Declare is a story of high espionage and the occult loosely based around famous double agent Kim Philby and his life. Powers takes an already amazing true story and adds an overtone of an occult conflict to it, creating an overarching story that just floors you.

This is the kind of well-executed and intriguing stuff that reminds you of John LeCarre on a bad acid trip, or maybe Dan Brown if he actually knew what he was doing with The DaVinci Code.

This is in fact the best kind of book, the one that makes you want to read more. From here, I would recommend getting deeper into Powers, with books like Last Call and Earthquake Weather. You can then branch into John LeCarre, who wrote amazingly good Cold War books like The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.

Keep reading, people. Eventually you’ll make it back to Rudyard Kipling’s Kim, and I’ll be proud of you.

I haven’t stopped laughing all morning.

I commend you to God Almighty. He is the source of all good. Do the will of God, for that is the way of peace. Beware of bloodshed. Trust not in that, for spilt blood never sleeps. Seek to gain the hearts of thy subjects, and watch over all their interests, for thou art only appointed by God and by me to look after their good. Endeavor to gain the hearts of thy emirs, they ministers, and thy nobles. I have become great as I am because I have won the heart of my people by gentleness and kindness. Never nourish ill feeling against any man, for death spares none. Be prudent in thy dealings with other men, for God will not pardon unless they forgive you. But as to that which is between God and thyself, He will pardon the penitent, for He is gracious.

–a letter from Salah ad-Din (Saladin) to his son, el-Melik ez-Zaher

I was somewhat shocked to realize that I agree with this.

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be going out and voting, far from it; I’m voting Kerry this year because I strongly object to things like the PATRIOT Act and the way the budget surplus was blown on those ineffective tax advances.

But . . . I think that Kerry or Bush, the overall political landscape won’t change. The major parties are still beholden to the money that lines their pockets, and no longer have any vested interest in serving the needs of their constituents. Merely the ones that are interested in picking up the major highway or building contract that’s up in the next bill and will kick back a favorable portion of that money into Senator Fatback’s next campaign fund.

Maybe we’ll eventually change the political landscape for the better. But not anytime soon, I think.