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Dark Mode: The Art of War
Ancient strategy meets modern design in this bold Dark Mode edition of The Art of War. With white text on black paper, it’s a striking new way to experience Sun Tzu’s timeless wisdom.
A timeless guide to leadership, strategy, and self-mastery, The Art of War has influenced generations of thinkers—from generals and political leaders to entrepreneurs and athletes. Its lessons on preparation, perception, and decisive action remain just as relevant today.This visually striking edition is part of the Dark Mode Classics series, presenting white text on black paper for a reading experience designed to minimize eye strain and promote deeper focus. With its sleek, modern design, this edition invites both longtime readers and new learners to experience Sun Tzu’s wisdom in a whole new light.
A timeless guide to leadership, strategy, and self-mastery, The Art of War has influenced generations of thinkers—from generals and political leaders to entrepreneurs and athletes. Its lessons on preparation, perception, and decisive action remain just as relevant today.This visually striking edition is part of the Dark Mode Classics series, presenting white text on black paper for a reading experience designed to minimize eye strain and promote deeper focus. With its sleek, modern design, this edition invites both longtime readers and new learners to experience Sun Tzu’s wisdom in a whole new light.
152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 18, 2026
About the author
Sun Tzu
1,795 books3,758 followersSun Tzu (traditional Chinese: 孫子; simplified Chinese: 孙子; pinyin: Sūnzǐ) was a Chinese military general, strategist, philosopher, and writer who lived during the Eastern Zhou period (771–256 BC). Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, an influential work of military strategy that has affected both Western and East Asian philosophy and military thought. Sun Tzu is revered in Chinese and East Asian culture as a legendary historical and military figure. His birth name was Sun Wu (traditional Chinese: 孫武; simplified Chinese: 孙武) and he was known outside of his family by his courtesy name Changqing (Chinese: 長卿). The name Sun Tzu—by which he is more popularly known—is an honorific which means "Master Sun".
Sun Tzu mastered the military science of ancient China and created the military doctrine of asymmetrical warfare. According to it, an attack on the enemy should begin only after the enemy has no opportunity to either defend or counterattack. It was used in the wars in the era of the Warring States in ancient China (about 475–221 BC). It differs from the modern interpretation of asymmetric military strategy. The ancient warriors used to call it the Victorious Methods of Warfare (sheng er zhan zhi), but it has the same meaning as the modern asymmetrical military strategy. The ancient professional warriors used it in individual combats against the enemies in the wars. As a result, a variety of armed and unarmed combat combinations have been created for various combat situations as the individual battle plans. Those combat combinations had specific names, descriptions and classifications.
Sun Tzu's historicity is uncertain. The Han dynasty historian Sima Qian and other traditional Chinese historians placed him as a minister to King Helü of Wu and dated his lifetime to 544–496 BC. Modern scholars accepting his historicity place the extant text of The Art of War in the later Warring States period of 475 to 221 BC, based on its style of composition and its descriptions of warfare. Traditional accounts state that the general's descendant Sun Bin wrote a treatise on military tactics, also titled The Art of War. Since both Sun Wu and Sun Bin were referred to as "Sun Tzu" in classical Chinese texts, some historians believed them identical, prior to the rediscovery of Sun Bin's treatise in 1972.
Sun Tzu's work has been praised and employed throughout the arc of East Asian military history since its composition, and eventually earned global attention. During the twentieth century, The Art of War grew in popularity and saw practical use in the Western world as well. It remains influential in many contemporary competitive endeavors across the modern world beyond military strategy and warfare, including espionage, culture, governance, business, and sports.
Sun Tzu mastered the military science of ancient China and created the military doctrine of asymmetrical warfare. According to it, an attack on the enemy should begin only after the enemy has no opportunity to either defend or counterattack. It was used in the wars in the era of the Warring States in ancient China (about 475–221 BC). It differs from the modern interpretation of asymmetric military strategy. The ancient warriors used to call it the Victorious Methods of Warfare (sheng er zhan zhi), but it has the same meaning as the modern asymmetrical military strategy. The ancient professional warriors used it in individual combats against the enemies in the wars. As a result, a variety of armed and unarmed combat combinations have been created for various combat situations as the individual battle plans. Those combat combinations had specific names, descriptions and classifications.
