Rosone & Watson's (Battlefield Ukraine) sprawling, high-tech war thriller imagines a scenario where a bellicose China employs advanced artificial intelligence in an effort to dominate the world. This first volume of a larger series emphasizes exacting details of ocean and jungle combat, with point-of-view officers, soldiers, and bureaucrats around the world. The granular focus on individuals as part of larger military and diplomatic operations sheds light on how many and what kind of people it takes to both run a government and start a war. Rosone and Watson also give attention to the implications of data mining, biological warfare, and computer surveillance, set against the backdrop of countries vying for ultimate power.

There's no question that Rosone and Watson did their research, and their ability to create a gripping series of scenarios makes this story almost relentlessly fast-paced despite the book’s pronounced length. In their effort to give names and faces for all levels of operations, they include too many characters to keep track of without notes. The narrative proves most engaging when it slows down and concentrates on specific individuals like the Chinese programmer Ma "Daniel" Yong, who designed most of the supercomputer Jade Dragon. These human moments make the conflict feel meaningful and less like a wargame what-if/ exercise–Dan is complicated, unpredictable, arrogant, and vulnerable, though he gets swept aside in the novel’s second half.

Some characters never transcend cliché, but the authors’ goal is to give readers an understanding of the gritty and frequently exciting details of military strategy, as well as some of the human cost involved, all while exploring the ramifications of facing an opponent who can accurately predict its adversaries’ every move. Readers interested in speculative warfare fiction will appreciate the level of detail and thought given to individual missions, as well as the significant tension powering the narrative.

Takeaway: A sprawling and detailed World War III epic that focuses on digital and biological warfare–and a powerful A.I.

Great for fans of: Steven Konkoly’s Deep Sleep, Michael C. Grumley’s Breakthrough.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B+