Oil is life, death money, power, sex. Without it, industrial civilization shudders to a standstill - and rots. And the men who deal in oil - who lie or it and cheat for it and love for it and kill for it - they are the men who rule our daily lives...

On the brink of his greatest triumph, Jim Northcutt arms for his greatest battle. For fifty years as an independent, he has bucked the monopoly of the giant oil corporation. But now he has gone too far. And the majors are finally going to crush him. Like a bug.