In this lengthy volume devoted to the Russia/Ukraine conflict, author Doc Ngu addresses how to end “an intractable war.”

The book outlines two peace plans: the first, a plan to solve the conflict that began in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea; the second, a final 18-point peace plan, incorporates elements of the first but focuses on steps to bring peace as soon as possible, after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The author examines the complex historical, cultural, and geographic factors behind the conflict and covers mechanisms for ceasefires, prisoner exchanges, and proposals for geographic, economic, and capital divisions.

Ngu’s scope of knowledge is impressive. When he sticks to facts and history, his prose is clean and clear. Additionally, the speculative analysis that concludes with an imagined “Final Battle” where Ukraine pulls together all resources — with civilians, troops, arms, drones, small boats and even cars joining to attack Russia — is dynamic. Although Russia could consider the nuclear option, Ngu believes it would back down and choose peace.

The author’s main problem is the inherent difficulty in nailing down an evolving set of world events. He started writing about a conflict that began in 2014 but had to revamp to address the conflict begun in 2022. Additionally, the author wrote this before all recent developments with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, confusion creeps in when Ngu breaks up text with maps that don’t seem to support the content, as well as when he flashes back to his personal story as a young Vietnamese “boat person” to give readers a bird’s-eye view of another war involving Communist countries.

Ngu’s use of oblique references to players in the conflict rather than their proper names — he calls Russian leader Vladimir Putin “The Kremlin Autocrat;” Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “The Defiant Ukrainian Head,” etc. —further hampers the narrative.

This is an exhaustive, detailed work that offers some interesting ideas. Unfortunately, the author’s structural choices create confusion, undermining the work as a whole.