The Fourth K: A Novel

A terrorist group murders the Pope in the Vatican. On the same day, the daughter of Francis Xavier Kennedy, the President of the United States, is abducted in Rome by members of the same terrorist group. Kennedy's daughter is brought the oil-country of Sherhaben where she is held hostage. When President Kennedy learns of the abduction he is willing to do everything in his power to get his daughter back. The terrorist Yabril, however, has different plans and kills Kennedy's daughter in front of TV cameras in order to make a statement. From there on the story unfolds. How will the US act? How will Kennedy act personally? What will happen to the terrorists? What will happen to the Sultanate of Sherhaben which backed the terrorists?

Puzo's The Fourth K follows president Francis Xavier Kennedy, a cousin of JFK, through the final part of his first term in office and the bid to his re-election for a second term. At the same time it explores the different forces of influence on power in America. There is the so-called Socrates Club of the one-hundred most influential and wealthy men in the US, there is Olliver Ollifant, called the Oracle, who has just turned one-hundred years old and wields more power than any man in the Socrates Club, there are the foreign terrorists, and eventually there is President Kennedy and the other politicians who want to set the course of the American future as they see fit. The different factions all have their own agendas, some hidden and some very open.

What I like about the novel are the different perspectives and the interplay between the different groups who want to get a grasp on or maintain their grasp on power. The novel was a very entertaining read and a real page-turner towards the end. What bugged me, though, was the many spelling mistakes. It might just have been my edition, but this edition could have benefited from more serious editing. As this was only a minor distraction in an otherwise enjoyable novel: 3.5 stars.

Robert Kennedy is the President of the United States and the nephew of Jack Kennedy. He is near the end of his term and not a successful president as most of his policies have been shot down by the congress. A terrorist group assassinates the Pope and abducts his daughter and ultimately kill her, which changes his fortunes. He takes affirmative action and wins over people and the elections. But this entire process alters him and makes him a tyrant.

The author's sensational plot hasn't worked. The story drags on and is unconvincing. I'm surprised that the author of [The Godfather] could produce such garbage.

Interesting departure from Mafia to a different kind of powerful American family, the Kennedys. About a next generation Kennedy who is kidnapped while her father is President. Enjoyable.

I didn't expect to like this, I'm not really interested in American politics and don't usually read thrillers, but I was lent it to help with a translation. Despite this, I enjoyed it. It's a fast read, shows believable aspects of American politics and it was interesting to see how difficult it would be to deal with a President who has lost the plot in a dangerous way.

Like the previous reviewer (Agade), I found the Socrates club very believable.