Ok, the world needs to pay attention to this guy and what he is doing. This is a very informative look at the next King of Saudi Arabia and who he has in his inner world. While he is making some positive changes for women; others things are draconian. He is creating a world divide by cherishing world investment and catering to the extremely wealthy (of which he is one) while committing heinous human rights abuses.
If geopolitics is your thing, read this book!

A compelling and detailed account of MBS and his rise in Saudi politics, as well as on the global stage. This is a must-read for anyone interested in current events, international relations, history, government and politics, and business. An outstanding book, easily the most comprehensive and interesting book of the year and the commensurate book on Saudi Arabia in the 21st Century.

Blood and Oil is a well-researched book on the rise of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to power. The book contains many interesting details of MBS's dealings, including those with the United States and the Trump administration. Much of the media's coverage of MBS has lacked nuance. Analysis of MBS often diverges into wildly different descriptions: Some consider him an innovator and modernizer, while others see him as a murderer complicit in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The authors use a straightforward, linear narrative to explain the details of the Saudi Arabia royal family and how MBS fits into the story. I found this book very helpful in understanding a complex ruler and region. I have recommended this book to people who closely follow business and politics.

*** 4 Stars ***

After recently living in the Middle East for a year I was very excited to read this and it did not disappoint.
This provided an understanding Mohammed bin Salman and his rise to power along with interesting insight to the US relationship with Saudi Arabia.
A lot of discussions regarding the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the infamous sheikhdown at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh.
Excellent story telling with attention to detail, I highly recommend.


Special Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Books for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy. Wavered between 3.5-4 stars for the book. Probably closer to 3.5 than 4.

The book charts the rise of MBS and his quest for global power in Saudi Arabia and beyond. If you have been following most of the news stories about him and then a lot of material will feel fairly familiar with some new information added in. The book is fast paced though it feels a little choppy with some back and forth on the timelines.

However, I preferred it to "MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman", another book about MBS that was released recently as that one was more about Saudi Arabia than about MBS.

One gripe about the book - with Mohammed being a very common name in Middle East as well as in the Al Saud family, referring to MBS as Mohammed felt a little confusing at times. I am surprised that the authors chose not to use "MBS" as he is widely known by that moniker.

In short, read this if you don't know anything about MBS or have little knowledge about what he has been up to.

Blood and Oil: Mohammed bin Salman's Ruthless Quest for Global Power is an absorbing page-turner that describes recent real-life events. Many of these events have been in the news and I’d heard about but this book put it together in a way that connected the dots and described the personalities behind it, both the main player, the Saudi Crown Prince and also the others around him. The timeline for the book is a little choppy and I’d describe as iterative – each chapter is likely to go back in time for background or a sideline story. It also felt like a couple scenes were described twice in different parts of the book and one main story line is split between an earlier chapter and then finished in a chapter much later. I’d recommend this book to business leaders or anyone working in or interested in the oil industry. I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book on Net Galley, all opinions are my own.