Pawn's Gambit

“Pawn’s Gambit” is a Political Fantasy—a picture of the political world of the future as it might become. Lukas Beck, who lives in San Francisco, is a high steel construction worker who just happens to be at the right place at the right time. He saves a man trying to commit suicide from the famed Golden Gate Bridge. As a result of his bravery, Lukas becomes a media darling for what he assumes will be a short period of time. But fate seems to have other things in store. A major beer company sees him as being a “real man” spokesman for their beer commercials. Then the state of California sees him as being the right man to publicize California tourism. Then a canny friend of his, Terry Williams, who is heavily involved in politics, sees him as being “just right” to run for the seat of a disgraced California Congressman. More luck gives him the seat of one of California’s two U.S. Senators. Finally, he becomes the GOP nominee for President of the United States. Is this the rise of a good man, or the rise of a truly incompetent man—backed up by a diabolical Svengali?