Hang Fire

Set against the backdrop of 2019 Hollywood, Anthony Mora’s "Hang Fire" plunges readers into a world of unbridled ambition and excess, where the line between reality and illusion blurs with each passing scene. Mora, a novelist and playwright whose works have drawn comparisons to literary luminaries such as Salinger, Fante, and Pinter, brings his considerable talents to bear in this dark comedy that peels back the glittering facade to reveal the desperation and delusion lurking beneath. As we mark the fifth anniversary of the 2020 pandemic lockdown, Mora's novel serves as both a time capsule of a bygone era and a prescient commentary on the fragility of our aspirations.

At the heart of this whirlwind narrative is James Lansing, a struggling novelist who finds himself ensnared in the seductive web of Hollywood's promise. When a silver-tongued, fringe producer dangles the tantalizing possibility of a film adaptation before him, James is drawn into a dizzying world of power lunches, star-studded soirées, and deals that always seem to be just out of reach. As James bankrolls an endless parade of extravagant meetings, convinced that his big break is imminent, readers are treated to a masterclass in dramatic irony, aware as we are of the looming pandemic that will soon render such machinations moot.

Mora populates his novel with a vibrant and eccentric cast of characters that would be right at home in the satirical worlds of Evelyn Waugh's "The Loved One" or Bruce Wagner's "Force Majeure." Mora's keen eye for the absurdities of human behavior shines through transforming each conversation into a nuanced ballet of ego, insecurity, and unbridled ambition. These characters, in all their flawed glory, serve as perfect conduits for Mora's biting commentary on the Hollywood machine, their exaggerated yet believable personas highlighting the industry's inherent contradictions and excesses.

This was a fulfilling, enthralling read that I highly recommend!