The
Mandarin
An Operation To Infiltrate The World’s Newest Communist Country
Devil’s
“The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.”
― Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
The Devil’s Mandarin
A British spy sent into the world’s newest communist country on an assassination op discovers the target is someone he knows. Jensen Brownfield poses as a reluctant defector and attempts to infiltrate the People's Democratic Republic Communist Party, its Central Committee, politburo, and evade the secret police, the 2nd Directorate.
In time, he must establish a trade with his new controllers, gather intel, and find a way to execute "the Great Leader." There's only one problem: The Great Leader is a complete mystery. No descriptions or pictures of him exist, only his voice echoes from the public PA system. As Jensen maneuvers inside the fledgling nation, he discovers the regime he’s trying to fool is actually fooling him. Secrets can be seductive, and they keep them from him, their citizens, and the world at large. When he discovers the identity of the target, he must decide between loyalty to the one person who has always protected him or to execute the political target they have become.
The US Review of Books
Review by Boze Herrington
"Each man decides in this world who they will become."
Katsoulis has written a masterful espionage thriller in the vein of John le Carré, with echoes of Chesterton's seminal spy novel The Man Who Was Thursday. Much effort has been made to create a fully realized alternate world reeking of rain and despair, in which even the loyalties of one's closest allies and lovers are brought into question. The novel astutely depicts how the egalitarian ideals communism aspires to fail in practice. The PDR, as one character notes, has become a kleptocracy in which one band of elites has replaced another, while the rest of the nation starves: "The revolution did one thing and one thing only—it put the rats in power." A subplot in which Jensen meets the Great Leader's wife, who conspicuously resembles a woman they both loved many years ago, bears echoes of Hitchcock's Vertigo. An early scene depicting the sudden appearance of a concierge "from a concealed wood-paneled door … like a magician making his debut" will no doubt remind readers of the famous introduction of Bergotte in the second volume of In Search of Lost Time. Katsoulis has written an inspired novel of recompense, regret and shattered ideals.
FULL REVIEW
https://www.theusreview.com/reviews-1/The-Devils-Mandarin-by-John-Katsoulis.html
Books by John Katsoulis
Take a look at John’s collection of books
The Devil's
Mandarin
A British spy sent into the world’s newest communist country on an assassination op discovers the target is someone he knows. Jensen Brownfield poses as a reluctant defector and attempts to infiltrate the People's Democratic Republic Communist Party, its Central Committee, politburo, and evade the secret police, the 2nd Directorate.
Feral Eye
Of The Blackbird
Two men are kidnapped, sent to an African diamond mine to complete an equipment installation, and must find a way out. They’ll resurrect the village’s “temple,” keep their mouths shut, or be killed.
Robert’s a privileged kid with anger issues. He must reconcile his old life, where everything is easy and nothing matters, with a new one as a forced laborer. But it’s easier said than done. He’s plagued by his inner demon—the blackbird—the violent temper he must control.
About The Author
John Katsoulis is a Greek-American writer concerned with world affairs. Specific concerns are the protection of freedom of speech, capitalism, and rational thinking through an objective perspective.
He has researched government structure around the world and its effect on society, business, and its citizens. He travels to enhance the depth of his work.
He is a graduate of the University of Miami (MBA), Florida International University, and Miami Palmetto High School. John is also a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG).