Michael Hastings' new book, "The Last Magazine," was released Tuesday, on the first anniversary of his death last June.
Before the novel was announced in 2013, only a few people knew that Hastings had been working on it. His widow Elise Jordan found the manuscript on his computer, according to the New York Times, after he died in a car accident.
The novel draws many parallels to Hastings' own experience at Newsweek, from protagonist A.E. Peoria's career as a foreign correspondent in the lead-up to the Iraq War, to characters that bring to mind Fareed Zakaria and Jon Meacham — and they won't be happy with his portrayal of the media elite.
"The caustic portrayal of both as media whores, far more interested in raising their profiles on cable news shows than producing integrity journalism, could sting Fareed Zakaria and Jon Meacham, both Newsweek veterans whose resumes have much in common with the fictional rivals," the New York Daily News wrote.
The San Francisco Chronicle agreed, writing,"No one comes off unscathed, least of all the bigwigs who back off from Peoria's legit, but premature, Abu Ghraib scoop."
Writing for the Washington Post, Fox News' James Rosen called the book "the funniest, most savage takedown of the American news media since 'Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72,' by his hero Hunter S. Thompson."
The Daily News speculated that Hastings would have enjoyed "the taste of revenge" had he seen his book published. Jordan told the Times, "I know he’d be so happy right now to be sparking controversy."