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Published Apr 2009
400 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
November 2033, Joe Benton, a three-term democratic senator from Arizona, is the newly elected American president. Just days into his presidency, Benton learns of devastating news: his predecessor has engaged in failed climate change talks with China, and previous estimates regarding the effect of global warming on rising sea levels have been grossly underestimated. Miami will soon be washed away, and thirty million coastal-dwelling citizens in the United States will need to be relocated. For Benton, the only solution is to abandon multilateral negotiations in the impending Kyoto 4 and renew top-secret talks with his country's largest rival and now the world's leading polluter, China, to force it to drastically lower its emission levels before it is, simply, too late.
Ultimatum explores the most pressing issue of the twenty-first century—the future of our planet—and shows the effects that climate change will have on our lives and those of our children. It is a brilliant character study of a U.S. president and his key staff, and an impressively convincing portrayal of the inner workings of the U.S. administration. With tension escalating on almost every page and an astonishing and terrifying ending, Matt Glass's visionary and deeply unsettling thriller steers us into the dark heart of political intrigue and a future that is all too believable.
"Glass's debut, an anxiety-inducing thriller about global warming, effectively taps a hot topic and handles it with flair." - Publishers Weekly.
"Glass's plot is fresh and arresting, but the book lacks distinctive, identifiable characters to drive it." - Kirkus Reviews.
"A rare thriller that terrifies not because it is possible, but because it feels probable—if not inevitable. ... A masterful novel with deftly drawn characters, real settings and a dark, dark understanding of geopolitical reality. The ending will leave you gasping." - Douglas Preston.
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