Character Analysis
Swervin', Lurvin', Skeevy Pervin'
Here's a game for you: How many synonyms of the word "sleazy" can you come up with?
You're going to need some more.
Eeben Axelroot is just as greasy and grimy as the "axle" that's almost in his name. This pilot takes every opportunity he can to maximize his own profits, regardless of the expense to others: He sells the Prices their mail, "demanding money for things that were already ours" (2.Prologue.16); he smuggles diamonds, and threatens five-year-old Ruth May when she sees them, even though she doesn't know what they are; and he might just be relaying the information that gets Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected member of the Congo, assassinated.
Oh, one more thing. He manages to turn an emergency pretend engagement with Rachel into a real one, trading her freedom for some free lovin'. Axelroot is basically all the bad things the Belgian and American governments do to the Congo, condensed into one horrible person. When Rachel leaves him, we never hear from again. Too bad we never heard from him in the first place.