Renegades of the Empire is at its most interesting when it confronts these characters, or just let's them unwind. Mr. Engstrom and Mr. St. John aren't the kind of guys who mince their words. They're software warriors, not diplomats, and as Microsoft grows into just another big corporation, they also come to represent a passing breed, a nod to what once gave the company its mystique. Mr. Drummond's protagonists played the system for all it was worth to make DirectX happen, and ended up being cornered by their own ingenuity on Chromeffects.

I'm willing to bet that there are people reading this review, who are sitting at their desks in some technology success story of their own. I am also willing to bet that those same people will understand the frustrations that faced the Beastie Boys. I'm sure that some of those people have had to resort to the same tactics to get things done. I've seen it on numerous occasions; companies become victims of their own success. They try and contain and muzzle anything that threatens the fortress of their success. Eventually, a nimbler, more fleet of foot competitor comes along and does exactly what they should have. Every single technology company goes through this phase. Eventually, the anti-trust case against Microsoft will just help to shake loose Microsoft's talent base, as people move to companies, and start-ups where they can make a difference. That was the promise that drew each of the Beastie Boys to Microsoft, and they did make a difference, but ultimately, it was a debilitating ride.

Mr. Drummond's Microsoft characters aren't tarred by plat motivations. He knows their history, their families, failed marriages, how they found their way into Microsoft, and how they got rid of their boss, buried their expenses on someone else's balance sheet, and even put on a Viking costume, walking the halls of Microsoft, swinging an ax. Mr. Drummond gets close enough to Mr. Engstrom, Mr. St. John, and Mr. Eisler to like them as people, but he pulls back just in time to see their flaws, to see where they went wrong. These guys aren't saints, but they are likable. A program manager earns the derisive nickname Brussels Sprouts from the group. It's there for everyone to see. The Beastie Boys can be beastly. In fact, some parts of the book feel like old scores settled, but this book could be about almost any twenty something hotshot in a high-tech start-up, looking to hook the brass ring; you don't have much time for the people who get in your way. They just don't get it. Diplomacy is best left to older, wiser heads. Heck, Microsoft preferred them young and hungry.