Sun Tzu's historicity is uncertain. The Han dynasty historian Sima Qian and other traditional Chinese historians placed him as a minister to King Helü of Wu and dated his lifetime to 544–496 BC. Modern scholars accepting his historicity place the extant text of The Art of War in the later Warring States period of 475 to 221 BC, based on its style of composition and its descriptions of warfare. Traditional accounts state that the general's descendant Sun Bin wrote a treatise on military tactics, also titled The Art of War. Since both Sun Wu and Sun Bin were referred to as "Sun Tzu" in classical Chinese texts, some historians believed them identical, prior to the rediscovery of Sun Bin's treatise in 1972.
Sun Tzu's work has been praised and employed throughout the arc of East Asian military history since its composition, and eventually earned global attention. During the twentieth century, The Art of War grew in popularity and saw practical use in the Western world as well. It remains influential in many contemporary competitive endeavors across the modern world beyond military strategy and warfare, including espionage, culture, governance, business, and sports.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 27, 2026
Sun Tzu's Art of War returns on an elegant black background. Detailed are multiple sessions about warfare, the importance of scenery and differing resources such as soldiers, spies and fire in short axioms. As a timeless document, it's terribly intriguing, but only has, of course, that many applications in modern life.
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an eARC for an honest review!
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an eARC for an honest review!
Review of advance copy
This cover is not just the Kindle Edition of the book. It's the Dark Mode Edition Hardcover book cover as well. I received an advance copy from my sister who received it from the ALA convention in Chicago. Goodreads had me click a bunch of buttons before I could review it. Like: Chill, goodreads: chill.
So, this is as much (or more) a review of the Dark Mode edition of the book as it is Sun Tzu's original.
Look: I've practically had this on my to-read shelf since Sun Tzu wrote the thing. It's just been sitting there for the past thousands of years, apparently waiting for the Dark Mode edition to come out, making it even more readable than before. Yeah: you're already a badass for reading the book, but now even more so because: this cover? White font on black pages? And you get to put it on your "classics" shelf? Come on... that's great, right?
I started coaching varsity high school volleyball. Here are some pull quotes I'm going to share with the team:
Chapter VI: 1: Sun Tzu said: Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle, will arrive exhausted.
Chapter II: 24. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
Chapter VII: 20. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. 21. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life. 22. Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution. This is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact.
Chapter XII: 17. Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical. 18. No ruler should put troops into the field to merely gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.
Chapter XI: 65. If the enemy leaves a door open, you must rush in.
Chapter XI: 64. Be stern in the council chamber, so that you may control the situation.
Chapter X: 24. The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.
Yeah. The book is good. And the edition is good. My money says it does well if it's put on a display where people can see it.
So, this is as much (or more) a review of the Dark Mode edition of the book as it is Sun Tzu's original.
Look: I've practically had this on my to-read shelf since Sun Tzu wrote the thing. It's just been sitting there for the past thousands of years, apparently waiting for the Dark Mode edition to come out, making it even more readable than before. Yeah: you're already a badass for reading the book, but now even more so because: this cover? White font on black pages? And you get to put it on your "classics" shelf? Come on... that's great, right?
I started coaching varsity high school volleyball. Here are some pull quotes I'm going to share with the team:
Chapter VI: 1: Sun Tzu said: Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle, will arrive exhausted.
Chapter II: 24. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
Chapter VII: 20. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. 21. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life. 22. Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution. This is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact.
Chapter XII: 17. Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical. 18. No ruler should put troops into the field to merely gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.
Chapter XI: 65. If the enemy leaves a door open, you must rush in.
Chapter XI: 64. Be stern in the council chamber, so that you may control the situation.
Chapter X: 24. The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.
Yeah. The book is good. And the edition is good. My money says it does well if it's put on a display where people can see it.
