Press Release: In the Jaws of the Dragon by Michael Wellman

IN THE JAWS OF THE DRAGON TELLS OF A COMING WORLD WAR THAT MAY ALREADY HAVE BEGUN

Michael Wellman’s debut political thriller imagines a near-future China-Japan war in alarming detail.

At a moment when the Indo-Pacific has become an even more fraught stage for contemporary geopolitical tension, debut novelist Michael Wellman delivers In the Jaws of the Dragon (New Generation Publishing, January 2025) — a meticulously researched thriller that asks the question on every strategist's mind: what happens when China decides to move?

Set against the backdrop of China’s naval expansion and dominance across the South and East China Seas, the novel follows a cast of political and military figures as Beijing's leadership, facing domestic economic crisis, plans a tactical strike on a vulnerable nearby territory. 

Only it’s not what the world expects. With Western intelligence focused intensively on Taiwan, China looks to the old enemy in the East, targeting the southern base of Japan's vulnerable Ryukyu Islands. The strike deflects popular unrest and stirs Chinese national sentiment. And it’s made possible by a deep-cover mole embedded in Washington, who feeds Beijing live intelligence of American strategic intentions.

As Washington mounts a desperate hunt for this mole, the novel's parallel storylines converge toward a violent endgame — culminating in Japan's decision to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in a last attempt to halt the advance.

In the Jaws of the Dragon will appeal to readers of Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, and Daniel Silva, and to admirers of Herman Wouk's The Winds of War and War and Remembrance — readers who want the full sweep of geopolitical conflict rendered through the lives of those living it. It will also find an audience among those following real-world Indo-Pacific developments through outlets such as Foreign Affairs, The Diplomat, and War on the Rocks. The novel moves with cinematic pace from the corridors of Washington intelligence to the contested waters of the East China Sea.

What Readers are Saying

“A thrilling read. A nail-biting account of what could so easily happen with the contemporary build up of international hostilities.” — Reader Review

“Wellman's extraordinary mastery of the detail of the naval assets available to the different countries, the military strategies and manoeuvres pursued by them, and the politics involved, are quite simply staggering.” — Reader Review

About the Author

Following service as an officer in the United States Army, Michael spent over forty years in international investment banking eventually specializing in the aerospace & defense sector. With senior roles at Citibank, Bank of America, Schroders, Bear Stearns, and the Industrial Bank of Japan, his career took him from New York to London, Tokyo, and Buenos Aires — giving him an insider's understanding of the military-industrial landscape and geopolitical forces that underpin In the Jaws of the Dragon. He is currently a Managing Director at TrueNorth Capital Partners. He speaks five languages and holds a multi-engine instrument rating as a pilot.

In the Jaws of the Dragon is his debut novel. Drawing on decades of first-hand experience in the corridors of international finance and defence, it imagines a near-future conflict between China and Japan. Meticulously researched and chillingly grounded in geopolitical reality, it marks the arrival of a distinctive new voice in the thriller genre.

Publication Details

Title: In the Jaws of the Dragon Author: Michael Wellman Publisher: New Generation Publishing Publication Date: January 6, 2025 ISBN: 978-1835634011 Available from: Amazon UK, Amazon US, Barnes & Noble, and all major booksellers

Marketing and PR is being handled by BookGo on behalf of Michael Wellman. For review copies, author interviews, or further information, please contact: Tomas Elliott, Director of Media, BookGo, tomas@bookgo.pub