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Fourth Crisis: The Battle for Taiwan
Since the Chinese Civil War, Communist China has considered Taiwan—an island some 75 miles off its mainland coast—a renegade province.
In 1979, the American Congress ratified the Taiwan Relations Act. The Act stipulated that the United States of America “...will consider any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area, and of grave concern to the United States.”
In 2005, the Politburo of the Communist Party of China announced the Anti-Secession Law. This Law authorized the use of force against Taiwan in the event of a declaration of independence or a threat to regional security.
Take to the air, land, and sea in this military techno-thriller in which a patriotic and conquest-hungry Chinese general sparks an international crisis that clears the path to an invasion of Taiwan. Finding its Pacific bases and supercarriers under the gun, the United States scrambles to protect its charge. Though China seems to be the new Pacific power, American and Taiwanese warriors get to work in defense of freedom. The Chinese general, however, is willing to do all it takes to bring Taiwan back into the fold, even by risking a nuclear war.
Extensively researched, this novel includes accurate American, Chinese, and Taiwanese equipment, tactics, and formations, and explores how a new Pacific war could play out. Journey with characters that include American aviators, diplomats, and officers; Chinese fighting for the glory of their country; and Taiwanese struggling to maintain the independence they hold so dear.
Please visit ‘Fourth The Battle for Taiwan’ on Facebook for information and news of relevance to the story...
In 1979, the American Congress ratified the Taiwan Relations Act. The Act stipulated that the United States of America “...will consider any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area, and of grave concern to the United States.”
In 2005, the Politburo of the Communist Party of China announced the Anti-Secession Law. This Law authorized the use of force against Taiwan in the event of a declaration of independence or a threat to regional security.
Take to the air, land, and sea in this military techno-thriller in which a patriotic and conquest-hungry Chinese general sparks an international crisis that clears the path to an invasion of Taiwan. Finding its Pacific bases and supercarriers under the gun, the United States scrambles to protect its charge. Though China seems to be the new Pacific power, American and Taiwanese warriors get to work in defense of freedom. The Chinese general, however, is willing to do all it takes to bring Taiwan back into the fold, even by risking a nuclear war.
Extensively researched, this novel includes accurate American, Chinese, and Taiwanese equipment, tactics, and formations, and explores how a new Pacific war could play out. Journey with characters that include American aviators, diplomats, and officers; Chinese fighting for the glory of their country; and Taiwanese struggling to maintain the independence they hold so dear.
Please visit ‘Fourth The Battle for Taiwan’ on Facebook for information and news of relevance to the story...
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 15, 2013
24 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 20, 2017
Chilling possibilities
This review is from: Fourth Crisis: The Battle for Taiwan (Kindle Edition)
This is a well done novel of a future war which could very easily become real. There are frequent quotes from Sun Tzu which is apt as the Chinese use the ART OF WAR as one of their main military guides. In addition to the usual military action, cyber war, agents in place & espionage are featured. Some slight reference is made to the Chinese ability to interfere with the U.S. power grid. I will stop here as I do not like revealing too much of the interesting plot.
This review is from: Fourth Crisis: The Battle for Taiwan (Kindle Edition)
This is a well done novel of a future war which could very easily become real. There are frequent quotes from Sun Tzu which is apt as the Chinese use the ART OF WAR as one of their main military guides. In addition to the usual military action, cyber war, agents in place & espionage are featured. Some slight reference is made to the Chinese ability to interfere with the U.S. power grid. I will stop here as I do not like revealing too much of the interesting plot.
March 20, 2017
Fourth Crisis: The Battle for Taiwan by Peter Von Bleichert is an enjoyable fun read about China invading Taiwan and the military action as Taiwan and the US fight to push China back.
Once I received the book I realized that's it's a self-published work. I must say, it's nicely bound and has a nice official look and feel. The story is pretty solid, but I wonder if it couldn't find a publisher is because of the lack of fully fleshed out characters? The author had a few, so he can do it, but... they were sparse.
I was also worried at the start because he initially describes a Chinese General as being blinded in one eye due to the consequence of a parasite during his youth. My first thought was, would they allow a young man who is partially blind join their army? I would have been fine if the incident occurred once he was older and higher in rank, but that did not ring true and I wondered if I was going to be reading an amateurish tale...
Fortunately I found that if you just want a book that is focused solely on "the fight," you've come to the right place. The author writes a realistic sounding (to this non-military experienced reader) battle.
Other writers that have tackled this specific theater seem to start with a devastating attack on the US in the form of a virus or some such trick to push the US aside as if there was a worry that the US would easily come in and settle the issue in 2 chapters otherwise.
I'm glad he did not do that in this book. It covers a brutal war. Both sides get their licks in. They both take hits and lose assets and score hard against their enemy. It just felt right to me.
