Winter Warning (Isaac Sidel)

Perfect distraction in the age of viruses andquarantine.

Writers reach a point in their careers when they can spin gold from within just about any scenario. Jerome Charyn gives himself the perfect backdrop from which to play in his latest novel, "Winter Warning," published byPegasus Books. This is the White House. And, if you think Donald Trump is "disruptive," then get a load of the Isaac Sidel administration: people get punched in the face and guns are fired into the ceiling on a slow day. Charyn makes the most of his opportunity to craft a climactic conclusion to his iconic Isaac Sidel mystery series. And, in the bargain, Charyn revels in speaking to the byzantine interconnections between American and Russian players.Isaac Sidel, has gone from street cop to police commissioner, to mayor of New York City, to president of the United States. The timeline to the Charyn mystery series places the story in 1989 but, without a doubt, the narrative is every bit as relevant as if it were set in the present. Sidel is indeed a disruptive force. He is, by and large, an accidental president, a vice-presidnet thrust into the highest office after a political scandal. And Sidel is quite outspoken, beholden to neither major party. Where Trump leans to the right, Sidel leans to the left. Side's liberal inclinations have more to do with a passion to help the oppressed than anything else. Given the chance as mayor, he released countless prisoners from Riker's Island, victims of an unjust legal system. Our story heats up when Sidel's more aggressive style attracts various rogue elements, including nefarious Swiss bankers and an erratic former Israeli prime minister.Jerome Charyn is always a pleasure to read as you cannot help but get wrapped up in the story and find yourself rewarded at every turn. Here is a taste of a story with hints of the supernatural. In this excerpt, Sidel is questioning Pesh Olinov, a Russian operative, about a Russian criminal syndicate determined to make contact with him:***"And that greeting card is some kind of a threat?"Olinov appraised the portrait of Isaac with an ice pick piercing his left eye."I don't think so. They consider you a werewolf, like themselves. And that's a mark of respect. Perhaps they would like to meet with you---the presidency means nothing to them. It's not your power that interests the besprizornye. In their eyes you have none. Perhaps it is a real winter warning, and they are telling you to be more careful with your steps. The Secret Service cannot protect you with their magnetometers, my friend."***Isaac Sidel is the president who packs a Glock. As much gritty crime story as political fable, "Winter Warning" takes the reader on a mesmerizing journey. This is the story of an American president who prefers to hide in an office he's set up in the White House attic. That attic becomes home to a makeshift kitchen cabinet and a haven for various rogue elements. But Sidel, as always, is also a man of action. Charyn keeps this president on the run.Charyn has a delicious way of hinting at what lies ahead and then, like a panther, hits his mark and pounces on his prey. The pace to this narrative is quick and steady allowing Charyn to conjure up elaborate scenes, deliver on his promise, and quickly sneak out the backway. Charyn is a master at creating a rhythmic pattern. We return throughout to an image of a man with a Glock, a man confronting werewolves, and the realization that he is a werewolf himself. This is not a horror story with werewolf tropes. These werewolves symbolize a certain dark and independent spirit. Sidel is indeed a werewolf. He knew it all along. He just needed an opportunity to prove it to others and confirm it to himself. With a target on his back, and nearly no one to trust, Sidel will need strength from any source he can find. This is a riveting mystery with a hard-boiled edge and worldly charm. Winter Warning: An Isaac Sidel Novel

Winter Warning by Jerome CharynFirst book I've read in this series and it's the final one. Wish I had read from the very first book. A lot to me didn't make sense til towards the end.Characters were introduced by the bundles as things were being brought into the plot.Reminds me a lot of the Last Survivor a story on TV where a man was pushed to take over for the president who died in a white house bombing.So much, as in that show were brought forth in this book and took it to the next level as we learn about other things in the past and present and future that will make a difference to the country.Love the travel and all mercenary and wild things, super natural beings but they are explained. Nicknames for some were hilarious but they fit the picture in your mind.Love hearing of the razzia and can't wait to teach my grandson about it as we play army guys.Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest review.

Isaac Sidel has learned that being president of the United States isn't easy. He has to contend with life in the White House, an attendant that doesn't quite like him, as well as keeping the US as safe as possible. When numerous attempts on his life are made, he soon realizes that things are not quite what they seem. Despite the fact that his tenure as president is far different than those who have gone before him, he's determined in making a difference in both his life and that of the people he's sworn to protect. To do that, he'll have to do everything to survive while drawing out those intent on doing away with him for personal gain.Though I've come into this series via the twelfth book, I must say that this book has captured my attention in more ways than one. It's refreshing to see an era I've grown up in painted in such a different light. Granted, this is an alternate reality that mimics life as it was then. The twists and turns, however, keep us riveted from start to end.We meet Isaac, a man determined in surviving, no matter the cost. Though his becoming president was accidental, he's done his damnedest to show the masses he's nothing like what they think he is. His different ideals have set him apart from those who have come before him. Isaac wants nothing more than help the poor succeed. To make America a place where anyone can feel safe and achieve each and every one of their dreams.Jerome has shaped the era of the 80's to suit Isaac's needs. Though he's not conventional in the way he does things, Isaac has proved his resilience through every adversity he encounters. He's a man who refuses to bend to another's will. Though he may detest having to accept help from outside sources, he knows it's the only way to ensure his survival.The author has given us a man who can't be bought. A man who's willing to do everything necessary to make a change in the world around him. I like Isaac's brusque manner. He's not afraid to speak his mind. Mind you, it often gets him into to trouble, but it also allows him to get things done. No matter what happens, he's willing to give those who need it the helping hand they seek. Jerome has shown us this with every step Isaac takes. It makes him a man unlike any that has come before him.

And the above title does'nt mention the unmitigated fascination of this unimaginable, vision of being the President of the U.S. and hating every minute of it and whom, on top of that, everyone wants to kill.If you like your reading without stereotypes , clichés, or formated caricatures then Charyn will delight you with a wild unfoseeable ride.Frankly i've never read anything like this tale before. mike burke