Tool of the trade

Say you had the power to make anyone do what you told them. What you you do?

That is the question that is the basis for _Tool of the Trade_. It is a power that the hero of the novel happens upon. His choices are complicated by the fact he is at the center of a fight between rival espionage services. (The story takes place in a world that does not really exist any longer - one with a full east vs. west cold war.)

Haldeman has a knack for writing a narrative that moves right along and pulls the reader in. This novel, perhaps more than any of his others, is an example of that. Starting with our introduction to the character, through the conflicts he faces, to the conclusion, the story flows with energy, suspense, and a bit of humor. It even ends with an fairly satisfying answer to the initial question.