An entertaining read (had to change the verbiage several times, due to the content. You sort of guessed what might happen otherwise it would have got a four-star rating. Well written, good characters.. the main ingredients for an adventure story. ( )

Perpetual thirst

Drought: A California Environmental Thriller by Graham Masterton (Severn House Publications, $29.95).

It’s probably not the best time to read this, but why not get a bit more terrified? Those of us in California already have plenty to worry out.

Graham Masterton, most famous as an author of horror novels, branches out into a conspiracy thriller based on an environmental catastrophe in Drought: A California Environmental Disaster Thriller. Martin Makepeace is a divorced social worker with a bad case of burnout, struggling to get along with his ex-wife and maintain a relationship with his kids. Then, in the midst of a drought, the water stops flowing. Turn on the tap; nothing happens.

The real evil here isn’t nature, though; it’s a governor at the head of a conspiracy to “cleanse” California of undesirables while there’s an opportunity, who brings in a Blackwater-type private army to quell the water riots.

Martin combines his dysfunctional family with one of the dysfunctional families he supervises to find a solution in this apocalyptic, near-future thriller.

It’s not bad as a thriller, though frankly, the drought is scary enough and, as California water wars go, this one doesn’t make as much sense as the farmers versus cities versus conservation battle that’s constantly being fought out here. Nonetheless, it’s always fun to see familiar landmarks destroyed—and it does ramp up the anxiety if you’re trying to figure out whether or not it’s your day to water the garden.

Reviewed on Lit/Rant: www.litrant.tumblr.com ( )

Review copy

Over the past three years the lack of any significant rainfall has brought large portions of the US to a crisis point. One of the worst hit areas is San Bernardino, California.

What would happen if the temperature was hitting 120 everyday and the Governor instituted "Rotational hiatuses" for water service. Suddenly there is no water at all for the city's poorest neighborhoods. The announced "plan" is 48 hours off in one area and then to restore water there and turn it off in other areas, but 48 hours becomes 60 and there's still no water. The result is rioting, looting. People are dying.

Meanwhile, in the city's more affluent neighborhood, the greens at the Country Club continue to be watered.

Martin Makepeace works for the San Bernardino County Children & Family Services. Ex-Marine with an ex-wife and two children. Martin is a bit unconventional as a social worker. Very protective of his charges and he takes no crap from those who would do them harm. Martin is called into his boss's office where he meets Saskia Vane from the the Governor's special task force set up to deal with the drought emergency. They need Martin's assistance to help reassure his clients that the water restrictions are only temporary. If only that was true.

Graham Masterton's Drought is filled with characters pushed to the breaking point. Even Martin Makepeace, the undeniable hero of the story is forced to take what would be considered despicable actions under normal circumstances.

A devastating drought, a corrupt government, a private security force run by a madman, rioters, looters, and then there is Santos, a Native American, who knows the location of Lost Girl Lake, and attempts to lead Martin and a group of family and friends to it's hidden location.

Drought gets off to a fast start and doesn't let up until the last page. The horror in Drought is the potential reality of the situation. Many of the conditions that make this story work exist today in the real world. Drought is a well-told tale of survival against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Please be advised, there is a good bit of graphic sex and violence in this book.

Drought is currently available as a hard -cover from Severn House Publishers through Amazon.com.

Recommended. ( )