The setup is a little slow, but the plot gets underway quickly and from then on the story is gripping. The Pax Americana fails and China invades Taiwan after an attack on a US carrier group leaves the US withdrawing from the field to avoid media-unfriendly casualties.

The story is written in first person, in short staccato sentences, and is told from several points of view: an American civilian and his Taiwanese girlfriend caught in the first missile strikes, a crewman onboard the US Gerald Ford, a Chinese military lieutenant and a few others. The characters are well drawn, not particularly likeable but sympathetic and realistic in the middle of awful situations. The plot is tense, and the book does follow the “anyone can die” principle making it genuinely difficult to predict.

This story ends with the blockade, invasion and initial takeover of Taiwan, but it still feels like a complete story. Each of the characters has had growth and a character arc, and they all know the future is uncertain. There is a sequel that follows almost immediately after this, and the first three chapters are included. If I have spare time I might look it up.

While the romance is strong and the female characters well drawn, there is no happy ending for romance readers, just a very uncertain future. This is definitely one for fans of military fiction, thrillers, and war novels – and while it’s free, this is certainly worth a look to get a feel for the author’s work.