If you know anything about Laumer's background (he was a diplomat before he took up writing) - you will be curious about this non-SF novel about diplomats. Told in the first-person, the main character is named Brion Bayard - a name used in Laumer's Worlds of the Imperium and sequels (but there is no relation.) When I started reading SF, Laumer was one of my favorite writers; it took me decades to find a copy of this for myself. I don't see this for sale very often - this is the only edition.