We're starting to see some more reviews roll in for The Butcher's Thumb. The first we'll mention here is from The Free Press--"Speaking Truth to Power"--and the venerable Bob Fitrakis who says, "If I had to choose one novel to read on the beach this summer it would be Greg Haas’ novel The Butcher’s Thumb. The facts behind his fiction should remind us all how fragile our democracy is, how easy it is to hate, and how much we need courage at this moment in history."
Mr. Fitrakis finds many parallels between the book's characters and real-life counterparts from Karl Rove to Ken Blackwell. Even Kris Johansen:
Any interesting protagonist must have a love interest. Risen has the hots for a progressive photojournalist who tells him, “I am a socialist, communist, Marxist journalist of Swedish and Irish descent from the great state of Texas. And I’ve got a great ass.” Makes me smile and remember the late, great journalist Molly Ivins.
As might be expected, given the nature of The Free Press, which is a long-standing voice of progressive politics in central Ohio and beyond, Mr. Fitrakis focuses on the political content of The Butcher's Thumb:
Still, the enduring value of Haas’ book resides in his keen understanding of Ohio politics. As perhaps the country’s pre-eminent swing state, his depiction of Ohio political nuances and what may have happened in the 2004 election makes this book an essential read for anyone in the election protection movement.
Another review, this time from The Front Page in Culver City, CA, calls our hero, Matt Risen:
a protagonist who undergoes the classic quest for a conscience, in no small part thanks to the love of a good woman. Haas draws a gritty character portrait of a political campaigner who is at once unnerving, sympathetic and delivered with crisp writing.
Stay tuned for more reviews, and remember that you can pick up your copy of The Butcher's Thumb at Amazon and at Barnes & Noble.com!
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