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Review
The
world of Preston Fleming’s dystopic novel Forty
Days at Kamas is a far cry from the one we know. Canada and Mexico have
been more or less annexed, America’s economy has completely collapsed and, in
the wake of a turbulent series of troubles known simply as the Events, an
authoritarian state has taken the reins, remaking America into a Soviet Union
for a new century. As the story opens, Paul Wagner – a businessman sentenced to
five years of hard labor for attempting to immigrate to England with his family
– has just been transferred to a labor camp in Kamas, Utah, to serve out the
rest of his sentence. However, despite his privations, Paul hasn’t given up on
himself or his fellow man, and the confluence of unjust actions and strange
visions combine to lead him down a path that might save him, or might push him
into a stony grave in the windswept badlands of Utah.
Fleming takes a big chance with this
book; dystopias are a dime a dozen in speculative fiction, and the heavy
frontloading of political content and framing quotes in each chapter run the
risk of bludgeoning readers with the political themes until the story is lost,
e.g., Ayn Rand. Fortunately, despite some on-the-nose dialogue and the
occasional heavy-handed point – the beginning quotes underline the ideas over
and over – Fleming mostly avoids making his narrative too didactic. The story
moves along at a solid clip, and the switches in point of view throughout the
book make narrative and logical sense. Fleming’s writing is crisp and concise,
and never strays too far into melodrama or lecturing. Even the political
infodumps are handled with a sense of efficiency and subtlety.
This sense of efficiency extends to
the characters as well. Although none of the characters are exactly
well-rounded, Fleming gives them enough verve and perception to meet the
story’s needs, and his ability to establish voices and mannerisms helps keep
things clear and moving toward the resolution. As a hero, Paul can be too
passive; often, the critical action happens to him instead of because of him,
but his suffering and internal reflections help put the events in context, and
serve as further proof of how far the spirit of America has been shoved down in
Fleming’s page-turner. While the ending can be seen as ambiguous in the larger
sense, by the time readers reach the last page, Paul has found a well-earned
sense of satisfaction, as will the readers. Despite the occasional ungainly
note, Fleming has crafted an overtly political story that succeeds as
entertainment.
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