Dec. 27, 2014 by Darius
I just read Whiskey Tango Foxtrot by David Shafer. It’s a highly amusing and somewhat freaky read.
In the very, very near future, a cabal known as the Committee is trying to effectively privatize all information in the world. The origins of the Committee lie in the US government’s electronic surveillance programs, which were eventually contracted out to a consortium of private companies and out of the US government’s control. The Committee has infiltrated/taken over many of the world’s governments and most of the world’s intelligence agencies. Opposing the Committee is an equally shadowy quasi-anarchist group called Dear Diary.
Into this fight stumble three characters, all of them damaged goods in some way: Leo, the wealthy son of a games tycoon who is borderline mentally ill (and the drinking and pot didn’t help), Leila, a disillusioned NGO worker, daughter of Persian immigrants, and Mark, a writer who wrote one good essay and ended up with a career as a phony self-help author.
Shafer creates a very distinct voice and style for each character, and their emotions are very well-worked and believable. The book is full of conspiracy theories, aside from the obvious conspiracy-theory nature of the plot (like the existence of a super-secret intelligence agency inside the US Postal Service) but is presented in a largely playful rather than paranoid way. Based on the actions of the characters, I’m pretty sure Shafer himself knows his way around the business end of a water pipe.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot’s ending either screams “sequel” or represents modern literature at its most irksome. Don’t look for things to be wrapped up nicely. (I don’t want to spoil the “ending” or any other parts of the book here, but I’m happy to discuss via the comments section of this post.)
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot would appeal to anyone who might like a well-written, satirical, non-linear, sometimes downright psychedelic story.
Not What You Might Think 