Changes

Despite these reservations though, what remains is a frequently amusing and satirical look at Asian political manoeuvring with national and personal paranoia to the fore. There's probably more than a grain of truth in the national distrust and trading of assets shown here which makes for interesting and often entertaining reading, even if the lack of clarity over what the plot is can be frustrating at times.

For more North Korean-based fiction, the excellent [[The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson]] is recommended while for a very different type of spy story [[Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan]] is well worth reading.