A Kingdom Under Siege is an authoritative and comprehensive overview of Nepal's Maoist insurgency. It describes how the state's neglect of many of its people combined with political instability and the growth of radical left politics in the Maoist heartlands of mid-western Nepal led to a build up to the tensions that were unleashed in February 1996. The insurgency quickly grew and gained favour with many of Nepal's poor and disadvantaged people as the rebels held out the promise of a more just and equitable society. the government's failure to tackle the caused of the rebellion and to engage the Maoists' agenda had led to more than 10,000 deaths and widespread destruction of infrastructure. 
The conflict has shaken Nepal's political, social and economic structures to the core. The authors conclude that the only way to bring about a lasting peace and prevent more insurgencies from rising up in the future is to build a state that attends to the interests of all of Nepal's diverse social groups.