I wish he would have touched on the ramifications to the rest of the world when the crisis turns hot. It seems to happen very much in a vacuum. China, Taiwan and the US. No one else...
But if you are a little anxious waiting for the next military thriller from a better known author and want something to tide you over. Honestly, I think you will enjoy this book.
Once I received the book I realized that's it's a self-published work. I must say, it's nicely bound and has a nice official look and feel. The story is pretty solid, but I wonder if it couldn't find a publisher is because of the lack of fully fleshed out characters? The author had a few, so he can do it, but... they were sparse.
I was also worried at the start because he initially describes a Chinese General as being blinded in one eye due to the consequence of a parasite during his youth. My first thought was, would they allow a young man who is partially blind join their army? I would have been fine if the incident occurred once he was older and higher in rank, but that did not ring true and I wondered if I was going to be reading an amateurish tale...
Fortunately I found that if you just want a book that is focused solely on "the fight," you've come to the right place. The author writes a realistic sounding (to this non-military experienced reader) battle.
Other writers that have tackled this specific theater seem to start with a devastating attack on the US in the form of a virus or some such trick to push the US aside as if there was a worry that the US would easily come in and settle the issue in 2 chapters otherwise.
I'm glad he did not do that in this book. It covers a brutal war. Both sides get their licks in. They both take hits and lose assets and score hard against their enemy. It just felt right to me.
I wish he would have touched on the ramifications to the rest of the world when the crisis turns hot. It seems to happen very much in a vacuum. China, Taiwan and the US. No one else...
But if you are a little anxious waiting for the next military thriller from a better known author and want something to tide you over. Honestly, I think you will enjoy this book.
February 12, 2020
Interesting,But Simplistic
A decent read, but overly simplistic. In the beginning I was thrilled to be reading what I thought would be totally fascinating. However, I was disappointed by the manner in which the story of this potential conflict was told. Something of this nature requires a deeply in depth series of books. The story is unique enough to merit reading. Please buy this book, read it, and write your own review. My personal background may have jaded my opinion so perhaps you will find this book to be more inteeesting than I did.
A decent read, but overly simplistic. In the beginning I was thrilled to be reading what I thought would be totally fascinating. However, I was disappointed by the manner in which the story of this potential conflict was told. Something of this nature requires a deeply in depth series of books. The story is unique enough to merit reading. Please buy this book, read it, and write your own review. My personal background may have jaded my opinion so perhaps you will find this book to be more inteeesting than I did.
December 12, 2017
Good airplane read. Nice flow and easy tech.
Good entertaining book. I enjoyed the characters as well as the battle simulation. The tech is is straight foward and east to follow
Good entertaining book. I enjoyed the characters as well as the battle simulation. The tech is is straight foward and east to follow
April 5, 2018
Meh. Not terrible but hard to recommend.
Decent story but weak characters, dull writing, and questionable realism drag it down. This could have been so much more.
Decent story but weak characters, dull writing, and questionable realism drag it down. This could have been so much more.
September 8, 2018
Great action
This is an excellent action .adventure book. It kept my attention throughout the book . This is a good match for action fans
This is an excellent action .adventure book. It kept my attention throughout the book . This is a good match for action fans
March 20, 2015
Upfront, I have to disclose that I performed compensated proofreading and light editing services on the original version, which I assume is the version that is the subject of the vast majority of the posted reviews. However, the result is the new and currently available Kindle and print versions.
Frankly, I was quite impressed by the story, being an avid reader of Cussler, Clancy and of course, Dale Brown.
The book's interesting premise attracted me, but the story dragged me in, and kept me hooked and reading. The author displayed a depth of knowledge about the subject matter, including weapons systems (both Chinese and American) and their usage, order-of-battle, tactics, and locales. This was true, both on the sea and under it, in submarine and surface warfare. This was true also of air and land combat. And, of course, intrigue and personal relationships
Perhaps what kept me hooked included strong character development. It was as though the characters were "real" and he was inside their heads.
The major issue I originally had was inadequate proofreading, and possibly some editing issues. Originally, my reading flow was sometimes interrupted by suspect verbiage, occasional usage and typing issues, and apparently incomplete prior edits, where the edits left fragments of the prior form in place. (I admit we have all done that!)
The principal reason for this review is that, upon further reading and consideration of this intriguing story and its telling, I find in this author some real potential to be a player in this techno-thriller/"what-if" military genre. In fact, I see A LOT of Dale Brown here. Peter von Bleichert displays the solid grasp of all the elements that has been keeping me a fan of Dale Brown, starting with Brown's "Flight of the Old Dog."
