Rules of Engagement

The WMD Files #3

by David Bruns

A terrorist breach of the computer systems of the three most powerful navies is about to set them on a collision course for World War III.

Rafiq Roshed is one of the most wanted men in the world. A terrorist with a virulent grudge against the West, he’s disappeared into North Korea where he quietly launches cyber sneak attacks in service of Kim Jong-un. But now he’s about to unleash his virtual masterpiece—a computer virus that, once inserted into the command systems of a military, not only takes over, but also learns the art of war. First penetrating the Chinese, he has their war machine launch a series of attacks on the U.S. Pacific forces.

Don Riley, head of U.S. Cyber Command, discovers that not only have the Chinese lost control of their military, but the same virus has infected the American network. It’s only a matter of time before the U.S. loses control of its own military. His secret weapon in this war is a trio of supremely talented midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy, who uncover the infiltration, and are working to track down the elusive terrorist.

But time is running out. China and Japan have lost control of their military and the U.S. is in danger of doing the same. The weapons are hot and the result is an ever-larger real-world conflict where casualties continue to mount. The only remaining hope is to find and stop the attack at its source—before time runs out.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Military Fiction, Mystery, Espionage, Mystery Thriller

384 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 2019

About the author

David Bruns (www.davidbruns.com) has served as an officer on a US Navy nuclear-powered submarine and traveled the world as a high-tech corporate itinerant. Today, he writes futuristic speculative fiction, contemporary thrillers, and everything in between.

He is the creator of the sci-fi/fantasy series, The Dream Guild Chronicles, the military sci-fi thriller Invincible, and co-author of The SynCorp Saga corporate sci-fi series. A graduate of the prestigious Clarion West Writer’s Workshop, his short fiction has appeared in more than two dozen spec fic venues, such as Compelling SciFi and Future Chronicles.

In his spare time, he co-writes national security thrillers with retired naval intelligence officer, JR Olson. Their next book, Rules of Engagement, will be released by St. Martin’s Press in June 2019.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Tom Clancy you’ll definitely enjoy this cyberwarfare thriller. The authors are both former naval officers and their firsthand knowledge of the inner workings of international politics & armed forces shows in Rules of Engagement. This is what I call a ‘potato chip book’, you can’t just read one chapter. It’s super fast paced with lots of action and takes place all over the world. While this was my first novel by both of these authors, it won’t be my last. I won this is a goodreads giveaway.

[Ryan Steck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Former Naval Officers David Bruns and J.R. Olson deliver a fast and furious tale of cyberwarfare that pits the United States up against an unknown enemy that threatens to bring America’s military to her knees.

Rafiq Roshed, a shadowy terrorist with an ax to grind, has set his sights on the greatest nation in the world. Already, Rafiq, a hacker extraordinaire, has pulled off a number of impressive attacks on America’s power grid, affecting most of the east coast. Now, hiding out on a remote island near North Korea, Rafiq is working for Kim Jung Un, before connecting with a Russian crime syndicate known as Bratva. His first order of business is to hack into the military networks for the United States, along with China and Japan, and infect them with his most genius creation yet—a super virus designed to turn their respective forces against each other.

As all hell breaks loose, the entire planet is suddenly on the brink of WWIII. China and Japan have already lost control of their military, and with the clock rapidly winding down, three midshipmen from the Naval Academy are tasked with stopping the virus at all costs before it’s too late. Failure means an all-out war, but in order to find success, they must first find the most elusive and wanted terrorist in the world . . .

Bruns and Olson clearly know their stuff, bringing a genuine layer of authenticity to the story, and while their first book together will no doubt draw comparisons to the early days of Tom Clancy, they actually have their own unique style that offers a much quicker pace to the story.

Also, whereas . . .

Continue reading this review here: https://therealbookspy.com/2019/06/03...

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a thrill ride. It's a cyberwarfare thriller. It pits the US Navy against a rogue Iranian super-hacker who is working for the North Koreans. Not to give it all away but: it involves Russian oligarchs, a greedy and shady North Korean higher up, the Supreme leader Kim Jung Un, three USNA midshipmen, CIA, American warships, SEALS, true American Patriots, a Naval Officer who gets shanghaied into planting a computer virus... and lots of action.

