After the intense political heat of the past week I settled into a read this weekend that is nothing short of remarkable and riveting. The heat from “Dragon Fire” by former Defense Secretary William Cohen can be felt as the pages turn. And turning them is necessary as the story build and grows. The book came out in 2006, but it caught my eye this past week at a local bookstore. Needing some diversion from the real chaos in the world, I plunged into a rollicking adventure on the world stage as Cohen creates real-life type plots that could very easily be on tomorrow’s top page of the New York Times.
Publishers Weekly sums it up this way.
Rich in both action and detail, former secretary of defense Cohen’s solid debut chronicles several weeks in the life of Michael Santini, who—surprise!—serves as secretary of defense in an administration battling world crises on many fronts. Terrorists are attacking American interests both at home and abroad; Russia, Germany and China appear to be forming a global alliance; and right-wing militias are causing trouble in the U.S. heartland. Santini, besides trying to find a common thread in the chaos, also has to fight his own turf wars inside the Beltway. After a ponderous start, the plot rapidly gathers momentum, zigzagging along in the tradition of the best international thrillers, if at times hitting bumps of superfluous descriptions of military maneuvers and D.C. politics. While Cohen isn’t always in control of the large cast and Santini rarely develops beyond an action figure, fans of espionage and intrigue will surely appreciate this political thriller for its authentic glimpse behind the doors of power.
I suggest this read for anyone who wishes some pure fun with a book.
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