Berry's Cotton Malone is drawn from the world of bookselling to help his long-time friend Cassiopeia Vitt, who has been captured and tortured after trying to help her Russian friend whose son was kidnapped in China.

The two are joined by a questionable Russian Viktor, who is a hired gun and has in the past been a questionable character.

Viktor is working with either the Russians, Americans, or Chinese and Malone and Vitt struggle to know if he is helping or trying to get them killed.

In China there is a power struggle taking place as the current head of the Communist party is expected to die within the near future.

Emerging in the struggle is an ancient order, the Ba, who seek to secure power in China and extend China's territory.

To accomplish this, they are using Vitt's Russian friend, who has a theory regarding oil that would change the world power structure.

All-in-all, an action filled read with many twists, an interesting theory on oil, and some interesting history regarding China.The ending resolves things rather well.