Push Back

Kirkus Book Review
"Petrosini's (Ambition Cliff, 2011) second novel is a sprawling tale of politics and family, as the United States and China face off.
The story opens in a courtroom, introducing the plight of Andy Chang, who has been wrongly sentenced toprison for crimes against the Chinese government. But it’s his father, Xo “Benny” Chang, who is the center of the Chang family's portion of the book. The plot follows several different characters, the first of which is Benny, whose connection with factions within the Chinese government now puts him in a position to help his son—if he’s willing to face the consequences. The book’s action shifts between the perspectives of Benny (in order to help his family, Benny is compelled to share secret information with agents of China’s government and give them access to technology), Timothy Lee (an entrepreneur with ambitions of exposing corruption in the Chinese government; the information he uncovers is powerful leverage for the United States—if they can reach him before China does), Chairman Mak of the Communist Party (China takes advantage of a political upset in the White House to attempt to invade Taiwan) and Mary Bacchus (U.S. Secretary of State who becomes the president following a disaster). The premise is intriguing and those interested in Chinese and American politics may glean some new insight from Petrosini’s book."

Two men battle a brutal regime, one to free his son, the other for a larger goal.

An expansionist China turns aggressive when an earthquake strikes Los Angeles. Benny, a naturalized American citizen, is coerced by Chinese spies into joining their scheme. When the stakes turn deadly, Benny renounces his role in their machinations. In retaliation, they trump up smuggling charges and jail his son. Benny struggles for a solution, forced to choose between his son’s freedom and the death of thousands. Attending a funeral, he meets an old schoolmate, Timothy, a wealthy entrepreneur. The Chinese equivalent of Steve Jobs, Timothy is in the midst of hatching a dangerous plan to embarrass China’s leadership. The fallout from the entrepreneur’s plan catches the attention of Mary Bacchus, the first woman American President who must summon the nerve and deftness to deal with a catastrophe at home and China. The three juggle their dovetailing, high stakes predicaments.