A wealthy sheik from Yemen who loves salmon fishing develops a vision to build a water system in his country to enable his people to experience the peace and fellowship he himself has experienced fishing in Scotland. He enlists the help of a skeptical scientist with a British fisheries agency and a competent young project manager. The beginning is interesting, as the scientist struggles with his skepticism and the narrow, political nature of his world, as he is confronted by the warmth and compelling nature of the sheik's vision and faith. The story unfortunately grows more fantastical towards the middle, and the ending feels like a convenient shortcut, rather like like the endings in Agatha Christie mysteries where the murderer helpfully commits suicide so that the implications of the crimes don't need to be addressed. But an enjoyable read.

Really well done. Reminded me at times of the old 'Yes, Minister' TV series crossed with 'Major Pettigrew's Last Stand'. Very effective story telling.

I really liked this book. It is an unusual combination of an amusing cynical parody of political and business life (in the UK but it could be here) and a romantic, strangely affecting moral and romantic tale. Very clever! RJE