Ralph Reed's political novel, Dark Horse, is a must read for serious students of America's presidential campaigns and our electoral system -- and for political junkies of all stripes. He has managed to weave constitutional and electoral law together with fictional characters, unpredictable plot twists and turns along with strands and themes of real life politics.  

Depending on how this 2008 presidential election plays out, it might prove to be an accurate road map for some of what lies ahead, contrasted with what is politically possible and what is  likely to happen.

 The characters seem to have been pulled straight from the real life cesspools of political power in Washington which makes their betrayal of friends, political parties, principles and the nation itself seem all the more plausible. Hopefully this is not too accurate a portrayal of our real life political system and its players, because there are no really "good guys" to be found in this book. 

On the other hand the plotting, characters and currents of fractured, swirling discontent within both the Democrat and Republican parties ring true. The fictional representatives of the "Religious Right" and their apparent political influence may seem a bit overdrawn, but considering the author’s intimate knowledge of this terrain as the former leader of the Christian Coalition, it does give one pause.  

One wonders how much of this aspect of the book has been drawn from Reed’s own experience. Only one who has been there could describe so vividly the inner machinations of religious influencers who seek to act as kingmakers on the national stage. 

In this hot political climate where no pundit can predict how the current election will turn out, this book is certainly timely. Read it. You'll be glad you did.