A House of Sand

This mainstream narrative delves into the life of protagonist Henry Janus, an immensely successful, politically powerful, ostensibly philanthropic, but unscrupulous real estate developer, whose wealth and power impact strongly on the lives of everyone in his purview. His seeming largess, enhanced by virtue of advantageous tax provisions and strong-arming of business executives dependent upon him, brings him one of the highest honors his community can bestow on one of its citizens as...
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This mainstream narrative delves into the life of protagonist Henry Janus, an immensely successful, politically powerful, ostensibly philanthropic, but unscrupulous real estate developer, whose wealth and power impact strongly on the lives of everyone in his purview. His seeming largess, enhanced by virtue of advantageous tax provisions and strong-arming of business executives dependent upon him, brings him one of the highest honors his community can bestow on one of its citizens as the novel opens. His acceptance speech for the award is a sanctimonious recitation of his life and philosophy, actually written for him by his public relations agency’s star writer, who himself had been a victim of Janus’ greed. Through the device of pertinent outtake quotations from the speech, the recollections of the major characters most intimately involved with him in his business and personal affairs give us differing and telling takes on Janus, providing a revealing portrait of the sinister power broker’s impact on the lives of his former partners, his current colleagues, associates, competitors and family members. The contemporary tale carries the reader into the inner sanctums of the business and legal domains where political connections, strong personalities and conflict abound. We examine Janus not only through his own words and actions but also through those of major characters. They range from a humble waiter to an accomplished award-winning architect as well as his closest kin and the beautiful paramours who are both his trophies and victims. The Janus saga reveals boardroom intrigue, internecine struggles in his home, and his relentless pursuit of empire building for his own aggrandizement. Settings include his home, his office, his private plane, and fleshpots and centers of power and exotic luxury at home and abroad. Climax of the book comes in a dramatic confrontation when Janus trips over his own outsized ego, his domineering and manipulative personality, and his lusts to run afoul of the Internal Revenue Service. An IRS audit and a criminal investigation result in a multi-count indictment. A tax fraud trial follows and a plea bargain is negotiated. Not even his strong political connections, which include access to the White House, are able to save him from his downfall. He endures a prison sentence, the death of his wife, and arrogation by his own son. Shorn of his power, but not his wealth, Janus turns to other business interests on an international scale. Before he can realize the full benefits of his new interests, his carnal proclivities trip him up again. The end comes when this quondam corporate chieftain, once respected, feared, or loathed by the many persons he dominated, finds himself in total isolation and the agent of his own destruction. This mainstream narrative delves into the life of protagonist Henry Janus, an immensely successful, politically powerful, ostensibly philanthropic, but unscrupulous real estate developer, whose wealth and power impact strongly on the lives of everyone in his purview. His seeming largess, enhanced by virtue of advantageous tax provisions and strong-arming of business executives dependent upon him, brings him one of the highest honors his community can bestow on one of its citizens as the novel opens. His acceptance speech for the award is a sanctimonious recitation of his life and philosophy, actually written for him by his public relations agency’s star writer, who himself had been a victim of Janus’ greed. Through the device of pertinent outtake quotations from the speech, the recollections of the major characters most intimately involved with him in his business and personal affairs give us differing and telling takes on Janus, providing a revealing portrait of the sinister power broker’s impact on the lives of his former partners, his current colleagues, associates, competitors and family members. The contemporary tale carries the reader into the inner sanctums of the business and legal domains where political connections, strong personalities and conflict abound. We examine Janus not only through his own words and actions but also through those of major characters. They range from a humble waiter to an accomplished award-winning architect as well as his closest kin and the beautiful paramours who are both his trophies and victims. The Janus saga reveals boardroom intrigue, internecine struggles in his home, and his relentless pursuit of empire building for his own aggrandizement. Settings include his home, his office, his private plane, and fleshpots and centers of power and exotic luxury at home and abroad. Climax of the book comes in a dramatic confrontation when Janus trips over his own outsized ego, his domineering and manipulative personality, and his lusts to run afoul of the Internal Revenue Service. An IRS audit and a criminal investigation result in a multi-count indictment. A tax fraud trial follows and a plea bargain is negotiated. Not even his strong political connections, which include access to the White House, are able to save him from his downfall. He endures a prison sentence, the death of his wife, and arrogation by his own son. Shorn of his power, but not his wealth, Janus turns to other business interests on an international scale. Before he can realize the full benefits of his new interests, his carnal proclivities trip him up again. The end comes when this quondam corporate chieftain, once respected, feared, or loathed by the many persons he dominated, finds himself in total isolation and the agent of his own destruction. This mainstream narrative delves into the life of protagonist Henry Janus, an immensely successful, politically powerful, ostensibly philanthropic, but unscrupulous real estate developer, whose wealth and power impact strongly on the lives of everyone in his purview. His seeming largess, enhanced by virtue of advantageous tax provisions and strong-arming of business executives dependent upon him, brings him one of the highest honors his community can bestow on one of its citizens as the novel opens. His acceptance speech for the award is a sanctimonious recitation of his life and philosophy, actually written for him by his public relations agency’s star writer, who himself had been a victim of Janus’ greed. Through the device of pertinent outtake quotations from the speech, the recollections of the major characters most intimately involved with him in his business and personal affairs give us differing and telling takes on Janus, providing a revealing portrait of the sinister power broker’s impact on the lives of his former partners, his current colleagues, associates, competitors and family members. The contemporary tale carries the reader into the inner sanctums of the business and legal domains where political connections, strong personalities and conflict abound. We examine Janus not only through his own words and actions but also through those of major characters. They range from a humble waiter to an accomplished award-winning architect as well as his closest kin and the beautiful paramours who are both his trophies and victims. The Janus saga reveals boardroom intrigue, internecine struggles in his home, and his relentless pursuit of empire building for his own aggrandizement. Settings include his home, his office, his private plane, and fleshpots and centers of power and exotic luxury at home and abroad. Climax of the book comes in a dramatic confrontation when Janus trips over his own outsized ego, his domineering and manipulative personality, and his lusts to run afoul of the Internal Revenue Service. An IRS audit and a criminal investigation result in a multi-count indictment. A tax fraud trial follows and a plea bargain is negotiated. Not even his strong political connections, which include access to the White House, are able to save him from his downfall. He endures a prison sentence, the death