The Third World War: The Terrifying Story of Global Ruin

by Humphrey Hawksley

Who really pulls the trigger in war?



The Third World A Terrifying Novel of Global Ruin is a relentless military thriller that plunges readers into a chillingly plausible scenario of global warfare.



With flashpoints erupting across Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific, author Humphrey Hawksley crafts a terrifying mosaic of espionage, military brinkmanship, and diplomatic collapse.



From the devastated ruins of Delhi to the tense war rooms of Washington, Pyongyang, and Tokyo, world leaders navigate a tightening noose of chaos as alliances fracture and rivalries ignite. At the heart of it all lies a chilling Would we really fight a war that no-one can win?



This is military fiction at its most urgent, packed with insider realism, high-stakes political drama, and the kind of escalating global tension that feels all too possible.



Perfect for fans of espionage and military action, this novel doesn’t just entertain, it dares you to consider how close the world might be to the brink. Bold, unflinching, and terrifyingly relevant.



History repeats itself… unless someone stops it.

614 pages, Paperback

Published November 6, 2025

About the author

Humphrey is an award-winning author, podcaster and journalist whose assignments with the BBC have taken him to crises all over the world. The three books in his future history series -- Dragonstrike, Dragonfire and The Third World War -- have been praised as authentic, catastrophic scenarios which begin with a Chinese strike in the South China Sea. His Rake Ozenna espionage thriller series is set in the Arctic and High North, beginning with Man on Ice and a Russian invasion of the Alaskan island of Little Diomede. Rake is an island native and a special forces veteran with the Alaska National Guard. The late, great Nelson de Mille applauded Rake as being smart and tough, 'and we’re glad to have him on our side.' Humphrey's non-fiction work includes Democracy Kills: What’s So Good About Having The Vote, published during the Iraq civil war and Asian Waters: The Struggle over the Indo-Pacific and the Challenge to American Power which examines the impact of Chinese expansion in Asia. Humphrey hosts the bi-monthly Democracy Forum Debates. His work has appeared in most mainstream media outlets and he has been guest lecturer at universities and think tanks such as the RAND Corporation, The Center for Strategic and International Studies and MENSA Cambridge. He moderates the Democracy Forum Debates on international issues and is a host of the Goldster Magazine Show and podcast.