Burton Blake Book Review

About Burton Blake

In this sequel to the well-received The Revolutionist, the American journey of three generations locks the neophyte company president, Burton Blake, in a vicious struggle with corporate intrigue, financial greed, and social corruption. Born to a taxi dancer at the beginning of the Second World War, Burton’s father, Elias Blake, never knows his natural father, who is killed in the South Pacific. He is raised by his mother and stepfather from her second marriage who makes his fortune during the post war real estate boom of the 50’s. Their untimely death by his business partner leaves the boy Elias in the guardianship of his mother’s best friend and her marine vet husband who introduces him to the macho culture of guns and hunting.

Elias’s youth is influenced by the adult world’s drive for personal material gain. Over the next decades, he expands his parents’ original real estate empire into the diversified multi-divisional, multi-national corporation that he leaves to his son, Burton. Upon his forced return from traveling and working with oppressed third world people, Burton learns increasingly more about the true nature of his deceased father as he undertakes the challenges of leading the company in a new direction.

My Thoughts

This is a well written journey through three generations of a family as they struggle with building a dynasty, greed and corruption.

Elias Blake never knows his real father, who was killed during the Second World War. He is raised by his mother and stepfather, a man who is consumed with wealth. His stepfather earns his wealth in real estate but he is never really shown as a kind, caring figure which is something Elias really needed. When the only parents he has ever known die in a car accident, his whole life is turned upside down. It is the influence from his youth (wealth, greed, power and the drive to always have more) that creates his future. My heart was sore for him, as he never really knew any different, it was only in his last moments that he truly understood the impact of his life on others.

He turns the real estate business into a dynasty of wealth and expands the divisions. While business is booming for him, he can’t escape the greed and envy of others. When he leaves everything to his son, Burton, we begin to uncover a new side of Elias and a web of secrets, murder and corruption in his business.

Burton had turned his back on his father and that life years ago, instead he chooses to focus on humanitarian rights. He does not want anything to do with the corruption of the business world but unfortunately he is caught right in the middle of it. The story really takes off here and we uncover new plots and revisit events of the past. We are witness to murder, lies, greed and corruption. Can Burton resist temptation? Can he right past wrongs? Will he even be able to stay alive??

This is a well written novel that pulls you in slowly and keeps you guessing through every turn of the page. I loved how the past and present were intertwined and even in the darkest moments, you can see a glimmer of hope for good to come out on top.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Robert is published by Tell-Tale Publishing Group LLC / Wise Words Publishing under a multi-book contract. The author of four previous earlier novels, Robert infuses his books with unique dynamic stories and characters that portray social and cultural conflicts of their time. His career encompasses many years as a business consultant that have given him access to a wide range of organizations and an appreciation for people in all areas of society. His life experience is reflected in the literary quality of his work. Born and raised in the Middle-West, he has traveled throughout the United States and abroad.

Now retired, he resides with his wife in Southern California where he devotes full-time to writing. Robert is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara with a Masters Degree in Communications at the University of California, Los Angeles where he received the Samuel Goldwyn and Donald Davis Literary Awards.

An affinity for family and the astute observation of generational interaction pervade his novels. His works are literary and genre upmarket fiction that address the nature and importance of personal integrity.