The Devil’s Playground

The Devil’s Playground is a rather interesting story, elaborating on the inter-connectedness of global finance and the world’s nation-states. That is not to say that this is either a dullish sort of economic treatise, or a blueprint to revolution. No, this is more a traditional story of international intrigue. Yet just as one is drawn to the Mona Lisa’s smile, one cannot help but admire the Italian scenery in the background.

This is the second novel in a series Michael Reagan is writing. The first was The Devil’s Handshake. Both have as their central character one Sir Thomas Lichfield, an Anglo-Russian billionaire. As those who follow world events know, relations between the West and Russia are currently at their worst since the days preceding Gorbachev and glasnost. Lichfield takes it as his duty to smooth the dealings for mutual and personal advantage.

Lichfield is no great altruist. When tensions build between North and South Korea, the President of the United States must use all the influence of his office to bring Lichfield’s connections to bear in staving off a new war. Added to that are dealings in the natural gas fields of Turkmenistan as well as political upheaval in China. So our man has quite a full plate.

What is best about The Devil’s Playground are two things. One, the moral ambiguity of Lichfield is refreshing. It makes him much more interesting as a character than just another hero clad in a flag. Secondly, I assume that author Reagan must be quite well-traveled, as his descriptive scenes of the exotic locales, their milieu and cuisine seem accurately drawn from memory.

One is curious to know where Lichfield will be jetting off to next. In the meanwhile, The Devil’s Playground is a fine fit for those who enjoy novels of intrigue set in foreign lands and the halls of power.