Author David D. Williams has crafted a novel that explores the basic good vs. evil motif. It’s far more nuanced than that, though, and takes a good, hard look at not only unethical lawyers and companies whose bottom line is more important than the lives of the people who work for them, but also the doubts and fallibilities of those intent on exposing the truth. Williams accomplishes this without demonizing all lawyers and all companies and without the saccharine one-dimensionality of the honest and decent men and women striving to find out the truth. The characters are well fleshed out and even those whose morals are questionable at best have their human moments of doubt and fear exposed. The storyline is easy to figure out well before the end is reached which might mildly disappoint for some readers, but overall it doesn’t detract much from how the conclusion is reached. There is plenty to keep the reader guessing and surprised. The novel’s pace is also consistent and moves quickly; even the more technical explanations about law and fertilizer manufacture are crafted with just enough information to educate the reader without bogging down the narrative.
Despite the predictable storyline, GAMESMANSHIP is a top-notch, entertaining and well-delivered novel.
Reviewed by K.J. Pierce for IndieReader