Ben Hubbard’s account of the life, machiavellian style and ambitions of the de facto ruler of the largest and wealthiest country in the Gulf is a fine example of talented and dogged reporting.

...[a] detailed and disturbing portrait.

Hubbard delivers a highly informed portrait, leavening his narrative with well-deserved skepticism, and leaves the reader wondering what lies ahead for the prince and his kingdom.

... a biography with no startling revelations about the life of its subject. Yet it is a revelatory work nonetheless.

In this engaging account, Ben Hubbard shows both sides of the story, bringing his narrative alive with a host of insights, conversations, anecdotes and details.

Hubbard explores how MBS rose through the royal family by foul means and fair, and how, once in control, he developed his brand of populist authoritarianism. He has sidelined conservative clerics, loosened restrictions on women, and reached out to Western innovators and thought leaders, but his intolerance of any real or perceived questions or challenges limits the transformation’s depth. MBS, who rules with very few institutional constraints, will likely be a long-term force in global politics. Hubbard’s early assessment provides valuable insights into the prince’s MO..

A chilling look at the ascent of the current young prince of Saudi Arabia to first-in-line to succession.

...an incisive portrait of modern Saudi Arabia and 34-year-old crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.