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It was supposed to be an exotic vacation, a chance for Renée Davis and her friends from college to take a break during the summer and see the sights in South Africa where Renée's father has been appointed as the United States' Ambassador. But much of that racially-divided nation is still in turmoil, as the country has only recently transitioned from the apartheid system and has elected its first black president, Nelson Mandela. In an attempt to gain some leverage with the new government and force it to meet its demands, a militant cabal decides to play a dangerous game, one that will use Renée and her companions as helpless pawns.
The author blends historical fact with a heavy dose of fiction to craft his political drama. For example, while Mandela and F.W. de Klerk are well known figures from South African history, Williams chooses to create fictional politicians for the United States during the same period, possibly due to their roles being more active in the story. Likewise, real-life organizations such as the Inkatha Freedom Party and the Afrikaner Volksfront play major parts in the narrative, but Zulu leaders such as Musa Goba and Welton Betelema, along with the white separatist leader Verdi Piethro Higgs, are simply products of the author's imagination. However, when the book is read more as an action novel rather than traditional historical fiction, these issues become minor. And as an action novel William's tale has a lot going for it. A sympathetic heroine, a vile antagonist in Higgs, and a plethora of military action combine to make the author's debut book a good choice for an evening's entertainment.