Truthfully, as I went through, editing and proofreading for the third and fourth times, Unlike what I expected, my interest never flagged. Editing and proofreading is a slow and often tedious process, meaning story flow is hard to maintain. But frankly, von Bleichert's story kept me hooked.
Peter von Bleichert is a winner in the techno-thriller genre, and his name will likely come to be held in similar esteem as some of others publishing in that field.
I am a fan.
Frankly, I was quite impressed by the story, being an avid reader of Cussler, Clancy and of course, Dale Brown.
The book's interesting premise attracted me, but the story dragged me in, and kept me hooked and reading. The author displayed a depth of knowledge about the subject matter, including weapons systems (both Chinese and American) and their usage, order-of-battle, tactics, and locales. This was true, both on the sea and under it, in submarine and surface warfare. This was true also of air and land combat. And, of course, intrigue and personal relationships
Perhaps what kept me hooked included strong character development. It was as though the characters were "real" and he was inside their heads.
The major issue I originally had was inadequate proofreading, and possibly some editing issues. Originally, my reading flow was sometimes interrupted by suspect verbiage, occasional usage and typing issues, and apparently incomplete prior edits, where the edits left fragments of the prior form in place. (I admit we have all done that!)
The principal reason for this review is that, upon further reading and consideration of this intriguing story and its telling, I find in this author some real potential to be a player in this techno-thriller/"what-if" military genre. In fact, I see A LOT of Dale Brown here. Peter von Bleichert displays the solid grasp of all the elements that has been keeping me a fan of Dale Brown, starting with Brown's "Flight of the Old Dog."
Truthfully, as I went through, editing and proofreading for the third and fourth times, Unlike what I expected, my interest never flagged. Editing and proofreading is a slow and often tedious process, meaning story flow is hard to maintain. But frankly, von Bleichert's story kept me hooked.
Peter von Bleichert is a winner in the techno-thriller genre, and his name will likely come to be held in similar esteem as some of others publishing in that field.
I am a fan.
September 14, 2014
A good portrayal of the costly China Taiwan conflict, with the US and Japan in between, stringing the past from WW II all the way to a “fourth crisis” in near future. Peter von Bleichert in his narration and portrayal of man and machine, laced with canny politics and diplomacy, competing intel and espionage, testing loyalties and deceit, seems to have “been there done that” on the war front.
The author has worked way too hard than what is comfortably required, to make the novel extremely tech specked and over engineered challenging the reader to keep pace with all the drama and action. Too much of warfare, too little of emotion; too many players and too few protagonists; too many machines, but too few men! But then again writing on warfare IS about conflict and death, not love and life, this idea taken way too far into the slow, prolonged narration and prolific detail of the China Taiwan duel, versus the quick, abrupt separation and tragic death of the Richard Jade romance, both spanning two very different cultures and continents.
But then, such fiction not too far from some probable impending reality does make it all the more edgy and gritty!
The author has worked way too hard than what is comfortably required, to make the novel extremely tech specked and over engineered challenging the reader to keep pace with all the drama and action. Too much of warfare, too little of emotion; too many players and too few protagonists; too many machines, but too few men! But then again writing on warfare IS about conflict and death, not love and life, this idea taken way too far into the slow, prolonged narration and prolific detail of the China Taiwan duel, versus the quick, abrupt separation and tragic death of the Richard Jade romance, both spanning two very different cultures and continents.
But then, such fiction not too far from some probable impending reality does make it all the more edgy and gritty!
November 1, 2015
A bit of a mixed bag this is. Starts well enough and follows in Clancys footsteps of Red Storm Rising with a series of different characters and locations. Builds up nicely in the first third until war breaks out. Then a lot of the characters presented just disappear or get pushed to guest stars, gung ho style, especially in the submarines storyline where all were presented as cold professionals before, but still story remains gripping. Then comes the end, it just ends, completely anticlimactic like if the author ran out of the number of max pages he was allowed?!? Seems like a hasty wrap up to push the book out. A pity, after the first third it was right there with RSS.
April 6, 2015
Interesting, worth a read
Having said that, it's not Red Storm Rising, either. I think the book might be better w/o the Jade thread, except for the special target on Taiwan. Good how-the-watch-works feel in the text. Read in Kindle Unlimited, so I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it. 3 stars, because it's worth a read, but don't put out too much for it.
Having said that, it's not Red Storm Rising, either. I think the book might be better w/o the Jade thread, except for the special target on Taiwan. Good how-the-watch-works feel in the text. Read in Kindle Unlimited, so I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it. 3 stars, because it's worth a read, but don't put out too much for it.
June 29, 2015
Too much military tech and not enough character development for my tastes....
February 17, 2015
A lot of thechnical details on weapons systems ans submarime warfare. But the plot is well-thought. The author needs to develop their main characters a little bit deeply.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews