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Fallout of War: Ukraine: Year Two
The desperate fight for survival has given way to something a grinding war of attrition where victory is measured in meters, and the question is no longer whether Ukraine will fall but whether the West will lose patience first.
Lieutenant Commander James Fairbanks has earned his place among Ukrainian special forces. His drone operations reshape battles and bloody Russian logistics across the front. But when Pentagon doctrine clashes with battlefield reality during the summer offensive, James must choose between the approaches that save lives and the orders that satisfy Washington.
In Brussels and Kyiv, Lucy Fairbanks coordinates billions in Western aid while navigating diplomats who hesitate and allies who waver. When a Russian missile orphans a four-year-old girl, Lucy becomes the only family Maria has left—adding an impossible personal burden to her impossible professional one.
Then a journalist who has cultivated them both is exposed as Russian intelligence. The Fairbanks marriage, already strained by separation and secrets, must survive a betrayal neither saw coming.
From the ruins of Bakhmut to strikes deep into Crimea, Fallout of Ukraine — Year Two delivers tactical realism, high-stakes diplomacy, and the intimate cost of a war that demands everything from those who fight it.
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"An examination of warfare that doesn’t lose sight of the people involved." — Kirkus Reviews
"Gripping narrative of military diplomacy, Ukrainian resilience, and war’s complexity." — BookLife Review
"A story about how just one person can be forever changed by war and can forever change the outcome of a war." — Reedsy/discovery
"In short, readers looking for a compelling war story with characters beating the odds will find Fallout of War utterly engrossing." — blueink Review *** STARRED REVIEW
"Filled with action, insight, and impact, Fallout of War: Ukraine: Year One attracts with realistic dilemmas, evolves unexpected new situations that test the ideals and might of its participants, and creates a thoroughly immersive experience to place its readers not just on the battlefield, but in the homes and hearts of all involved." — Midwest Book Review
Lieutenant Commander James Fairbanks has earned his place among Ukrainian special forces. His drone operations reshape battles and bloody Russian logistics across the front. But when Pentagon doctrine clashes with battlefield reality during the summer offensive, James must choose between the approaches that save lives and the orders that satisfy Washington.
In Brussels and Kyiv, Lucy Fairbanks coordinates billions in Western aid while navigating diplomats who hesitate and allies who waver. When a Russian missile orphans a four-year-old girl, Lucy becomes the only family Maria has left—adding an impossible personal burden to her impossible professional one.
Then a journalist who has cultivated them both is exposed as Russian intelligence. The Fairbanks marriage, already strained by separation and secrets, must survive a betrayal neither saw coming.
From the ruins of Bakhmut to strikes deep into Crimea, Fallout of Ukraine — Year Two delivers tactical realism, high-stakes diplomacy, and the intimate cost of a war that demands everything from those who fight it.
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"An examination of warfare that doesn’t lose sight of the people involved." — Kirkus Reviews
"Gripping narrative of military diplomacy, Ukrainian resilience, and war’s complexity." — BookLife Review
"A story about how just one person can be forever changed by war and can forever change the outcome of a war." — Reedsy/discovery
"In short, readers looking for a compelling war story with characters beating the odds will find Fallout of War utterly engrossing." — blueink Review *** STARRED REVIEW
"Filled with action, insight, and impact, Fallout of War: Ukraine: Year One attracts with realistic dilemmas, evolves unexpected new situations that test the ideals and might of its participants, and creates a thoroughly immersive experience to place its readers not just on the battlefield, but in the homes and hearts of all involved." — Midwest Book Review
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2025
14 people are currently reading
712 people want to read
About the author
H. Peter Alesso
75 books473 followersI love words, but that wasn't always true. I grew up with a talent for numbers, leading me to follow a different path. I went to Annapolis and MIT and became a nuclear physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Only after I retired was my desire to tell stories reawakened.
In recent years, I have immersed myself in the world of words, drawing on my scientific knowledge and personal experience to shape my writing.
As a scientist, I explored physics and technology, which enabled me to create informative and insightful books, sharing my knowledge with readers who sought to expand their understanding in these areas—contributing to their intellectual growth while satisfying my own passion.
But it was my time as a naval officer that ignited my imagination and propelled me into science fiction. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy and serving on nuclear submarines during both hot and cold wars, I witnessed firsthand the complexities and challenges of military operations that seamen face daily.
This allowed me a unique perspective, which I channeled into creating Henry Gallant and a 22nd-century world where a space officer fought against invading aliens. Through this narrative, I explored the depths of human resilience, the mysteries of space, and the intricacies of military conflict.
My stories let me share the highlights of my journey with you. I hope you enjoy the ride. (www.hpeteralesso.com)
H. Peter Alesso Amazon Author Page"
https://www.amazon.com/H.-Peter-Aless...
'The Henry Gallant Sage' Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/TheHenryGall...
website: https://www.ai-hive.net/
In recent years, I have immersed myself in the world of words, drawing on my scientific knowledge and personal experience to shape my writing.