The novel is a quick reading with short, punchy chapters that draw you into the next chapter and the next and the next. You've read novels like this right? You start reading at 7 pm and all of a sudden you look at the clock and it's past midnight. This is one of those novels. You keep wanting to know... what happens next!

The authors are former Naval Officers (as I am) and they get all the details correct. If you're thinking Tom Clancy you are in the right ballpark. It reminded me most of Clancy's first few novels. Very well plotted out without the excess verbiage. It captures Navy life and the men and women who serve the country pretty well.

* (I received this as an advance copy for review)

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

St. Martin's Press, sent me an advance reader's edition of this book. Tom Clancy's posthumous ghost writer, Mark Greaney said it compares with the best of Tom Clancy. I would agree. It hooks you by the second page. It has short, engulfing chapters that bounce between the different theaters of action, so it's easy to read for a bit and put down and pick right back up. And like a Tom Clancy, it had a word I had to look up which doesn't happen very often to me. I learned some things from this book, in regards to computers and programming and hacking. Love that good 'ole (or in this case, classmen from the Naval Academy) American ingenuity prevails! #stmartinspress

[Ross Sidor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise. All new thrillers are invariably compared to Clancy, but in this case the comparison is very apt. The authors spin a large scale, complex geo-political scenario heavy on naval and cyber warfare, with a cast of a couple dozen characters from around the globe. There's the usual spies, SEALs, navy captains, fighter pilots, and cabinet officials, but by far the stand-out characters are the Naval Academy midshipmen who are brought into the US Cyber Command and the world of covert intelligence programs. And then there is the antagonist, a freelance/independent terrorist working for North Korea and who is one of the most truly memorable villains in recent thrillers.

The authors' next book, "The Pandora Deception," is now of one of the books I'm looking forward to most for next year. Fortunately, they also have two earlier self-published novels featuring some of the same characters that I can read in the meantime.

[Kashif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rules of Engagement is a pulse-pounding and spectacular thriller that feels greatly inspired by the Tom Clancy novels. The scale of action when it comes to Naval warfare, with vivid and naturally flowing depictions of battle sequences of warring ships and submarines, is on a league of its own. Throw in well-established characters, high stakes, an intriguing plot, and elements of cyberterrorism to the mix and you have yourself a thriller worthy of high praise.

Rules of Engagement starts off by establishing an array of diverse characters, both protagonists and antagonists, with a rich but streamlined background which stays in tune with the fast paced of the thriller, while still allowing readers to invest themselves into the characters and the unique motivations behind each and every character in the book. After this foundation, the plot quickly takes off, with the threat of a cyberattack on an immense scale that can bring about World War 3 by triggering attacks and chaos between Chinese and American and Japanese forces at sea. With a race-against-time for the good guys to discover what is truly happening before a full-blown escalation occurs, this narrative leaves no time to get out of the reading chair. The wide spate of well written characters and branches of the plot that all converge together seamlessly to form one great story feels highly reminiscent of Tom Clancy’s thrillers. The action takes place in all theaters of combat; land, sea, and air. The technical accuracy in all aspects is another plus for the book. Each chapter invites a new hook to keep readers flipping through the pages until none are left.

The narrative is augmented by authentic-feeling descriptions of Naval warfare. With the naval expertise of both authors, the mood at sea for sailors operating in hostile conditions in tight spaces is shown so naturally, it feels like non-fiction more than fiction. The descriptions of weaponry onboard the naval vessels, and the use of the weapons in combat at sea, is praiseworthy for the high stakes and adrenaline pumping sequences with no guarantee of safety for any characters in the conflict. The inclusion of real-life personalities and events in the narrative adds another layer of authenticity to the narrative.

Another great aspect of this thriller is the natural flow of story and dialogues between characters. The story flows well without rushing to any conclusions, and the banters and conversations among the characters feel authentic and realistic. This makes for a compelling read where even the dialogues captivate the readers and the story is driven by characters as well, rather than simply following passive plot. The emotional aspects to drive the story when needed, are also handled with delicacy to not feel overly dramatic in contrast to the fast-paced nature of the book, but still retain the urgency of emotions to bring about the conclusions where applicable.

