Here is a true literary event–the long-awaited new novel by Carlos Fuentes, one of the world’s great writers. By turns a tragedy and a farce, an acidic black comedy and an indictment of modern politics, The Eagle’s Throne is a seriously entertaining and perceptive story of international intrigue, sexual deception, naked ambition, and treacherous betrayal.

In the near future, at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Mexico’s idealistic president has dared to vote against the U.S. occupation of Colombia and Washington’s refusal to pay OPEC prices for oil. Retaliation is swift. Concocting a “glitch” in a Florida satellite, America’s president cuts Mexico’s communications systems–no phones, faxes, or e-mails–and plunges the country into an administrative nightmare of colossal proportions.

Now, despite the motto that “a Mexican politician never puts anything in writing,” people have no choice but to communicate through letters, which Fuentes crafts with a keen understanding of man’s motives and desires. As the blizzard of activity grows more and more complex, political adversaries come out to prey. The ineffectual president, his scheming cabinet secretary, a thuggish and ruthless police chief, and an unscrupulous, sensual kingmaker are just a few of the fascinating characters maneuvering and jockeying for position to achieve the power they all so desperately crave.

From the Hardcover edition.

卡洛斯·富恩特斯（Carlos Fuentes）当代墨西哥国宝级作家，也是西班牙语世界最著名的小说家及散文家之一，于一九二八年出生在墨西哥一个外交官的家庭，从小跟随父母去过许多国家。由于从小接受的是良好的教育，他对西方古代和现代文明都有较深的了解，对拉丁美洲的落后的原因也有较深刻的探究。看到欧美高科技的发展与拉美的落后的差距，他对自己的祖国具有强烈的忧患意识。当他成了作家以后，总是力图用自己的作品来抨击墨西哥社会的弊端，发掘并弘扬墨西哥民族的传统文化和墨西哥民族的根。一生著有六十余部作品，曾获拉丁美洲最富盛名的罗慕洛·加列戈斯国际小说奖、西班牙语文学最高奖项塞万提斯奖，以及阿斯图里亚斯亲王奖。多年来都是呼声很高的诺贝尔文学奖候选人。2012年5月15日，病逝于墨西哥城。墨西哥以国丧礼遇向其致敬。