1561. Tournament of Shadows by Andrew Watts and Dale M. Nelson

That China is trying to expand its sphere of influence is old news. How they are doing it may not be. In this book, China has been marketing software that will revolutionize how seaports handle incoming and outgoing ships and their cargo. Sounds fine until it’s learned that the software also peaks into how each country manages trade – cargo destinations, payments, transportations . . . effectively they can know each country’s trade infrastructure. And if they know all that, they can control worldwide trade entirely. It’s been installed in many countries, and more are signing on because, on the surface, it operates seamlessly with each country’s own managerial methods.

It's being installed in an Italian port, but some anti-globalists try to execute a plan that will force a significant delay by China. The US, not yet a customer, sends a team to watch over the installation quietly . . . until the shooting starts.

This band of terrorists is probably not effectively organized or funded to pull off their goals. Behind the scenes is a cabal of people whose goal is for more international independence than China would like to see.

To achieve China’s goals, they’ve had to incorporate AI into their products. But so have other countries and business organizations. In particular, Archon. On the surface, Archon uses AI for such projects as food and water distribution. Who wouldn’t like that? Behind the scenes, the CEO, Guy Hawkinson (nephew of a sitting US Senator who has an eye on the Oval Office) would like nothing better than to see the world thrown into chaos. And depending on how the major players get along, the possibility of WWIII is a possibility.

The good guys are that other cabal - Trinity. They fund and provide personnel to help the US and other players avoid the coming chaos. Then there is the litany of American and British 3-letter agencies trying to avoid any major conflict.

Want chaos? How about Folsom Dam outside of Sacramento going offline and opening all its doors? A rogue Russian was behind that, and the US knows it. Now to execute a proportionate response. Then the air traffic control system for east of the Mississippi goes out. That wasn’t the Russians. They don’t want to get blamed, so they too want to know who did it.

In all the investigations that follow, we are introduced to a plant with Hawk Technologies, a Chinese super spy, all the AI nerds within various arms of the US intelligence community.  

Lions and tigers and bears, OH MY indeed. The authors have a lot of plates spinning on sticks. As I went deeper and deeper into the book, I started to get the feeling that this storyline was an extension of any number of James Bond books where our hero has to face down the likes of criminal organizations like SMERSH and SPECTOR only this time it’s HawkTech/Archon vs. Trinity with the government agents filling in some gaps.

In another world, I might have thought the plot was just too outlandish and over the top and needed to be put down. But I charged on mostly because the book is so dang well written and plotted. But for me, quality writing doesn’t save the book (actually the 4^th is a series on technothrillers). It’s good and lots of folks will enjoy this. The authors have gotten this far so they have a valued audience. I just thought it was just a bit too intricate and overblown 

Available 20 June 2023. Thanks to NetGalley for making this advance reader copy available.

ECD

 

The War Planners by Andrew Watts

I think we are all aware that somewhere in the bowels of the Pentagon is an office whose sole responsibility is to plan out war scenarios that the US may encounter. Who will attack, how will they attack, how will the US respond, how many might be killed. What’s the potential outcome.

The CIA thinks it has uncovered a Chinese plot to attack the US. A gradual shift of leadership from more civilian leaders is giving way to former military as heads of nearly all departments. Some movements by a few of these new guard have instituted actions that have raised the eyebrows of CIA analysts. All signs point to something happening in the next 12-18 months. The decision is made to go outside the box and recruit a whole new cadre of experts from a multitude of fields, isolate them on a south Pacific island and let them try to figure out the most likely scenarios that the Chinese might put in play.

This group works out a complicated strategy that involves massive Chinese hacking, Wall Street manipulation, and distracting Washington and the American public with what looks like hostile action by Iran against American children.

The group leader of this CIA menagerie is lead by Lena Chou. A ruthless operative of Chinese descent. She has successfully cajoled or kidnapped the experts to work together to dream up the plan for attack and then how to defend such an attack. Most go along willingly. Others less so.

From what I’ve seen, this is part 1 of 2 currently out now, but I’ve seen that this series might end up being five in total. Found out about this from Facebook ads and got the eBook for free. The author is an Annapolis grad and former Naval officer and helicopter pilot. The book has the feel of being written by someone with considerable experience in the topic. If I had a question, it would be why did all these people blindly accept going on this planning mission? Seems like the Pentagon would already have them all contracted as consultants for just this purpose and many would already know each other. I had one other question, but it would reveal too much, so I’ll have to keep it to myself.

If I were the type to assign a star rating, I’d give it a 3.5 stars. Good, but not great. Good enough to venture into book #2, The War Stage.

East Coast Don