Review: What if.....?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 2, 2014
North Carolina born author D.A. Winstead comes to his novel about possibilities of the future of America in this dystopian novel with an impressive set of credentials. He has a degree in Economics from North Carolina State University, a Masters in Public Policy from George Washington University, and has worked for the US State Department as a senior government official - his emphasis, economic and security development policy. In this position he found himself placed in such controversial areas as post-conflict countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa. With this background he lives in Atlanta, GA and now devotes his time to writing award winning novels such as `The Seventh Priest: The Sudan's Pagan Offering Day', `Dragon Bones: Two Angels Leave at Sunrise', and `Wiggle Rooms: A Tale of a Fallen Anchorite'  - books that while combining history with fiction also are flavored with superstitions, foreign cultures and religious fervor.Which brings us to his latest, and VERY timely novel, OHIO 2029. Winstead opens his book very cleverly (and poignantly) with a June 21, 2015 telephone conversation concerning world market crashes from a night shift person after hours to U.S. Treasury Secretary Tom Donnelly who states, "This is not just about jumpy markets. You have to know that we're dangerously overextended; we've printed too much money. Investors will cut and run if they see this kind of turmoil in Asia and Europe." From that terrifying takeoff point Winstead delivers the gradual collapse of the US economic scene through a series of News Flashes that run from 2015 to 2019 showing the gradual but inevitable schism between the Red States and the Blue States. Example: `DECEMBER 21, 2015-- AP NEWS FLASH Treasury Secretary Admits to Black Crash Involvement in Widespread Conspiracy; Expected to Name Others Former Treasury Secretary Donnelly is expected to do time for his involvement in the cover-up following the Black Crash. With other conspirators expecting to be indicted within the week, including senior-ranking government officials and major Wall Street players, Washington insiders are speculating this one may be too big for the mainstream media to bury. In other news... President Obama's absence has raised already high expectations that 2016 will be a devastating blow to the Democrat Party. Even though the Black Crash conspiracy has not yet reached the President's desk, the fallout is expected to devastate the party's Congressional and gubernatorial leadership. The emperor may still have his dynasty, but he has no clothes.'  It is this kind of immediate impact in Winstead's writing that makes his novel so significant, bearing proximity more to truth than to fiction.Fifteen years later the world is in chaos and the Southern Red States seized power in the U.S. Government and set up reform zones in the United States, singling out Ohio in order to punish states in disagreement with their past policies. In charge of the reform zones is Georgia Senator Ted Marshall who has grown bitter about the past and what led to the demise of America's greatness. The schism affects not only the political parties but also the families and relationships: Marshall moved his family to Cincinnati, broke relations with past close friends the Garners who had also escaped to Ohio - and a symbol of the personal aspect of the governmental collapse is best viewed from the vantage of both family's children and their developing love pattern. Yet the situation grows more intense as Cincinnati has been taken over by an angry, violent warlord. In time the US is a new and dark place. Led by a coalition of conservative Southern states credited for forging the greatest economic recovery in our nation's history, the national economy is strong again. New laws have minimalized Washington's power and placed progressive troublemakers in ghetto-like reform zones. Still, most Americans remain unwilling to forgive and forget except for the children/now lovers of the Marshalls and Garners and a personal and critical crack in the novel's tale is molded by a threatened love story that intensifies the dystopian climate of this story.Winstead cleverly allows compassion, forgiveness, and reorientation that make his novel so very different form the now very popular films and stories about the ultimate destruction of America. Yet he des this with such sensitivity and pathos that makes reflection of the story after reading the book more a topic we all should carefully consider. THAT is the gift he brings to this novel - along with the myriad other fine qualities that have made him such a respected author. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, May 14