lot to think about.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Was glad when I finished it wouldn't rush to re-read
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5An overly long, overly detailed account of the naming of the Republican candidate for president. Explores the conservative nature of the United States by demonstrating that non-traditional lifestyle choices (e.g., being gay or interracial dating) automatically disqualifies a candidate. Although I understand that this type of narrow-mindedness is the majority thinking in our country, it always offends and upsets me when I am reminded of it. This particular book did not offer me any hope of seeing a change in these attitudes in my lifetime. Normally I enjoy Richard North Patterson's books, but not this one.