Guest blog: Geri Makris reviews 'The Fund'

Avid reader Geri Makris of St. Peters, who recently won a copy of H.T. Narea's debut novel "The Fund" (Forge-Macmillan, May 2011, hardcover, 464 pp., $24.99) on this blog, was kind enough to write a review of the book. Below is Geri's take on "The Fund." I love it when things come full circle! Thank you, Geri. 

I enjoyed  "The Fund" by H.T. Narea. I would give it four stars out of five. The novel was an exciting thriller and, I felt, a cautionary tale. The plot was intricate with nice twists and turns.  Before 9/11 one would have thought that the whole idea of serum such as the one in the book was a fantasy. However in this post-9/11 era, it really hit home. 

For the most part, the characters were well defined.  However, I did think that the women were somewhat one-dimensional. I really never felt an emotional attachment to Katy. He could have been more effective in forming the female characters by providing more insight into them as people, as opposed to defining them in terms of fashion and sex.

I also felt a bit confused by characters who appeared to have some importance to the plot, who just sort of disappeared, e.g. Galbraith and Gubbins. What the heck happened to the traitor, Galbraith? Gubbins was just never mentioned again. No repercussions for falling asleep on duty? What the heck?

The author did a nice job of tying it all together at the end.  The success of the whole horrendous plot seemed pulled straight from the experiences preceding 9/11.  Another group of people, each for his or her own reason, ignoring signs that should have raised red flags a plenty.

I thought that the historical facts tied into the story gave it richness and texture.  I learned from those inclusions. I also think that Mr. Narea portrayed the radical, Muslim terrorists with sensitivity without destroying the sense of inevitable doom.

Overall, it was a good read. I am so glad I had a chance to read it and will certainly recommend it to others.

Follow Geri Makris on Twitter @silvercrown

Book giveaway: "The Fund" by H.T. Narea

If you're into novels with suspense, here's one that's described as "a financial apocalyptic thriller." H.T. Narea's "The Fund" (Forge-Macmillan, May 2011, hardcover, 464 pp., $24.99) is up for grabs today.

The premise of the novel, according to its investment banker author, is that it feasibly could be ripped from the headlines: What if terrorists concentrated on the financial ruin of the United States? (heck, I'm just glad someone's still reading the headlines!)

About the book (according to the publisher):

"The Fund" follows a U.S. Defense Intelligence operative Kate Molares who’s investigating a suspicious international money trail. Her instincts place her at the center of a plot involving a terrifying new kind of terrorism – financial terrorism – perpetuated by a suave, handsome Middle Eastern hedge fund mogul. His goal is to wreck the West by bringing the global economy to its knees.

Kate’s mission takes her from the defense intelligence command center on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. to the oil-fueled economy of Caracas, Venezuela. Kate finds herself in a race against time, to fit together the pieces of this global puzzle … or risk the catastrophic destruction of the world’s financial markets.

Intrigued: Click here to view the 93-second book trailer (just like a movie trailer, only more vague). And here's a book excerpt. 

Forge was kind enough to send me a new, hardback copy Narea's novel to give away on this blog. If you'd like it, simply e-mail me (mkaras@pottsmerc.com) with your mailing address or simply leave the information in a comment on this blog for a chance to win it. The winner will be selected at random to receive the book via U.S. Mail.

About the Author:

H.T. Narea, an international investment banker, has focused his career on global emerging markets. A former principal at JPMorgan Chase in New York, Narea is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where he teaches international finance.

Click here to read a May 24 review in the author's hometown newspaper, the Greenwich (Conn.) Chronicle. In that article, Narea describes his future plans:

"As soon as I finished this book, my agent told me I needed to get started on the next one, so yes, I'm working on two projects at the moment. As far as Hollywood, I was very excited to hear that my good friend, Fred Bernstein, the former president of Columbia TriStar/Sony Pictures, had read my manuscript and thought it was very `cinematic'. He's currently in discussions with producers on a movie treatment. If I had my druthers, Angelina Jolie is perfect to play the female lead of Kate. She's definitely got the look and the verve to play an agent on the hunt of some dangerous international plotters."

Click here to visit the author's website.