All in all, Rules of Engagement is a book that hooks you in from the get-go and keeps you strapped in, with fantastic naval combat, exciting events and turns, and great characters to emotionally invest in. I highly recommend this book. This is a book that must not be missed out on. Even though this is the third book in the WMD series, I did not feel the need to read the previous books to enjoy this fantastic thriller. It stands up extremely well on its own.

[Justin Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big Tom Clancy fan, and while I haven’t read his entire collection of work, I’ve read enough to know it’s fast-paced, intricate, and heavy on military jargon. If all those things appeal to you, Clancy, fast-paced action, intricate plot, and military jargon, this is the book for you.

The book follows a series of characters but the basic premise is this: a North Korean defector makes contact with the “Russian Brotherhood” to cause cyber mayhem, the only stipulations being no war. Pak, the defector, enrolls the help of the most wanted terrorist in the world who helped bring down the entire east coast power system. The mission is simple: infect the Chinese and Japanese military with a cyber virus to create mass chaos. The book traces all the players in this conflict as well as some unsung heroes: several midshipmen from the Naval Academy who demonstrate incredible prowess in the cyber world. When the action comes to a head, world leaders are thrown onto the brink of WWIII as they desperately try to stop the virus that has cascaded the major military powers of the world onto each other.

For the most part, this is a well-written book. Clancy never delved deep into the cyber aspect of war. As this component is becoming more and more prominent on the world stage, the authors do justice to this forgotten sector. This is tied with more conventional warfare sections, where everything from aircraft carrier, helicopters, SEAL’s, and submarine’s are involved. There are even some elements of hand-to-hand combat that break up the monotony of sitting behind a desk examining code. In this regard, the book reads very well as part-war part-spy thriller that you can’t put down.

If I had one critique it would be the presence of the Navy. The authors are both Naval Academy graduates and prior-Navy service members. While I appreciate this, the story had everything to do with the Navy and nothing to do with the Army, Air Force, and Marines. If such a conflict happened in our modern world, no doubt there would be other players involves.

Minus this, the authors have written a superb book. 5/5

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure I received an ARC of this book for an honest review from St Martin’s Press. That out of the way, I throughly enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and the premise seemed realistic.

A wanted terrorist and hacker has asylum in North Korea. The North Korean government is using his skills to cause chaos throughout the world including the United States. He is tasked with finding a way to escalate tensions in the Asian theater to help an arms dealer sell more weapons. The terrorist’s plan is to start World War III by hacking multiple nation’s military systems.

A lot of the pre-release marketing said it was like a Tom Clancy novel when Clancy was in his prime. I was very skeptical as I am a huge Clancy fan. I must admit that this novel reminded me a lot of Mr. Clancy’s earlier novels. Specifically it reminded me some of Red Storm Rising which was one of Clancy’s early stand alone novels about a World War III scenario. This one had a lot more technology in it, but it also is set about 30 years later than Red Storm Rising. It had complexity and a large cast of character not usually seen. They even provided an excellent guide to all the characters in the front of the book as a nice reference guide you could turn back to later if needed. Overall the comparisons to Mr. Clancy are warranted.

As I mentioned at the start this was page turner that I didn’t want to set down. I felt the main characters were well developed, and the hero’s were very likable. The technology was explained in a why that was understandable. Thus kept you from getting lost and bogged down in the details.

If you like military thrillers or just a well written story, I suggest you pick this up when it hits book stores in June. I look forward to reading more from these authors. Overall an easy five star rating.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors acknowledge that their work has often been compared to early Tom Clancy. Certainly the emphasis on technology for the purpose of national defense makes this an easy comparison, however the focus on network hacking made this book especially timely and takes it out of the realm of “early” anything. My knowledge of cyber security is just beyond beginner so there were some elements that I skimmed, but in general the possibility of a rogue terrorist taking over the defense systems of multiple targets for the purpose of creating worldwide chaos seems frighteningly real. The scenes in which the hacker launched weapons of one nation against another to heighten world tensions was heart stopping in their detail and implications.
Making the heroes a team of undergraduate Naval Academy computer savants was a stroke of genius. The reader is rooting for them from the very beginning and the fact that their commanding officers quickly recognize their talents meant we didn’t have to waste much time fuming at the idiocy of those in charge.
Alternating chapters enable the reader to switch from first viewing the drama from the perspective of the Arab terrorist and the North Korean government agents bankrolling him and then to the team of midshipmen. The motivations of the players on both sides are gradually revealed and adds to the buy-in of the reader.
I may not have understood every step of the process in which the global security systems were attacked and defended, but the writing was clear enough to make the whole exercise exciting and ultimately satisfying.

