"In this far-seeing novel, the nations of the near future come to 1984?and a world in crisis:
For the United States, Wolf Manheim, survivor of Buchenwald, the president's chief national security advisor, disciple of Adlai Stevenson . . .
For the Soviet Union, Georgi Arbatov, Kremlin man of letters, a lesser hawk playing a two-faced game . . .
For the People's Republic of China, Hu Ziping, a diminutive man of giant powers, waiting, waiting ever so patiently to play his own final China Card."