Twilight of Empire

W.H. Wisecarver’s Resurrection Saga comprises a series of political thrillers in which real-life events are merged with conspiracy theories, alternative histories, bureaucratic intrigues, and death-defying action sequences to generate thrill-a-minute stories in which no one is safe and next to no one is to be trusted. The first two books in the series introduced the clandestine organization known as The Order and explored how corruption both on Wall Street and within Congress has led to war and financial collapse that has crippled the ordinary American while lining the pockets of a wealthy elite. A select group of characters, both within and outside the establishment, sought to expose the truth and some paid for that goal with their lives, and in Twilight of Empire, the danger is ramped up to an even more deadly level.

Traumatized army veteran Paul Henry has lost his faith in the military leadership as well as in the bureaucrats who think nothing of sitting safely in Washington while sending soldiers to fight and die for dubious causes on foreign soil. The ineptitude of those in charge finally caused him to leave the army, but he’s still plagued by nightmares about his time in Iraq. He knows something about Deep State conspiracies and about how the truth behind the corruption at the heart of power is actually far more unpalatable and far less deeply buried than conspiracy theorists believe. Henry shares his mistrust of the authorities with girlfriend Leila Freyan, whose work investigating the origins of the financial crisis for Senator Andi Jackson has given her reason enough to trust his theories.

Meanwhile, political insider and champion of justice Kirk Danner has been whisked out of the country to recuperate in Germany following an unexplained health crisis. While there, he learns startling insights into his own past as well as into the lengthy history of the secrets that are threatening to tear apart democracy in the United States. As he recovers his strength, he also recovers long-lost memories of his protracted life as a warrior fighting the evil machinations of The Order. But the battle is still far from over and all those who believe in the importance of truth are going to be required to combat the latest plot by those who want to sacrifice democracy for profit.

Twilight of Empire is an action-packed thriller that combines realism and all too plausible conspiracies with fantasy and alternative timelines. Financial corruption and political plotting give rise to deadly danger, both for the central characters and for the American public, as the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” is artificially widened in an effort to secure power for the few. There are secrets within secrets, as well as plenty of crosses and double-crosses, which makes for an exciting story that whizzes along at breakneck speed. The characters are well-rounded and believable, and the set-up is both realistic and deeply troubling. While it is not necessary to have read the first two books in the series to enjoy Twilight of Empire, doing so would enhance the reading experience.