A new recruit in the party calls the constitution “a stagecoach in the era of rockets” and argues, with persuasive power, that “it allows the minority to stifle the will of the majority.” Fearing the “AR-25 substituting for the guillotine,” Congdon’s brisk novel, an engaging blend of social horror and science fiction, calls for peaceful change, as, with help from a few trusted allies, Tom takes his mission to the second Constitutional Convention, where he attempts to win over politicians and lawmakers to restore a united Constitutional vision.
Tom is a relatable, dry-witted protagonist that readers will see as the everyman hero rather than a firebrand. But he must tread lightly, as “everyone’s armed to the teeth,” and factions and domestic terrorists are against them. In an America facing food shortages, and questions of robot liberty, The Second Convention extrapolates from contemporary trends with insight, surprise, and a refusal to accept polarization and gridlock as the nation’s destiny.
Takeaway: Near-future story of pushing for peace and a representative constitution.
Comparable Titles: Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James SStavridis’s 2034, Omar El Akkad’s American War.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
