Dragon Fire

Rich in both action and detail, former secretary of defense Cohen's solid debut chronicles several weeks in the life of Michael Santini, who—surprise!—serves as secretary of defense in an administration battling world crises on many fronts. Terrorists are attacking American interests both at home and abroad; Russia, Germany and China appear to be forming a global alliance; and right-wing militias are causing trouble in the U.S. heartland. Santini, besides trying to find a common thread in the chaos, also has to fight his own turf wars inside the Beltway. After a ponderous start, the plot rapidly gathers momentum, zigzagging along in the tradition of the best international thrillers, if at times hitting bumps of superfluous descriptions of military maneuvers and D.C. politics. While Cohen isn't always in control of the large cast and Santini rarely develops beyond an action figure, fans of espionage and intrigue will surely appreciate this political thriller for its authentic glimpse behind the doors of power. (Aug.)