A review by dancarey_404
Deep State by Walter Jon Williams

4.0

If I had started reading this book the same week the uprisings started in Egypt, I would have had a hard time distinguishing between the news and this novel. Mr. Williams should be glad this was published prior to the spreading unrest, lest he be charged with mere conspiracy mongering.

I am not one who especially likes series with a recurring hero/heroine, but Dagmar Shaw is pleasantly believable: flawed without being overwrought and angst-ridden, capable without being a Mary Sue, concerned about the ethics of her job without getting preachy. Williams also does a nice job of sketching out the various locations in which the narrative occurs, providing enough detail to help the mind's eye without getting bogged down in florid detail.

Your perception of this book is almost certain to be improved if you have read its predecessor, [b:This Is Not a Game|3535568|This Is Not a Game (Dagmar, #1)|Walter Jon Williams|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256044569s/3535568.jpg|3577531]. This book can be read as a stand-alone, but Dagmar's character will be richer if you have read the other book first.