Ethos

Ethos is a novel about the beliefs, attitudes, and values of two men on a collision course, both driven to do what they must, even if it requires them to kill. Joseph Dillward is a young, black college student in Maza City, North Carolina, who initially is confused about his life’s purpose. Phillip Goldwater, a white man, once CEO of Breachwind, the world’s largest, most powerful corporation, leads an effort to kill Joseph and his entire family. Why? Because Phillip has discovered that the Dillward family can lay claim to a fortune from having invested in Breachwind since the end of the American Civil War – and can also insist that Joseph be made Breachwind’s new CEO.

Before hostilities begin, Joseph, an outstanding football player, leads his college, Rock University, to a championship win over cross-town rival Black Mountain U. But then Phillip hires a band of professional assassins to eradicate the Dillwards. Joseph’s college friends, computer majors known as “the geeks,” go online and hire a team of bodyguards for Joseph’s family that continuously outfights and outsmarts Phillip’s would be assassins. Joseph’s “black ops” military training with the U.S. Government (something his family knew nothing about) also makes him a formidable one-man army.

“Bubba,” the bodyguards’ team leader, has a fantastic sense of humor while under fire and is an inspiration to his team and the whole Dillward family. Other story highlights include “Grandpa Ben’s” amazing knowledge of “the slave days” in America, Joseph’s romance with Phillip’s granddaughter, Diane, while they’re hiding out from the assassins, the surprisingly active sex life of Joseph’s middle-aged parents, and Phillip’s final efforts to have Joseph killed before he can appear on-stage at the Breachwind “Person of the Year” award banquet and be declared the corporation’s new top exec.

As the story ends, Joseph muses: No, this not the end. This is just the beginning.