Book Review - Moral Authority by Jacob Z. Flores

 

Most debut novels quickly vanish after their release. Only occasionally does one stand out and receive the accolades it deserves. Such is the case with Moral Authority. Writer Jacob Z. Flores has crafted a story, told from three points of view, that resonates with readers because of its relevance to headlines of today.

Mark, Isaac, and Samuel are three very different young men living in America in the year 2050. For more than thirty years, The Moral Authority has held considerable sway over the nation and is in fact a fourth branch of the federal government. Conservatism run amok, The Moral Authority exerts its controlling tentacles over society by requiring citizens to live according to its edicts or risk criminalization if they don’t.

Mark is bold and daring. Samuel is corrupted by power. Isaac is remorseful of his past. As the story unfolds, the reader becomes entangled in their lives. One will find true love in a barren place. One will find a redemption for himself that he isn’t expecting. One is destined to fight to hold onto his way of life by any means necessary. Dominating each is the painful reality of either following the law of The Moral Authority or living in the perpetual jeopardy that personal freedom entails.

With the question of equality unsettled in the world of today, Moral Authority is a book that gives its audience a look at what the future might be like if lawmakers of the present yield to religious and conservative pressures, restricting rights instead of embracing them. Echoes of Orwell permeate the story without overshadowing it, adding to the message that it conveys, resulting in a novel that is likely larger in scope and importance than it intended to be. Moral Authority is an impressive debut for Mr. Flores.

4 ½ Stars.

Amazon.com Link: Moral Authority

Carey Parrish