October 4, 2026
Sun Tzu said: There are two ways to read a book, black on white and white on black. Well, he probably didn't, but it's certainly in his style. This book, designed to be easier on the eye, and allowing for deeper focus, is supposed then to be the volume allowing you to read this with more care than ever before. Whether it makes it better for perusal in a military tent than black on white I have no idea. It's not purely white-on-black, mind, as there are grey paragraph counts, and page numbers, and a grey pattern banner at the top of every page, while every blank verso page is patterned. Neither is it at all cheap, considering the fact this is rather out of copyright, but then something has to pay for all that black ink. And there's a lot of black – in making sure paragraphs don't get widowed onto the following page you often get just two phrases per page, and almost half a side of emptiness.
But what we do get is a decent approach to the military mindset, seemingly written as a kind of portfolio if you like in order to get a commission as general. Apparently it succeeded. Oh, and it's Lionel Giles' 1910 translation, for those to whom that matters. To me it surprised me by including only one or two justifications and proofs of this thinking having worked in history, but a lot of lists which I didn't expect, and some mathematical data given with full conviction and authority.
So does the dark mode work? Well, perhaps. I'd have had to have read it for the first time in the conventional fashion as well, to compare, which is kind of impossible. You might think it's just a gimmick – we've gone for centuries with black on white and have been as pensive over such texts as we might now they're reversed, surely? If that's the case the gimmick kind of works – it got me reading something I'd never have expected to engage me of a Sunday afternoon.
And it probably is worth reading, however much you want to approach an enemy. It certainly lets you know quite blatantly who has and who has not been reading it recently. "There are... commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed", indeed.
This is my second (of two) books in this series and my personal jury is still out about the format. Take it or leave it – here, given the quality of the text and how readable and pertinent it actually proved to be, things are worth four stars.
But what we do get is a decent approach to the military mindset, seemingly written as a kind of portfolio if you like in order to get a commission as general. Apparently it succeeded. Oh, and it's Lionel Giles' 1910 translation, for those to whom that matters. To me it surprised me by including only one or two justifications and proofs of this thinking having worked in history, but a lot of lists which I didn't expect, and some mathematical data given with full conviction and authority.
So does the dark mode work? Well, perhaps. I'd have had to have read it for the first time in the conventional fashion as well, to compare, which is kind of impossible. You might think it's just a gimmick – we've gone for centuries with black on white and have been as pensive over such texts as we might now they're reversed, surely? If that's the case the gimmick kind of works – it got me reading something I'd never have expected to engage me of a Sunday afternoon.
And it probably is worth reading, however much you want to approach an enemy. It certainly lets you know quite blatantly who has and who has not been reading it recently. "There are... commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed", indeed.
This is my second (of two) books in this series and my personal jury is still out about the format. Take it or leave it – here, given the quality of the text and how readable and pertinent it actually proved to be, things are worth four stars.
September 6, 2026
Dark Mode: The Art of War
by Sun Tzu
Rating: 4 star rating
I just finished reading the Dark Mode version of The Art of War, and the layout is great. If you are like me and get eye strain from staring at bright screens, this book is perfect because it is just white text on a completely black background. It is way easier on the eyes and actually helped me focus a lot better.
The book is Sun Tzu’s classic advice on strategy broken down into thirteen short chapters that cover everything from initial planning to using fire in combat. He talks about how a good leader needs to stay calm and emotionally detached, especially when managing army logistics, moving through different types of rough terrain, or keeping troops disciplined. A lot of the chapters focus on deception, basically showing how to act weak when you are strong, or close when you are actually far away, so you can completely throw your opponent off guard.
The book wraps up with a detailed section on using five different types of spies and gathering information to win before the battle even starts. Even though it is super old, a lot of the advice about avoiding costly conflicts and striking only when you have a clear advantage actually makes sense for modern stuff like business or just handling regular life drama. It is a quick read, it looks good on a phone or e-reader, and I definitely recommend checking this one out.
Thank you, NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and the author Sun Tzu, for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.
