Third and final Book in Hugh Cook's Oceans of Light Trilogy.
Because of the paranormal influence of the metapsychic faultline, life in the archipelago of Chalakanesia can never be guaranteed to be normal. But President Heineman has things worse than the faultline to worry about: human beings. At the outset, an assassination attempt is made on his life. Reality is entering crisis mode, and Heineman's personal survival — and much more — is going to end up being at stake. While the action moves along, NORTH OF PARADISE explores the alternative reality environment in which Heineman and his sister Atlanta live. A reality wildly different from ours.
Plot (Spoilers)
The main character is again Heineman, brother of Atlanta, both members of the Jubiladilia Family who specialize in diving using "adaptive skins".
Heineman is now president of Chalakanesia, solely due to his opponent Gorkindachina being shunted by the blast in East of Hell. Gorkindachina is missing for most of the book, however received the most votes in the election.
Heineman is living in the Presidential Palace when there is an attempt on his life, and he spends the rest of the book trying to identify the plotters.
His sister Panjalo returns from the Cult of Orgy but is blamed for burning down the Sheldonian Mirarilusistan and arrested. Atlanta defends her in court and she is released.
Heineman arrests the Ema-Ema-Enji Holographic Geohistorical Research Team blaming them for the crimes, partly because he believes it and partly to get control of the beautiful Arigato Eko, a member of the team.
Gorkindachina returns to normal time (after being missing for three years) and demands the presidency, but has been declared dead so goes to court to being re-instated as living. The judge on the case is Atlanta, who Heineman just appointed. She decides she needs months to consider the verdict.
In the meantime, the real culprit of the crimes, Former President Wolfganga Zenseneth Belch has brought fryguns (like laser guns) into Chalakanesia and attempts a coup.
Heineman tricks the embassy of La Lantis, the only body officially possessing fryguns, to attack President Wolfganga by firing a frygun at the embassy building. The Embassy troops destroy most of Wolfganga's forces and they run.
The senate decides to make Judge Atlanta president while trying to figure out the Heineman / Gorkindachina situation. Atlanta takes control and establishes a praetorian guard, reminiscent of Chalakanesia's feudal era, and kicks Heineman out of the palace. At the end of the series Heineman is planning to run off and join his Uncle Ilo's circus, while Atlanta has apparently set herself up as President for life / dictator.
First book - West of Heaven
Second book - East of Hell
Third book - North of Paradise
Hugh Cook's description of North of Paradise:
Having become president of the archipelago of Chalakanesia, victory in the election in the federal state of Islam Demaxus having given him mastery of the whole archipelago, Heineman finds himself up against three dangers.
One danger is the assassins who, early in the book, take a shot at kiling Heineman, and almost succeed.
A second danger is the possible return of his political rival, Vignis Vo Gorkindachina, who has officially been declared dead, but who, increasingly, seems to be alive and kicking.
The third danger is Heineman's own limitations. Placed under pressure, he catastrophically miscalculates, going into dictator mode. By the time he's done, a bunch of dead journalists illegally imprisoned and now dead is only a part of his problem.
As Heineman works out his destiny we see part of the Gorkindachina story. Having been shunted through time and space, Gorkindachina has to grapple with two problems.
First, how is he going to deal with the fact that he is legally dead? Second, how is he going to displace Heineman Jubiladilia from the presidential palace? By rights he should do that because he, Gorkindachina, is the candidate who won the popular vote in the presidential elections.
This book is part of a trilogy but is a self-contained novel in its own right, complete with a beginning, a middle and an end.