Few Americans can write with the style of the great Brittish writers. Bagley's writing is among the best I have ever encountered. This is no small praise due to the fact that I am a librarian. This novel has a plot that actually twists and characters that actually develop without too much unnecessary detail. The use of geographical description and fluid plot development keep the pages turning. A great read from an author who unfortunately is lesser known.

From the start of this book I felt as though I could have been standing there watching it happen. It seemed to me that the author must have had great knowledge of the regions where this takes place because he payed much attentiopn to detail, not only geographical, but also historical. I find this very important in any story. The suspense of this novel is so great that throughout it all I couldn't wait to go on and I did not want it to end. This book definately ranks at the top of my list.

This is a well written book for entry-level readers. It is somewhat obsolet and pricy. It is extremely easy to read, not like those translated Japanese books. Most of the materials covered by this book can be found in trade journals.