Although many, perhaps most, of Anderson's writing's have notable social themes, The Game of Empire does not. Diana is an orphan who was abandoned by her father, the famous adventurer Dominic Flandry, but the novel does not dwell on the hardships Diana may have endured because she had to shift for herself while still a child. Her involvement in political intrigues would seem to provide ample opportunity for social commentary, but unless one were already familiar with the major social themes of Anderson's other writings, one would likely not notice that The Game of Empire reflects Anderson's usual distrust of big government and his usual championing of individual initiative to solve life's problems.

Perhaps Diana does not reflect much about her difficult life as an orphan because she is a typical Anderson hero: She is self-reliant and resourceful. The novel's narrative repeatedly asserts that self-pity is...