Book Review: The Fourth World

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Fourth World     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Dennis Danvers
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   Political Intrigue
Avon Eos, Mar 2000, $23.00, 336 pp.

In 2013, Mexico serves as a source of unskilled labor willing to do the chores that Americans feel are beneath them. As the Mexican leadership becomes wealthier, more corrupt, and deadlier, the United States ignores human rights violations in favor of free trade, defined as Mexico freely giving up its raw materials to the Americans in exchange for nothing returned to the people.

Santee St. John works for NewsReal reporting events around the world so that wired Americans can watch the real world from the safety net of the worldwide web. He captures the massacre of Native American farmers in Chiapas, Mexico, but learns that his company has no plans to air the footage. Instead, they use it to blackmail the already corrupt Mexican government into allowing NewsReal to take over the lucrative south of the border trade. A disillusioned Santee meets and bands with Zapatista supporter Margaret Mayfield as they join the Indians in their revolution for freedom.

THE FOURTH WORLD is an unabashed bashing of right wing politics especially the political spouting that what’s good for big business is good for the world. The story line is exciting as Dennis Danvers paints a less than heavenly view of the future. Though filled with non-stop action, the plot appears too simplistic when dealing with complex issues. This entertaining cyberthriller will be enjoyed by most readers except those to the right of Attilla the Hun. They might want to pass on this novel.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner