(Reviewed by JD Jung)
At 62, Tristan Heller finds himself unemployed after spending fifteen years at Mammon, Inc., a Silicon Valley tech company. Like many people in the industry, he has been laid off before, but this time, with his age, it feels different. With the pandemic winding down and his career suddenly uncertain, Tristan turns his attention to something else that could be lucrative.
It’s 2023, and “The Navel” is once again running for president. Tristan, a political junkie, is determined to do what he can to prevent another four years of chaos. But his motives aren’t entirely altruistic. He figures he can spend some of the big donations on personal projects and consults an attorney knowledgeable about campaign finance laws. He launches a campaign that he knows he will eventually back out of, but that gives him the freedom to connect with voters—particularly younger ones—in his own unconventional way.
As the campaign develops, Tristan’s staff, who were also laid off from Mammon, Inc., quickly discover they are in over their heads. Tristan seems oblivious to this, though. They face right-wing hackers targeting their website and social media, but they don’t take into consideration the potential for violence from right-wing militias.
What I enjoyed most about Tristan 4 America was watching the unexpected people who become involved and begin finding a sense of purpose. I kept wondering whether Tristan would actually take his campaign all the way, face criminal charges over campaign finance violations, or put his own life in danger.
Light and entertaining, this political satire kept me turning the pages. And the ending? I definitely didn’t see it coming.