2034 : A Novel Of The Next World War …… Book Review
By
Colonel Krityanad Das, Veteran
I read this book yesterday non stop on Kindle, it cost just Rs500 plus. Hard bound, the cost is some Rs 2000 plus. All naval actions. It is co authored by Admiral Jim Starvridis, (Retd) former commander of the NATO Forces and Elliot Ackerman.
The plot is based in South China Sea. A Chinese spy boat is captured by an American flotilla of three Men of War led by an woman Admiral on freedom of navigation mission in South China Sea. The Chinese are worried that their sophisticated electronic equipment’s positioned on the spy boat, a fishing trawker, may fall into American hands. They demand release of the spy boat, which Americans refuse. The Chinese retaliate by sinking two war ships and damaging the flag ship out of order.
The Iranians who are with the Chinese, capture an American F35 in the Persian Gulf Area. The Chinese cyber attacks make all American systems ineffective in both the theatres. Americans become helpless with not a single system found to be functional both at home and in the war zone. Not only that, the Chinese virtually switch off the lights in entire USA. The Americans aren’t sure of any thing that they have.
Pilot of the grounded F35 is released through Indian mediation. All equipment of the fighter fall in the Chinese hands.
Then Chinese make a move to capture Taiwan. The Americans move a large naval armada to protect Taiwan under the same lady Admiral.
The Russians, who are with the Chinese are out enhancing their real estate in Eastern Europe, specially in Baltics and Poland. They also make endeavours to capture islands in Hormuz area which is a failure.
In mean time Americans manage to nuke three of the Chinese cities in which millions die. In retaliation the Chinese nuke two of the American cities.
India is generally neutral and trying to prevent further clash and destruction. Both Japan and South Korean are aloof. Quad hasn’t been mentioned.
Some how Iranians cozy up with India at the end.
An Indian American who is a high official in White House requests his maternal uncle an retired Indian Admiral who gets active in release of the American pilot. His nephew who is in India on a mission is surprised at his uncle’s knowledge of all American and Chinese plans and moves. Indians are not only all knowing but also indulge in coercive diplomacy of sort, as well, while trying to bring normalcy between the two warring states. So much so that they destroy a Chinese Aircraft Carrier to prevent a Chinese action against the Americans.
Indian naval presence in South China Sea is done with such stealth that neither the Americans nor the Chinese have any clue of its presence and only know of its presence when they intervene to prevent massive destruction of human lives.
When the Americans plan to nuke three important Chinese cities including Shanghai, the Indian Sukhoi fighters try to chase them away so that lives of millions are saved. However the american pliot who had earlier been captured by Iranians along with F35 was also there. He manages to fly away from the chase by Indian Sukois and bikes Shanghai, though two Chinese cities are saved by Indian counter action against the Americans.
Both American and Chinese exhaust themselves technically and tactically. Common Chinese begin running away from China, for greener pastures elsewhere and high Chinese officials to save themselves from the witch hunts and blame games that follow a war without a success.
Indians going to America now carry extra tooth pastes as they aren’t sure if those will be readily available there.
A very nice and engrossing reading.Some 300 plus pages.But you won’t leave it till you finish it.
A story for a nice war movie.
For India we will only say :-
AMEN!
