One Kingdom Under Heaven by Alastair Luft

TITLE INFORMATION

One Kingdom Under Heaven

Alastair Luft

Black Rose Writing, 318 pages

9781684336975, 6.17.21

BOOK REVIEW

Overall Rating = 4.5

Storyline & Concept = 5

Writing & Delivery = 4.5

Editorial = 4

Alastair Luft’s One Kingdom Under Heaven, set in 2029, relates the story of an act of retaliation for an attack by China against the United States. A retired Navy SEAL, Malcolm Kwong, who lost his family in the attack, assembles a team to cross China’s Taklamakan Desert, recruit an exiled Uighur, and carry out an assassination.

This story starts off as a compelling read when Kwong is interrogated about his actions, but the recounting of what preceded that point is what sets this novel apart. It’s told from different contradictory perspectives and makes it impossible to put down as the reader tries to decide which version to believe, each one as conceivable as the next. This is a brilliant concept and is achieved with the author’s intricate character development that allows us to accept the alternatives presented. The quality and quantity of the research involved in constructing the complex plot and settings are also points to be noted. Luft delivers the story with lots of action and, although gruesome at times, it adds an element of realism to a story set in the not-so-distant future that is easy to envisage. 

Sublime Line: “One Kingdom Under Heaven is a riveting adventure story, written with a unique and captivating concept that makes it impossible to put down; highly recommended.”

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