The Clan Corporate The Merchant Princes

the clan corporate third book of merchant princes, published in 2006. first part of series second story. in clan corporate, miriam beckstein runs trouble. experimental corporation in new britain has been abandoned other clan minders overseeing it, officially due concerns might assassinated, due political rivalries. truce between clan , lee family of new britain seems hold, @ least. clan still not trust upstart; miriam largely kept isolated in first parallel world of gruinmarkt, virtual prisoner, , unable travel unchaperoned. miriam escapes surveillance time , finds out insurance policy , plot more modernizing faction of clan create hundreds more world-walkers offering mass artificial insemination @ compromised sperm banks, attempt recruit resulting children. stirs enough trouble in investigations re-imprisoned, activities more circumscribed before.

on normal earth, parallel subplot involves mike fleming, dea cop dated miriam in past. mike pulled secret government task force investigating clan s activities; government s perspective, clan transdimensional narcoterrorists . family trade organization has key asset in clan defector first 2 books had arrived seeking witness protection program. defector s aid helps government arrest other clan couriers, seize clan assets, , begin compile english - hochsprache dictionary. language study allow agents communicate if can reach gruinmarkt via captured couriers outfitted battle royale-esque time bombs on heads. government alarmed learn clan possesses nuclear weapons, while mike concerned quasi-legality , loose morality of operation. plan goes awry defector source begins grow restless , realizes being held military now, not law enforcement, , witness protection not forthcoming. in desperate bid take hostage , escape, both defector , mike s co-worker pete killed.

a trapped miriam learns fate: spared indiscretions, tied down in political marriage, thing can satisfy more conservative instincts of clan. clan seeks tie royal family can rule gruinmarkt. king s 2 sons each have problems; eldest son egon has cruel streak , known pervert , while youngest son creon has pku , considered idiot after being poisoned sweetener @ young age. egon not bear recessive world-walker genes clan-member had managed sneak royal line, while creon does, making clan favor creon. miriam s great-uncle henryk, king s head of spies, explains if marries creon, affliction not affect children, produce potential world-walker clan members reign. miriam treated clan fertility doctor , reluctantly goes forward plan after threatened ailing mother losing access medical care, despite strong aversion marrying duty .

in final act, clan allies gather banquet celebrate forced engagement of miriam , creon. agent fleming sent government banquet part of plan make contact , turn informant, posing captured west coast courier. plans fall pieces when anti-clan prince egon launches coup, correctly fearing denied succession , potentially murdered had creon produced heir. king , creon slain; miriam escapes new britain; , mike captured miriam s mother patricia , ally olga.

reviews noted clan corporate suffers similar problem first book, worse; first part of two-part story. unlike family trade, @ least ends on of exciting cliffhanger miriam dodging multiple assassination attempts, clan corporate ends plot threads still hanging.