4.0 out of 5 stars Decent read, Length takes a backseat; brilliant storytelling shines through.

D.S. · 21 December 2022

Captivated by the book's synopsis and swiftly immersing myself in the Iran-Contra Scandal, I was disheartened by how effectively such a recent and monumental political controversy had been swept under the rug. Thus, I eagerly seized the opportunity to read a fictionalized true story, knowing these often provide the juiciest narratives.Tone, structure, and style hold significant sway here. In the realm of political storytelling, there's a considerable risk of tedium, but this book defies that expectation. In fact, it does the opposite. The author adeptly skims over names, ranks, titles, departments, and the intricate geopolitical landscape – all of which abound – to ensure the reader remains acutely aware of the story's relevance. Here, the literary style and tone inject a sense of urgency. The narrative begins, and it never relents; chapters and characters transition swiftly and seamlessly, evolving from initially predictable caricatures into morally ambiguous figures.Considering that the primary POV chapters revolve around real individuals entangled in this convoluted scandal, this achievement is nothing short of remarkable. Jonathan Wade successfully lightens the mood, so to speak, despite the depth of depravity depicted. Yet, this is also a point of critique. There's an air of casualness throughout, and when combined with the brisk pace, it's challenging not to wonder if there was an opportunity to delve deeper, unveil greater character complexity, and ultimately enrich the story. A caveat is in order: this novel already spans 150,000 words, so this critique might have been inevitable.In conclusion, a thoroughly enjoyable read. "Arm & Hammer" lives up to its promises and more. Surprises await, from plot developments to character arcs, and it provokes contemplation on war, humanity, morality, and unexpected emotions. It maintains a brisk pace despite its length, evoking deep emotions within its drug-related and political backdrop. Despite its casual tone, the narrative is replete with vivid imagery and eloquent phrasing, featuring moments of beauty and poetry (particularly Max Gomez's wanderings through the Contra camps), all leading to a poignant, unjust, and unsatisfying conclusion. A streaming series adaptation seems inevitable!*I received a complimentary advance review copy and offer this review voluntarily.Looking forward to seeing more from Jonathan K Wade!

Entertaining and intelligent!

B. · 17 December 2022

This novel is packed with surprises. From the POV's you get, the seriousness of the content "pulped up" to actually be interesting and easy to understand, to the twist and turns as the years of scandal unravel.There are other, more important, surprises too. Like what starts out as seemingly one-dimensional characters (drug dealers and amoral Agency men no less) reveal rather meaningful depth - either about themselves or the consequences of their actions.The other major surprise is how this story ties—or cuts—its threads for the ending. In what is for the most part a thrilling ride of 80's CIA corruption and the in's and out's of Californian drug trafficking, there's a remarkable bittersweet (or just bitter) close to this saga that strikes at the heart of a political, social and cultural crossfire that for me was the cherry on top of novel that is cover-to-cover fun!

Exhilarating, Action Packed And Gritty

A.W. · 30 December 2022

Great read, each of the different plot lines are interwoven beautifully to create a complete picture. Jumping back and forth between the States and Nicaragua the pace is fast and takes you from the higher echelons of the US government all the way to the crack dealer on the street. An enlightening and exciting tale based on real events!

Over-length, odd voice dull “Hammer’s” driving blow

J.B. · 24 March 2023

At first glance, part of The Iran-Contra Affair would seem to have supported America’s Cold War mission to defeat the USSR or “The Evil Empire,” as President Ronald Reagan dubbed it. The Sandinista Government in Nicaragua was considered a Communist threat to all of Central America in the 80’s. Thus, an elaborate covert plan was hatched to supply those fighting against it (called “Contras”). The plan was “covert,” however, because Congress eventually banned military aid to the Contras. Even so, through the backing of what journalist Bill Moyers identified as “the secret government” (meaning some within primarily Reagan’s National Security Council), a motley crew of high-level movers-and-shakers and street-level pawns under the delegated authority of former Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North armed the rebels. The weapons were shipped by aircraft into Nicaragua and the planes returned to the U.S. with drugs, cocaine specifically, that were smuggled to key dealers. And the profits were used to illegally re-supply the Contras.I vividly remember live broadcasts of the Senate hearings into The Iran-Contra Affair (featuring a uniformed North’s sworn TV testimony). The affair got more mileage afterwards through documentaries but sputtered in Hollywood. Since it was reworked into the movie version of Tom Clancy’s “Clear and Present Danger” in the 90’s and only examined through one lower-level player’s perspective in 2017’s comedic “American Made,” author Johnathan K. Wade probably saw room to improve with “Arm and Hammer.”Weighing in at close to 600 pages that span 1981-1987, or what was most of The Reagan Administration, “Arm and Hammer” is a sprawling, uncompromising dramatization of the effects of The Iran-Contra Affair in the Western Hemisphere, rather than the Middle East. This plot focus departs from real life (where several federal deep dives into the scandal didn’t seem to expose the depth of the drug trafficking as much as they did the arms-for-hostages exchange with Iran and intermediaries). The most famous of these investigations, the televised 1987 Senate inquiry, also wasn’t adapted by the author.The book doesn’t suffer from a dull sense of place; the author adequately describes Central American surroundings and really shines when capturing life in the L.A. hood through the mesmerizing imagery of the “cooking” process, if you will, of “Freeway Ricky” and his associates. In fact, one of the key ingredients in his patented “recipe” is the source of the book’s title!What significantly dulls “Arm and Hammer’s” drive to be a hard-hitting piece of historical fiction is its over-length. The attendant action and suspense from the drugs, planes, and guns galore aren’t sustained throughout. Things don’t become truly tense until Chapter 29, “Fall From Grace,” onward (when the jig is up and North and his secretary race to keep the lid from blowing off the cover-up). And while many of the major participants (North, National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane, his successor John Poindexter, CIA Director William Casey, trafficker “Freeway Ricky” Ross, and even North’s secretary Fawn Hall) are eventually humanized, the glossary of their bios would have been handier at the start of the book, given the page count, like the opening credits to a movie.Speaking of “movie,” the writing style reads like a screenplay (with lots of dialog). If this was the intent, though, most screenplays are a little over 100 pages … tops. With so much of “Arm and Hammer” being reason of state rhetoric, the simpler third person omniscient past tense would have helped pacing and tension. Instead, the peculiar choice of third person omniscient present tense voice sounds like acting prompts.While it can’t top the few Tinsel Town versions of The Iran-Contra Affair before it, “Arm and Hammer” gets an honorable mention for author Johnathan K. Wade’s capacity to paint (through strong imagery and sturdy characterizations) a plausible, if overlong and awkwardly voiced, literary interpretation of the day-to-day networking of one the 80’s most memorable political events.