William T. Vollmann's epic CIA novel A Table for Fortune became a publishing battleground after Viking dropped him following a 3,000-page manuscript. The author spent twelve to fifteen years researching and writing the novel, which his editors called potentially his masterpiece. But when Vollmann turned in the final installment of his multi-book contract in 2022, Viking fired him after thirty years together.

Personal tragedy complicated the process. Vollmann's daughter Lisa, struggling with alcoholism and homelessness, died in 2022. The author, who doesn't use cellphones, bought a burner phone to check on her daily. He also battled colon cancer, underwent surgery, and was hit by a car. Viking cited concerns about the novel's length, unconventional typography, and cost - Vollmann wanted specific fonts that would add two cents per copy. The publisher suggested cutting a 400-page section about CIA operations in Angola during the 1970s.

Vollmann complied by adding 400 pages instead, doubling down on the Angolan storyline about failed attempts to unseat a Marxist government. The author maintains he's not angry about Viking's decision, repeating his mantra: "Nobody owes me a living." His agent Susan Golomb, who's represented him for twenty-five years, remains excited about the CIA book's potential. The novel examines CIA history through two characters - intelligence analyst Dave and his son Matthew - exploring decades of American intelligence operations and failures.