#NetGalley
#AndrewsMcMeelPublishing
#Sun Tzu author
#DarkModeTheArtofWar
http://goodreads.com/patriciasreading...
http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogs...
by Sun Tzu
Rating: 4 star rating
I just finished reading the Dark Mode version of The Art of War, and the layout is great. If you are like me and get eye strain from staring at bright screens, this book is perfect because it is just white text on a completely black background. It is way easier on the eyes and actually helped me focus a lot better.
The book is Sun Tzu’s classic advice on strategy broken down into thirteen short chapters that cover everything from initial planning to using fire in combat. He talks about how a good leader needs to stay calm and emotionally detached, especially when managing army logistics, moving through different types of rough terrain, or keeping troops disciplined. A lot of the chapters focus on deception, basically showing how to act weak when you are strong, or close when you are actually far away, so you can completely throw your opponent off guard.
The book wraps up with a detailed section on using five different types of spies and gathering information to win before the battle even starts. Even though it is super old, a lot of the advice about avoiding costly conflicts and striking only when you have a clear advantage actually makes sense for modern stuff like business or just handling regular life drama. It is a quick read, it looks good on a phone or e-reader, and I definitely recommend checking this one out.
Thank you, NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and the author Sun Tzu, for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.
#NetGalley
#AndrewsMcMeelPublishing
#Sun Tzu author
#DarkModeTheArtofWar
http://goodreads.com/patriciasreading...
http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogs...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Check out this review of Dark Mode: The Art of War on Fable. https://fable.co/review/c3ecc35f-f2ba...
4.5 ✨
Haven't read Art of War before and I'm surprised it's just a quick read. It's eye refreshing getting a copy for a dark mode and i enjoyed it. Lessons can be applied as well with everyday life of dealing with people, ofc figuratively.
Love how it's still relevant even when this was originally written thousand of years ago. Timeless wisdom.
Thanks Netgalley for this ARC.
____
Energy, page 39.
6. Indirect tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth, unending as the flow of rivers and streams; like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away but to return once more.
7. There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.
8. There are not more than five primary colors (blue, yellow, red, white, and black), yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever be seen.
4.5 ✨
Haven't read Art of War before and I'm surprised it's just a quick read. It's eye refreshing getting a copy for a dark mode and i enjoyed it. Lessons can be applied as well with everyday life of dealing with people, ofc figuratively.
Love how it's still relevant even when this was originally written thousand of years ago. Timeless wisdom.
Thanks Netgalley for this ARC.
____
Energy, page 39.
6. Indirect tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth, unending as the flow of rivers and streams; like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away but to return once more.
7. There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.
8. There are not more than five primary colors (blue, yellow, red, white, and black), yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever be seen.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Dark Mode: The Art of War gives Sun Tzu's classic text a fresh visual presentation while preserving the strategic ideas that have kept it relevant for centuries. Whether you're reading it for military history, business, leadership, or simply because you're curious about one of the world's most influential books, the lessons still hold up remarkably well. I found myself slowing down to think about several passages instead of rushing through them.
I've read The Art of War before, but every revisit seems to reveal something different. Some ideas are immediately practical, while others become more meaningful after you've had more experience navigating work, relationships, or difficult decisions. This edition made for an enjoyable reread, and its distinctive design gives longtime fans another reason to pick it up. My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance review copy.
I've read The Art of War before, but every revisit seems to reveal something different. Some ideas are immediately practical, while others become more meaningful after you've had more experience navigating work, relationships, or difficult decisions. This edition made for an enjoyable reread, and its distinctive design gives longtime fans another reason to pick it up. My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Dark Mode: The Art of War is a unique way of reading with white on black pages. I will say my eyes focused easily and I enjoyed the contrast better than the reverse. Maybe it was because it was opposite from the way we normally see books published, but it gave it a nice upgrade feel to the reading experience. I think this edition will be very popular. The Art of War itself is a great military strategy and leadership including how to spy on the opposition. Every idea rings true today as it did back when Sun Tzu a philosopher and Chinese military strategist wrote it nearly 1,500 year ago. Seems very relevant and timely even for being dated so long ago.
Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing this advanced reader copy to review.
Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing this advanced reader copy to review.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews