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THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE |
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Inside Cover: A human time-bomb is turned loose on an unsuspecting nation in this brilliant and startling novel, at once a spy story, a love story, a fascinating tale of adventure, and a savage satire. Sergeant Raymond Shaw, brainwashed secretly and then freed with the rest of his patrol after being captured in Korea, comes home an unwitting hero and Congressional Medal of Honor winner to be idolized by America. Only the Communists who indoctrinated him know when and how he will explode, and they alone control his actions as the fateful hour approaches. His mother, a power-hungry jezebel behind the Washington political scene, and his stepfather, Senator Iselin, an unscrupulous demagogue, are quick to exploit Shaw's sudden fame for their own purposes. Implacably, however, the mechanism buried in his consciousness ticks away. Murder and violence, terror in its most deceptive forms, greed without disguise, and a weird recurrent nightmare move the characters at a breathtaking pace through the capitals of the world as the novel races toward its spectacular and logical climax. Richard Condon displays a wild vitality, a wonderful imagination, and an unerring sense of the ridiculous in this classic novel of suspense.
© Playboy Magazine Richard Condon is the author of many other novels, among them Winter Kills, Prizzi's Honor, and Prizzi's Family, published in 1986. He also wrote the screenplay for the film version of Prizzi's Honor. Condon formerly worked in public relations. His novels have been translated into 21 different languages. Jacket design by Manda Hegardt Back Cover: "Shocking, Tense ... a High-Grade Adventure-Suspense." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Original ... A Breathlessly Up-to-Date Thriller." -- New York Times "An Exciting, Brilliantly Told Story ... Crammed With Suspense." -- Chicago Tribune "Savage ... Frightening ... Extraordinary." -- Kirkus Reviews "Apocalyptic ... Condon is Wickedly Skillful." -- Time
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