I am a bibliophile. My reading passions are current events and nonfiction. Although I own an Ian Fleming book or two, I rarely read novels. But I particularly enjoyed the 2022 book “Slay the Dragon,” which provided a read that combined what’s currently occurring in China and the United States by using a James Bond approach.
With 50 short chapters, I decided to make this a fun daily read over some seven weeks. Starting every morning with an action-packed quick read was an energizing way to start the day. But it also provided information in the story line that is contemporaneous with current world events. It is material that you can ponder and ruminate upon during the day. Never once did I find myself saying that the message being inferred through the near-death escapes was not plausible or unbelievable. The drama kept me focused on the overall theme of the potentially serious interplay between two superpowers.
The author, William McGinnis, has a great grasp of the California Bay Area landscape and politics, as well as of mainland China. Covering both using a spy-versus-spy approach keeps the reader hooked in for the duration. Understanding current technology for the internet, drones, artificial intelligence, facial recognition, and camera surveillance provides a major leap over “Casino Royale.” But it is here, and it is discomforting.
The action hero, Adam Weldon, provides a unique perspective of becoming quickly involved in a case that resonates with recent incidents around the nation. It takes the reader on an unexpected journey that Weldon must see through its completion. But the overarching theme provides perspectives of what could happen to the United States by a serious foreign power allowed the freedom to roam freely within this country.
Is there a backstory to what currently ails our nation? Can China manipulate the dissension and division that we are watching in our media, schools, and social media? And to what aim? Using fiction to provide facts is an intriguing writing style that may bring a little more color to your daily newspaper reading.
For a fun and thought-provoking read that feels like a blend of current newspaper articles and fictional characters providing a fuller perspective, you’ll want to read “Slay the Dragon.”
