This has got to be the worst novel (er...book) that I have ever read. I bought it based on a recommendation made on a podcast of the Economist. The story line is intriguing: in the near future (2032 I think) a newly elected American president is made aware of just how dire the status of global warming is, and so he has to cope with the imminent effects of global warming and flooding of coastal cities not just in the states but around the world. Sounds good eh? Seems like the idea could provide rich material for an author to construct a story replete with human suffering on a grand scale, explore what it would be like to experience such a catastrophe, create inspirational heroes, right?

Wrong.

The novel is essentially just a series of very dry conversations with no attempt at artful design. The conversations deal almost exclusively with, if you can believe this, policy directions that the government should/could take to avoid the crisis. The author fails to convey any urgency, the implication is that even in 2032, the effects of global warming, although accelerating, are still 5-10 years in the future. The characters are thoroughly one dimensional (the president never seems to get off the campaign trail, even after the election, even when talking to his family; everything he says sounds like a political cliché or a policy position). The dialogue and descriptions are often trite. (Who cares what floor the hotel room is on? What relevance does this fact have??) In particular the descriptions of the characters (and there are oh so many of them, all introduced with firsts and last names: Joe Benton, John Eales, Jodie Ames, Sam Levy, Hilary Battle, Amanda Pavlich, Battle's spokeperson Ewen MacMaster, Connor Gale Chen Liangming, Ben Hoffman, Dr. Richards, Hugh Ogilvie,Mike Gartner, Angela Chavez, Ray Travis, Larry Olsen, Steve Naylor, Jackie Ruben, Alan Ball, President Wen, Al Graham, Kay Wilson, Adam Gehrig, Josh Singer it just goes on and on…) always focus predominantly on the professional biographies. The character descriptions read almost like the biographies one finds in promotional material for conferences. The only drama in this novel seems to happen when one character "glances impatiently" at another. The chapter where the characters edit the inaugural speech is stunning, I think I read it with a dropped jaw, and probably best illustrates just how bad the writing is.

Ah, and the author has invented a new word: "nother", its not "an other", it's not "other".

I am on page 174 and cannot continue.

Matthew Glass has given us a thriller that is all too possible, drawing the reader in from page one. The book begins innocuously enough in the year 2032 in a mood of energy and optimism for rebuilding the nation's basic foundation. The bright and popular newly-elected U.S. president has won his seat with an unprecedented majority on a platform of honesty, decisiveness, and trust. The excitement is contagious as the population celebrates their president-elect, but hidden clouds are on the horizon when he learns that the agreements he has inherited will challenge his government's integrity..

Engrossing, tense, and tightly knit, Ultimatum is written with a strong sense of political process, heart-stopping decision-making, and intrigue. Although a work of fiction, it bestows a feeling of stark realism and drama as crises build. How these crises are approached by the president and the many people who form his government are quite fascinating to this Canadian reader. The characterizations are full-on, the plot development plausible, even perhaps ultimately probable. This book is a strong and shocking wake-up call involving the whole world.

Previous policies on global emissions have done nothing to prevent the looming disaster that had escalated to extreme proportions but the severity had been downplayed. This is where the president finds himself as he takes office. President Benton is a strong presence throughout the book and the author has smoothly if urgently demonstrated the transitions in rapid succession. His torment is felt as he wrestles to keep the honesty and trust promised in his platform. The world turns upside down and inside out within the first several days of his presidency as he becomes more aware of deals made by the previous government.

The story begins within the U.S. but the pace of global warming is overwhelming in its path of destruction. The horror is the speed and loss of land worldwide. Coastlines have disappeared and relocation of populations is in the millions.

Matthew Glass has set a momentum that does not let up but constantly accelerates. He definitely keeps the tension building. This novel is indeed a roller-coaster of a thriller. The action keeps the reader involved from start to finish, second-guessing outcomes, trying to predict responses, and what the final horror will be. This book will definitely bring some new thoughts on how much the world is really one; how things must be tackled worldwide, parts played by arrogance and greed. Very spellbinding and thought-provoking. Great writing, Matthew, I really enjoyed my adventure into the world of politics.

In Ultimatum, Matthew Glass has taken the situation in the world today (emissions affecting the environment, countries vowing to control their emissions but not actually doing anything) and extended it to the year 2032 where the situation has further deteriorated.

The environmental conditions have become so bad that plans are already in place for Relocation (moving citizens away from the soon-to-be uninhabitable coastal areas.) The newly elected president finds out from his predecessor that the situation is far worse than anyone believed.

Thus begins the faceoff between the U.S and China (as the top two emissions countries on Earth) as each wants to take steps to control emissions but neither is willing to back down until the other side does. There is great tension as the negotiations and posturing escalates until the threat of nuclear war becomes very real.

Definitely a page turner and certainly a possible look at the direction we may be headed if policies don't change.

(One minor quibble: whenever the main character would get frustrated, he would always use the expression "Hell's Bells!". This statement should only be used if you are currently the lead singer of AC/DC.)

Democrat Joe Benton has just been elected in 2032, a world that has seen global warning truly start to erode the coast line. One of his policy promises is a Relocation package that involves moving citizens from cities on the coast that have been wiped out due to the climate change. Benton believes he has the potential to be one of few presidents that changes his country, and possibly the world, for the better.

When the previous president calls Benton in to a meeting and tells him that the effects of global warming are much worse than what is expected, that if no changes are made, Miami will be under water and California will be forever in a drought, Benton's priorities must change. He learns that the government was in negotiations with China, the world's largest pollution emitter, to cut back emissions but that no progress had been made. Benton brings in his own team to learn about Chinese politics and how to best go about negotiations with them to reach a common resolution.

What results is a political thriller like none I've ever read before. Glass takes you behind the scenes and into the room of a president and his advisers discussing all the options and all the alternatives of a single action. It's obvious that a lot of research and thought was put into this book. I really appreciated how logical the arguments were and how I could agree with what both sides were saying. I'm definitely glad I wasn't in Benton's position. I don't know if I'd be able to make those decisions.

Since I'm not American, I had trouble keeping in mind which character was in which position and what exactly that position entailed (cheifs, secretaries, ministers, etc.). However, the balance of characters was great. Each brought a different view to the table. Despite being a large book, I was turning the pages wondering what was going to happen and the end had my heart racing as I tried to read as quickly as possible to find out how Benton was going to pull through.

This has been my best read of the year!