Freedom Factor by Gerald R. Lund

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

This book was a great read. The speculation of an America with no Constitution was interesting and eye-opening. This book was written in the 80s and it's startling to compare times then to times now, even with the Constitution. It also gave important insight into political corruption and how politicians use each other. The protagonist's controversial political views are also interesting, and I found myself wondering if some people who read this book today would think that the amendment his party proposes in the beginning would be a good one to actually add to the Constitution, and have to read the rest of the book to learn why it would not be.

Genre: fiction

Setting: America

Introduction:

Bryce Sherwood is a dedicated proponent of the 29th amendment bill, proposed to "give government  back to the people." It would allow congress to pass a vote of no-confidence in the president and oust him if he creates an impasse between the legislative and executive branches. Sherwood does not realize how this affects the system of checks and balances, and believes the Constitution should be updated. But then he meets Leslie Adams-- a member of the Save the Constitution group and an outspoken opponent of the bill. Despite their differences, they find themselves falling in love. But Bryce hasn't changed his mind in the least, and so drastic measures are taken. Nathaniel Gorham, a little-known founding father from Massachusetts, comes from the spirit world to show Bryce the error of his ways. Gorham gets into Bryce's personal life-- he appears on Good Morning America in an episode only he can see, he shows up at dinner during an important speech he attends, and ultimately ruins his relationship with Leslie, all the time attempting to teach and lecture him about the bill's effects and the importance of the Constitution. When all else fails, Gorham transports Bryce to an alternate reality. Bryce doesn't know why things are so different: the police are so oppressive, the borders are different (the original colonies are no longer part of the United States) and the Declaration of Independence has a death sentence attached to it. When Bryce finally finds Gorham again, he learns the horrible truth about the universe he has been roughly ejected into: the Constitution of the United States was never ratified.

Themes: know when you're being used, the Constitution is vital to freedom, checks and balances hold the entire Constitution together

Recommended Age: 13

Rating: 5 stars