Jones's first novel shows little sign of the unsurpassed young adult fantasy of her mature career, and the book is not always liked by her fans.

On the other hand, this farce about nonexistent terrorist threats (contemporary message anyone?) in an African country nearing independence does show the humour and masterly description that are hallmarks of all her books.

This is a rare book and difficult to obtain. If I lend it to you, DON'T LOSE IT!