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Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining trash
Review: I first bought this book back in '87 when I was just fourteen years old and, to be honest, my sole motivation for the purchase came from the pre-publications publicity dealing with the novel's somewhat explicit sex scenes (actually rather tame by today's standards). I recently sat down and reread the book and discovered that, hidden amongst an overly complex and trashy plot, Favorite Son was actually a moving examination of the loss of innocence in 20th Century America.
The plot deals with the aftermath of the attempted assasination of Sen. Terry Fallon, a charismatic liberal from Texas who becomes an American hero and a potential Vice President. Unfortunately, Fallon remains a rather flat character. Luckily, even if Fallon doesn't engage the imagination, Sohmer has created a rogue's gallery of other characters who really stick with you. To echo many others, aging FBI agent Mancuso is truly one of the most engaging, likeable characters I've come across in a long time. At the end of the book, I actually did find myself saddened to be parting his company. As I think someone else said, its a shame Sohmer didn't write more Mancuso novels.
Rating: 
Summary: mmm
Review: mmm
Rating:
Summary: A book to be read
Review: Political intrigue in the USA, very clever. The author is great, it's a pity he didn't write many other books...
Rating:
Summary: A first rate trashy political novel introducing Joe Mancuso
Review: Steve Sohmer was a career television executive at Columbia Pictures, NBC Entertainment and CBS News. "Favorite Son" was, by its own admission, "an Explosive NBC-TV Miniseries," but the novel is even better. Admittedly this is a trashy political novel, not to be confused with great fiction by any means, but it is a GREAT trashy political novel. President Samuel Baker is going to have trouble being reelected. When young Texas Senator Terry Fallon is shot on the steps of the U.S. Capitol welcoming a Contra leader, he suddenly becomes the "favorite son" candidate for Vice-President. Lou Bender, the President's closest advisor wants to reign Fallon in, while Sally Crain, Fallon's savy press aide wants her guy to end up in the White House, maybe sooner than later. Every one has plans and plans within plans, but the marvelous monkey wrench in these proceedings is that the F.B.I. has assigned Joe Mancuso, a cynical old S.O.B. who is on his way out at the Bureau, to find out who shot Fallon, and when he does, boy, does it hit the fan big time. "Favorite Son" is a great read, with its labyrinthine plot and marvelous characters, peppered with real world characters like Dan Rather and Bryant Gumbel. Whether you have seen the miniseries or not, you will enjoy the novel. Now, all you have to do is find it. Too bad Sohmer did not write another book, even if it was not about Joe Mancuso, instead of just doing that television series.
Rating:
Summary: A first rate trashy political novel introducing Joe Mancuso
Review: Steve Sohmer was a career television executive at Columbia Pictures, NBC Entertainment and CBS News. "Favorite Son" was, by its own admission, "an Explosive NBC-TV Miniseries," but the novel is even better. Admittedly this is a trashy political novel, not to be confused with great fiction by any means, but it is a GREAT trashy political novel. President Samuel Baker is going to have trouble being reelected. When young Texas Senator Terry Fallon is shot on the steps of the U.S. Capitol welcoming a Contra leader, he suddenly becomes the "favorite son" candidate for Vice-President. Lou Bender, the President's closest advisor wants to reign Fallon in, while Sally Crain, Fallon's savy press aide wants her guy to end up in the White House, maybe sooner than later. Every one has plans and plans within plans, but the marvelous monkey wrench in these proceedings is that the F.B.I. has assigned Joe Mancuso, a cynical old S.O.B. who is on his way out at the Bureau, to find out who shot Fallon, and when he does, boy, does it hit the fan big time. "Favorite Son" is a great read, with its labyrinthine plot and marvelous characters, peppered with real world characters like Dan Rather and Bryant Gumbel. Whether you have seen the miniseries or not, you will enjoy the novel. Now, all you have to do is find it. Too bad Sohmer did not write another book, even if it was not about Joe Mancuso, instead of just doing that television series.
Rating:
Summary: A first rate trashy political novel introducing Joe Mancuso
Review: Steve Sohmer was a career television executive at Columbia Pictures, NBC Entertainment and CBS News. "Favorite Son" was, by its own admission, "an Explosive NBC-TV Miniseries," but the novel is even better. Admittedly this is a trashy political novel, not to be confused with great fiction by any means, but it is a GREAT trashy political novel. President Samuel Baker is going to have trouble being reelected. When young Texas Senator Terry Fallon is shot on the steps of the U.S. Capitol welcoming a Contra leader, he suddenly becomes the "favorite son" candidate for Vice-President. Lou Bender, the President's closest advisor wants to reign Fallon in, while Sally Crain, Fallon's savy press aide wants her guy to end up in the White House, maybe sooner than later. Every one has plans and plans within plans, but the marvelous monkey wrench in these proceedings is that the F.B.I. has assigned Joe Mancuso, a cynical old S.O.B. who is on his way out at the Bureau, to find out who shot Fallon, and when he does, boy, does it hit the fan big time. "Favorite Son" is a great read, with its labyrinthine plot and marvelous characters, peppered with real world characters like Dan Rather and Bryant Gumbel. Whether you have seen the miniseries or not, you will enjoy the novel. Now, all you have to do is find it. Too bad Sohmer did not write another book, even if it was not about Joe Mancuso, instead of just doing that television series.
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