Smoke Screen [Paperback]

Wow. Think what would happen. This author does a very nice
job of describing all the ramifications, from the loss of millions of dollars in tax money to the states and federal govmt, the lack of funding for future anti-smoking campaigns,
the jobs lost in the industry, at both the factory and the
farm ends of that business, as well as the anger of the legions
of smokers suddenly deprived of their addiction. Also raised
is the question of the right of Americans to make their own
informed choices and their right to privacy.

Such ramifications are more complex and far-reaching than
most of us ever thought of, and it will do us good to consider
all of them. Only after studying such possible ramifications
can we begin to fathom the depth of the politics behind Big
Tobacco. Then we can begin to understand the wavering of the
big politicians at all levels on these questions; we get an idea
of the tax dollars the governments now count on, especially
since most states have tobacco-suit settlement money being
grabbed by legislators for favorite projects, and the looting
of the original anti-tobacco purposes by those state legislatures.

It is some very fascinating facts, which the author nicely
combines with some interesting speculations, and the story
is a very worthwhile one.

The only flaw is that toward the end, the author uses the device
of the main characters suddenly, and rather mysteriously,
coming into possession of "secret" facts that allow the story
to go forward to its conclusion.

That fiction device is rather noticeable here, but the book
in any case presents some needed facts and speculations about
Big Tobacco and its history and possible future.

This book is reminiscent of Christopher Lehman Haupt's book, Thank You for Smoking, but is told at a much more breakneck pace. It has the intelligence of some of Donald Westlake's more scathing books, and a healthy dose of humor and irony help propel it along.

I do admit that the characterizations are weak, but the characters are here as a deus ex machina, and aren't the important part of the story. The important part of the story is the examination of the conflict in our government between the desire to get tax-money from tobacco firms, and the government's desire to protect people from the dangers of smoking. Mills clearly thinks that anyone still smoking has brought upon their addiction to themselves, especially younger smokers who've been brought up in an enviroment where they're taught about the hazards of lighting up as soon as they enter school.

I recommend this book without hesitation, but only if you want to be entertained whlie being educated. If you want a 'critic'-acclaimed level book, this one does miss the mark.

Mills still addresses a serious contemporary issue in "Smoke Screen," but he does so with a lighter touch. The body count is down considerably from the author's previous stories, and as a result this book is much more fun to read.

If you buy this book expecting another Mills techno-thriller you may be disappointed. Then again, you may be pleasantly surprised. If you're ready for a book where the the bad guys (for the most part) aren't Evil Incarnate and the good guys (for the most part) don't take themselves quite so seriously, you'll enjoy "Smoke Screen."