Brilliant, topical, political/spy thriller

Ava receives word that the People’s Republic of China are going to invade Taiwan.  She does not know who her source is, only that it comes with strict conditions that she must follow if she is to continue receiving inside information.  Can Ava help prevent war, or are the risks too high?

Written by an ex  ‘contract labourer’ for the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service, this is an exciting and thought provoking political thriller / spy novel  where the absolute leader of China, Qin, is preparing to bring Taiwan  under his country’s power.  The countdown is on, preparations are in full swing and Ava (who is ex-NSA) is trying to get the message out to the world, whilst evading capture by Chinese agents. 

There is a depth of information within these pages, but it always remains very readable, and fascinating.   The chapters alternate between Qin, in Beijing and Ava in Washington DC – often ending on a cliff-hanger. 

I was involved in the story from beginning to end, and loved every moment.   There is plenty of human interest, world politics, insights into the world of espionage, and war preparation – so something for every reader to love.  Emperor took me an age to read as I took time out to learn more about the organisations and events mentioned.  I also watched the docu-film referred to by Ava, which was a real eye-opener, and provided great background to this book.  None of which was necessary to enjoy the book, but for me really added to my reading pleasure. 

5*s from me, indeed I have already gone out and bought Spy Game, Spy Dragon and Spy Trap by this author (his trilogy).  The realism John Fullerton brings to Emperor, presumably from his personal experiences as well as extensive research, has taken this book to my Top Read of 2022! 

My rating:  5 out of 5

Set:  Beijing, Washington DC

Published:  9 December 2022

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