As a scientist, I explored physics and technology, which enabled me to create informative and insightful books, sharing my knowledge with readers who sought to expand their understanding in these areas—contributing to their intellectual growth while satisfying my own passion.
But it was my time as a naval officer that ignited my imagination and propelled me into science fiction. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy and serving on nuclear submarines during both hot and cold wars, I witnessed firsthand the complexities and challenges of military operations that seamen face daily.
This allowed me a unique perspective, which I channeled into creating Henry Gallant and a 22nd-century world where a space officer fought against invading aliens. Through this narrative, I explored the depths of human resilience, the mysteries of space, and the intricacies of military conflict.
My stories let me share the highlights of my journey with you. I hope you enjoy the ride. (www.hpeteralesso.com)
H. Peter Alesso Amazon Author Page"
https://www.amazon.com/H.-Peter-Aless...
'The Henry Gallant Sage' Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/TheHenryGall...
website: https://www.ai-hive.net/
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 21, 2026
H. Peter Alesso’s Fallout of War: Ukraine: Year Two is a masterful, immersive, and emotionally charged sequel that plunges readers into the brutal, grinding reality of a protracted conflict. Moving beyond the initial shock of invasion, this novel captures the second, more complex phase of war: a battle of attrition, political will, and personal endurance, where every meter gained and every weapon supplied carries the weight of the free world.
Alesso excels at weaving together multiple layers of the conflict with impressive authenticity. On the front lines, Lieutenant Commander James Fairbanks’s story is a riveting exploration of modern warfare. His drone operations are depicted with tactical precision, offering a fascinating and harrowing look at how technology reshapes battle. The central conflict between Pentagon doctrine and battlefield necessity is brilliantly realized, forcing James into impossible choices that define the very nature of command and conscience.
Parallel to this, the narrative in Brussels and Kyiv, following James’s wife Lucy, is equally compelling. Alesso masterfully renders the high-stakes world of diplomacy and aid coordination, where victory is brokered in boardrooms as much as in trenches. The poignant subplot involving the orphaned girl, Maria, adds a devastatingly personal layer to the geopolitical drama, highlighting the profound human cost that statistics can never convey.
The tension escalates brilliantly with the revelation of a trusted journalist as a Russian intelligence asset. This betrayal injects a potent spy thriller element into the narrative, testing the Fairbanks’ marriage and trust in ways that are as gripping as any battlefield engagement.
Alesso’s prose is clear, direct, and powerfully evocative, whether describing the ruins of Bakhmut or the tense silence of a diplomatic meeting. The research is impeccable, lending the novel a chilling verisimilitude.
Fallout of War: Year Two is more than a military thriller; it is a profound and necessary novel about the sacrifices demanded by liberty, the fragility of alliances, and the resilience of the human spirit under unimaginable strain. It is a timely, important, and utterly unputdownable read.
Alesso excels at weaving together multiple layers of the conflict with impressive authenticity. On the front lines, Lieutenant Commander James Fairbanks’s story is a riveting exploration of modern warfare. His drone operations are depicted with tactical precision, offering a fascinating and harrowing look at how technology reshapes battle. The central conflict between Pentagon doctrine and battlefield necessity is brilliantly realized, forcing James into impossible choices that define the very nature of command and conscience.
Parallel to this, the narrative in Brussels and Kyiv, following James’s wife Lucy, is equally compelling. Alesso masterfully renders the high-stakes world of diplomacy and aid coordination, where victory is brokered in boardrooms as much as in trenches. The poignant subplot involving the orphaned girl, Maria, adds a devastatingly personal layer to the geopolitical drama, highlighting the profound human cost that statistics can never convey.
The tension escalates brilliantly with the revelation of a trusted journalist as a Russian intelligence asset. This betrayal injects a potent spy thriller element into the narrative, testing the Fairbanks’ marriage and trust in ways that are as gripping as any battlefield engagement.
Alesso’s prose is clear, direct, and powerfully evocative, whether describing the ruins of Bakhmut or the tense silence of a diplomatic meeting. The research is impeccable, lending the novel a chilling verisimilitude.
Fallout of War: Year Two is more than a military thriller; it is a profound and necessary novel about the sacrifices demanded by liberty, the fragility of alliances, and the resilience of the human spirit under unimaginable strain. It is a timely, important, and utterly unputdownable read.
January 9, 2026
Year2 of the continuing mission in Ukraine. Lucy and James Fairbanks are into their respective roles in their adopted country. Separation puts both at risk as the war goes on. Surprise intrigue as a spy is revealed. Lucy contends with the personal devastation around her while James bears the burden of combat loss and injury.
February 1, 2026
I really loved the personal, family stories in this. Unfortunately, there was too much of the "dry" statistics of war. But I did learn some more about how living thru war affects people on a daily basis.Well written
January 21, 2026
The author gives a more realistic view of the war in Ukraine.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews