This book just blew me away, with the way that Gruber narrates with complete ease viewpoints as different as a Special Forces veteran, an Islamic (well sort of) woman, D.C. bureaucrats, and others. The book is a story set in the melange of sects, ethnic groups, family ties and issues of modern Pakistan (I think it was - it spills into Afghanistan and unidentified areas, and has some terrific scenes in D.C. as well. I didn't enjoy the subject matter as much as Gruber's first book I read (on a lost play of Shakespeare) or his next (on art theft) but he made me enjoy it - and that is the mark of a great writer. I learned a lot, or at least Gruber convinced me I must be learning something because he writes with such authority.
The only quibble I had is that it didn't have a very definitive ending, and looked to be well-set up for a sequel, although I don't think Gruber intends one.
