2034

By Elliot Ackerman and James Stavridis

About 2034

Elliot Ackerman and James Stavridis imagine a U.S.–China naval confrontation escalating into a wider war. Fiction allows the reading guide’s strategic questions to be tested through characters and consequential choices.

Read after The Fifth Act, then continue to 2054. This is the first novel in the future-war sequence.

Why I include it

I include 2034 for its exploration of strategic miscalculation and the human consequences of great-power conflict. Read it alongside 2054 and 2084.

Explore Elliot’s essays, interviews, and book club

Author spotlight · Read 3

Elliot Ackerman

Fiction exploring great-power escalation. Read after The Fifth Act, then continue to 2054. This is the first novel in the future-war sequence.

What to look for while reading

Notice the points at which actors misread intentions or overestimate control. Compare the novel’s assumptions with the nonfiction China and technology phases.

Perspective & context

I include Elliot Ackerman’s work for its perspective on war, memory, and moral responsibility. Explore his essays, interviews, and reading recommendations at elliotackerman.net.