"This is a beautifully written and highly engaging book that tackles nothing less than the general global problem of energy. This question has been examined by many books and articles, both academic and more popular. What is extraordinary about this work is that it takes all of these issues and blends them smoothly into a cohesive, understandable single work. Any reader will put down The Powers That Be understanding how difficult the problems we face are, while also realizing that there is much hope that we will be able to substantially solve many of them. It is a timely voice of reason in our complicated, troubled world."

Daniel Chirot, University of Washington

"Scott Montgomery has written a much-needed book about global energy for a general nonfiction audience. He approaches the issue with humanistic nuance and offers a refreshing voice of clarity and composure on this topic."

Saleem H. Ali, author of Treasures of the Earth: Need, Greed, and a Sustainable Future

“Scott brings a much needed element of realism to the discussion of energy in a well-constructed, accessible fashion. In laying out the course from past to present, he gives the reader the ability to envision a reasonable path forward. Importantly, he recognizes the scale of the issues we face today, and, in doing so, provides insightful discussion of controversial issues such as energy independence, peak oil and the long and short run potential of renewable energy technologies.”

Kenneth B. Medlock III, Rice University

"This exhaustive yet accessible look at the global energy supply weighs the future of fossil fuels and carefully considers the alternatives."

Discover

"Informative and unexpectedly entertaining."

Australian