I like this book because I like to follow politics; real politics.  While I did not read his first book, The Best Laid Plans, the author did well enough to fill me in on what had happened.  In many ways this book borders on fantasy: a scrupulously honest politician? Crises of conscience? Ministers resigning honorably?  When have we ever seen that in Ottawa in the last 30 years?  And did we fall into a time warp? The Progressive Conservatives still exist and there’s no Bloc Quebecois?

I know this is intended as a humorous book, but I felt the author leaned far too heavily on stereotypes.  The stereotypical crazy Scot, Angus McLintock; the backroom operator, Bradley Stanton; the feisty senior, Muriel Parkinson; the negative campaigner, Emerson “Flamethrower” Fox; the punk rockers Pete 1 and Pete 2; and the religious fundamentalist, Alden Stonehouse.  The only two characters that were half-way ordinary were McLintock’s campaign manager Daniel Addison, and his girlfriend Lindsay.  Even so, Daniel comes across, rather annoyingly, as some kind of lovesick puppy when it comes to Lindsay.

Speaking of Alden Stonehouse, I think the author missed the boat with this character.  Fallis merely used him as a vehicle for splitting the conservative vote with Angus McLintock’s opponent, Flamethrower Fox.  But, being a religious fundamentalist, he ought to have been all over Daniel Addison for his unmarried living arrangement with Lindsay.  It was a plot twist begging to be exploited, yet the author passed it by.

Still, despite it’s shortcomings, this was a pretty satisfying book, depicting political leaders doing the right thing, something we as voters all hope for.