Over the course of the last several years, Christian Gillette has evolved into one of contemporary fiction's most intriguing protagonists. He heads Everest Capital, a wildly successful investment firm that owns 30 different companies, 18 of which are chaired by Gillette. He's a tough, brilliant negotiator who has his eye on the bottom line. Stephen Frey, in order to keep his character from seeming too amoral, has given him some soft areas while keeping Gillette's surface appearance as a hard-nosed businessman intact.