Under the Eye of God: An Isaac Sidel Novel

Set in 1988, Charyn's 11th Isaac Sidel novel (after 1999's Citizen Sidel) is an uneven mix of alternative history and political farce. New York City Mayor Sidel is the vice-president-elect, credited with enabling the Democratic ticket to prevail; the president-to-be, J. Michael Storm, is a former baseball commissioner and "a flagrant Casanova." To keep Sidel from overshadowing Storm, Sidel is kept on the sidelines. On a trip to Texas, Sidel survives an attempt on his life, only to find that it was staged. A power struggles ensues in which Sidel plans to take over the country and name a Republican%E2%80%94the FBI director%E2%80%94as his vice president. Crackpot ideas like having a student commute from the White House to the Bronx for junior high come across as bizarre rather than humorously satirical, and credibility points are lost every time La Cosa Nostra is referred to as "the Maf." (Oct.)