Reviewed by Joshua Olokodana for Readers' Favorite

In The Shadow of Pharsalus: The River Rubicon II by Daniel Paul, geopolitics is the name of the game, secret agents are the moving pieces, and the hands that move them remain perpetually hidden in the shadows. Just when the world thought American politics could not get any more chaotic, the US military orchestrates a coup and enforces martial law to stabilize the country following President Robert Standish’s chaotic policies. Unfortunately, the coup causes more division, and only the threat of military force forestalls outright civil war. Still, the National Christian Defenders, an extreme right-wing group, begin to plan a takeover. Russia, having defeated Ukraine, also intends to exploit the USA’s chaotic state to grab the Baltic states. Unbeknownst to them, however, is the extent of Margaret Drake’s alliances. Maggie is the unseen CIA hand that moves America’s pieces from the shadows. The NCD initially outmaneuvers her, but her moves recently won in the Levant — she is not about to lose now.

The Shadow of Pharsalus by Daniel Paul is a riveting political thriller that paints a harrowing American future based on current political events. It plunges the reader into an incredibly dangerous world of conspiracies, blackmail, espionage, and cynical politics. This story does not just entertain; it is a call to consider the consequences of President Trump’s “bold” policies and a rethinking of America’s two-party system. The plot began slowly, but it did not take long for me to feel its choking pressure, suspense, and expectation. Daniel Paul has simply kicked the boundaries of imagination out of the park. From the creative title and Latin-numbered chapters to the structured introduction of each chapter and character, I felt a visceral confirmation of Paul’s talent and knowledge of geopolitics. The Shadow of Pharsalus is so complete that I could write another review of it with extra reasons to support my opinion. If you love political thrillers and you have centrist or left-leaning views, you cannot afford to miss adding this to your bookshelf.