- Paperback: 200 pages
- Publisher: Pan; New Ed edition (10 Aug 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0330391569
- ISBN-13: 978-0330391566
- Product Dimensions: 17.6 x 10.4 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 571,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Dragon Fire - The Realistic and Gripping Novel of the Nex...
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Product Description
Associated Press
A novel that describes a Chinese nuclear attack on India should not be dismissed as fiction.
Press Trust of India
The fictional scenario of Chinese nuclear strikes on New Delhi and Mumbai was termed as plausible by leading defence experts.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is a "Future History" of a conflict involving India, Pakistan, China, the USA, Europe et al. Taken simply as a very detailed analysis of the conflict, it succeeds. However, for actual readability and enjoyment it is very disappointing.
The book opens promisingly, with the Chinese reasserting their authority over the Tibetans in violent fashion. However, after this, the narrative goes into rapid decline. The supposedly interconnected events leading to the war described above occur too far apart in the book for the reader to believe that there is one escalating conflict here; rather, a disjointed collection of border skirmishes is the impression given. Elements are introduced into the plot which are not picked up on again - the involvement of Burma is hardly mentioned, except for a British commando raid on a Burmese/Chinese supply dump which goes wrong- yet there is no reaction from the Chinese. In a separate incident, China attacks Taiwan but there is no US or Japanese response, despite previous hints at this possibility. The reasons for any given part of the conflict are not explored fully. The list goes on...
Most significantly, though, the readability of the book is almost nonexistent after the opening. The detached, unemotional style of writing makes the book heavy work, as the reader is simply presented with very "clinical" descriptions of the events which do nothing to encourage you to read on. The "action", such as it is, jumps from place to place with no apparent links, and without returning to explain the significance of any of these jumps in the context of the conflict.
Whether this is a printer's error, or a mistake by the author, I don't know: Each chapter is given a date and time. But halfway through the book the date jumps back to near the beginning and carries on from there - but the plot continues from events occuring *after* the date given, i.e. in the previous chapters before the date-jump. This only serves to confuse matters, and it makes an already disjointed narrative almost fall apart!
Then suddenly at the end, there is a huge amount of activity, nuclear missiles are launched from China and India (at each other) and the war is over - but without any kind of build-up to this sudden violence; in fact, no fighting occurs for a long time before these apparently unprovoked attacks, leaving the reader wondering what is going on!!!
In conclusion: Nice set of ideas, but the style of writing (very lengthy and detached, with too many loose ends) spoils the book totally.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A chillingly plausible future history of war in south Asia, but the events are almost always seen from the perspective of the generals and politicians, rarely from the combatants viewpoint, draining some of the potential out of the drama. The novel opens with a commando raid inside Tibet which leads to an uprising against the Chinese occupiers, but this level of action and thrills isn't always sustained, and the ending of the novel itself is something of an anti-climax.
That all said, this is still a pretty compelling read, thoroughly researched and thought provoking, just the book ultimately fails to fulfil its early promise.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read Dragon Fire after reading Hawksley's excellent The Third World War. Dragon Fire is another page-turning political thriller, focussing on the much-ignored alliance of China and Pakistan against India. In a fast-paced period of about a week, a raid into Chinese-contolled Tibet and a terror attack in Kashmir bring the world to the brink of war. Most alarming are the long standing military links Pakistan has with both China and North Korea, and the prospect that at some time in the future we may well see open warfare between China and India. What then will America do?
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Realistic premise but poor execution.
The description of unfolding events in a fictional political/military strategy scenario. The events involve India, Tibet, China, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Burma. Read more
Published on 20 Nov 2002 by Jubin Cheruvelil
A chilling scenario
A very well written book. However, the Indian Navy is given a very minor role in the entire connflict. Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2001
Don't Worry. It's only fiction
A very grippng book. I couldn't put it down. At various points in the book, the fictitious war feels almost real. Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2000
Excellent - US Senators/Prez. should be req. to read it.
Although fiction, it seems like it could be pretty close to reality. Look at the events taken place in past couple of months --also forthcoming event like India & Australia's... Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2000
Very good FICTION work!
This is a great work of fiction based on current events. The author can be a very good Hollywood fiction writer. Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2000
Timely, riveting, chilling fiction that might be the future.
Humphrey Hawksley has leveled his trenchant eye at the chilling prospect of a nuclear detonator that destabilizes East-West relations. Read more
Published on 24 Aug 2000 by J.A. Schalick
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