Eclipse
By Richard North Patterson
(Henry Holt and Co., Hardcover, 9780805087727, 384pp.)
Publication Date: January 6, 2009
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The spellbinding story of an American lawyer who takes on a nearly impossible case—the defense of an African freedom fighter against his corrupt government’s charge of murder
Damon Pierce’s life has just reached a defining moment: a gifted California lawyer, he’s being divorced by his wife and his work often seems soulless. Then he receives a frantic e-mail from Marissa Brand Okari—a woman he loved years ago—and decides to risk everything to respond to her plea for help.
Marissa’s husband, Bobby Okari, is the charismatic leader of a freedom movement in the volatile west African nation of Luandia, which is being torn apart by the world’s craving for its vast supply of oil. Bobby’s outspoken opposition to the exploitation of his homeland by PetroGlobal—a giant American oil company with close ties to Luandia’s brutal government—has enraged General Savior Karama, the country’s autocratic ruler. After Bobby leads a protest rally during a full eclipse of the sun, everyone in his home village is massacred by government troops. And now Bobby has been arrested and charged with the murder of three PetroGlobal workers. Still drawn to Marissa, Pierce agrees to defend Bobby, hoping to save both Bobby and Marissa from almost certain death. But the lethal politics of Luandia may cost Pierce his life instead.
Culminating in a dramatic show trial and a desperate race against time, Eclipse combines a thrilling narrative with a vivid look at the human cost of the global lust for oil. Here is Richard North Patterson at his compelling best, confirming his place as our most provocative author of popular fiction.
Richard North Patterson is the New York Times bestselling author of Exile, The Race, and thirteen other critically acclaimed novels. Formerly a trial lawyer, he was the SEC liaison to the Watergate special prosecutor and has served on the boards of several Washington advocacy groups. He lives in San Francisco and on Martha’s Vineyard with his wife, Dr. Nancy Clair.
“Passionate…exciting [and] eye-opening, page by page.”—Washington Post
“Compelling and credible…guaranteed to rouse you to thought.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch
“This stellar legal thriller both informs and entertains… Patterson has exerted all his considerable skill in creating a nightmare atmosphere that will cling to readers long after the last page is turned.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A satisfying fable that pits a hero who deeply believes in the rule of law against a violent, lawless regime that holds all the cards.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Nearly flawless—by the time you realize how well Patterson is writing, you are already caught up in this novel.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“Suspenseful—pervasive danger as real as the actual reality.”—New York Daily News
“A terrific legal thriller populated by rich, well drawn characters [Patterson] magnificently brings to life. Not to be missed.”—Providence Sunday Journal
“Fascinating.”—Booklist
“[A] compelling legal thriller, reminiscent of Exile. Patterson once again brings a timely, controversial subject—America’s dependence on foreign oil—to the forefront in this…engrossing read.” —Library Journal
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