I couldn't get into this book. While the writing was not bad, the plot that draws the US into a war seemed unrealistic, even in light of current events.

This book follows a tradition established by Generals Sir John Hackett and Sir Richard Shirreff with their books 'Third World War' and 'War with Russia', respectively. Like these two books, 'The Second Korean War' describes the run up to a fictional conflict, although this time on the Korean Peninsula rather than in Europe. The book is set in a contemporary timescale and describes the fighting that follows on land, sea and air. Inevitably, such a scenario is likely to have limited appeal to many readers, but as Hackett and Shirreff have demonstrated there is a substantial market for well-researched military scenario based fiction. Halstead brings a lot of technical detail to his writing and covers a wide canvass with a range of key characters operating in Russia, China, North and South Korea and the continental United States. Pace is well-maintained and action scenes are set out with some skill. Readers familiar with Tom Clancy's earlier work will find much to enjoy, although some readers may find the military action on the part of the US forces perhaps too clinically simple, with little evidence of Helmut Von Moltke's oft-quoted dictum that 'no plan of operations reaches with any certainty beyond the first encounter with the enemy's main force.' If this type of fiction interests you the book is likely to be hard to put down. Strongly recommended.

I found this book to be fascinating, giving a view of life I know little about. Very readable and recommended.

A somewhat interesting book dealing with the author's imagining of a Second Korean War. It's okay, however could have been better except for the following reasons.
One, the book introduces too many characters, from North Koreans, South Koreans, Americans, Chinese, and Russians. Just keeping track of all the names, not to mention how they fit into the plot was confusing.
Two, many of the circumstances were too far-fetched to be believable. A North Korean prisoner who eventually becomes the de facto engineer responsible for the success (or failure) of one of the main attacks? A simple Russian detective who is allowed to traipse the globe chasing a stolen nuclear weapon?
Three. Many plot lines are began, and then just fade away. For example, a good chunk of the beginning is about an American submarine attacking and sinking a North Korean sub, but then the plot line is just left hanging, never to be brought into context.
And Four. The actual "War" does not begin until the book is 80% done. And then rushed to a conclusion.
While the author attempts to cover what is a hot topic today, I think it could have been done a lot better.