4 out of 4 stars
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The Expansion by Christoph Martin is a novel about politics, corruption, and greed for adults. While there is no sexually explicit content and only minimal profanity, the topics addressed in this book are nuanced and complex, and as such it is better suited for more adult readers.
The story centers around a plan to expand the Panama Canal, when a number of countries are competing for the highly desired contract. At the same time, various government agencies are keeping a close eye, all trying to gain the political control in the region that obtaining the contract would provide. When greed and corruption on all sides threaten to destroy the entire project, it takes the partnership of an American spy and a British engineer with a painful past to uncover the plot and save the project.
I found this book to be very well written, and an overall fantastic story. It has several smaller, more personalized stories within, each focused on characters whose perspective of the Panama Canal is vastly different. From the engineer heading the project itself to ambassadors, spies, and political figures, they each have a different view of the project, and each has different goals and priorities. I found that by seeing the entire process in many different contexts, and from different points of view, was a fascinating and illuminating way to understand the project as not simply a construction endeavor, but as an international event with geopolitical significance.
This book does a wonderful job of exploring an immensely complex concept, with a wide variety of goals and implications. What seems like such a simple project, expanding a canal, has elements of political influence, global and national security, and ecological impact. This book raised numerous facets of a project like this that I would never have personally thought about, and the author does an outstanding job of explaining each point of view in a way that is both insightful and compelling.
Overall I would rate this book four out of four stars. It was very well written, and with the lack of typos or grammar errors was almost certainly professionally edited. The characters are richly developed, the story line was excellent, and the author masterfully explored a wide range of intricate, complex concepts. I believe any adults who enjoy mystery, political intrigue, and commercial interests will love this book. I will be recommending this book to friends and family, and I look forward to reading more by this author.
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The Expansion
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