[Jolene Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first David Bruns book, and I found it fascinating and timely. The plot was modern and in step with today’s political currants. Rafiq Roshed is American’s number one enemy, intelligent and lethal. Roshed vanishes behind the North Korean borders from where he begins to operate his evil cyber offense against the U.S. The elusive computer whiz has developed a computer virus, a masterpiece which if not stopped on time will throw the world in a new World War III, with an end of the world scenario.

Testing his virus capabilities, Roshed deploys it against the Chinese military that loses control of their war machine by launching remotely a number of offenses against the U.S. The Head of the U.S. Cyber Command, Don Riley, discovers that the virus had infected the U.S. military system.

Time is of the essence to neutralize the virus and stop Roshed from advancing further with his plan. Rules of Engagement came on June 25 and is an extraordinary journey of what present-day military faces in combat. It's petrifying to think a computer malfunction can be to blame for destroying the world. Bruns has done a fine job of balancing fiction and reality, and I find his work to be phenomenal.

[Lynn Hallbrooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the heart of it all, are computers and technology.

Upfront information: This is part of the authors' Weapons of Mass Deception aka WMD series. While I normally recommend reading a series in order, this book could stand on its own. There is violence, adult language, and subtle mentions of things of an intimate nature. Definitely PG-13 or higher rating.

Three Naval Academy Midshipmen are part of a new program. Their special skill set: in-depth computer programming. The trio work, as interns, behind the scenes with US Intelligence agencies to thwart cyber-attacks. Will they prove their worth when a real-life threat to their country is discovered?

I really enjoyed how the authors interwove the actions of the Midshipmen among all the other events going on in the book. Their mentor was wonderful about standing up for their capabilities despite some other people's doubt about their young age.

[Heath Henwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rules of Engagement
by David Bruns and J. R. Olson

5 stars

A thrilling read from the first page to the last.

A Well-crafted story, that builds characters and plot. It is an easy read that flows well.

China and Japan have lost control of their military and the U.S. is in danger of doing the same. It is reliant on the U.S. Cyber Command, discovers to fight back and stop an elusive terrorist.

This title has been reviewed by www.Books-Reviewed.weebly.com This title was provided by Netgalley and the publisher in return for an open and honest review.

[Craig Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors themselves acknowledge that their writing style is reminiscent of early Tom Clancy work, and I couldn't agree more. The action flows smoothly and the characters are believable. The villain is very dangerous but is human enough to make mistakes. The midshipmen are probably being groomed for follow on stories which is perfectly fine. They deserve more time in print. The techno jargon is explained just enough to be believable but to so to lose the reader. Well worth the read!

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is excellent -- Fast paced, interesting and creative plot, plus well written characters (including important female characters, which is still pretty unusual in this kind of novel). This is a very talented writing duo, and I look forward to more! Recommended.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!

[Barbara Huskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very intense, thrilling and a wild ride. It had enough military speak to give it authenticity, but not overwhelming for me as a civilian. The pacing was perfect, the action well done and I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers. It was compared to a Tom Clancy novel and I would agree, only truthfully I liked it even better.

[John Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. I would have given it 4.5 stars if I could have. Loved learning about our military combating cyber security. Great book. I would recommend it. Can’t wait for the next one.

[John Stanifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to think Tom Clancy would be proud. I read an article by one of the authors recently where he reminisced on hearing Tom Clancy speak during the early days of Clancy's career when The Hunt for Red October had yet to really hit the peak of its popularity.

Now Bruns and Olson, both Navy men, are doing their best to continue the genre that Clancy jump-started back in the '80s.

I think they do a great job. I'm not going to say this was absolutely perfect (more on that in a sec), but this story really fascinated on a number of levels.

First, I was intrigued by the concept of a terrorist hiding out in North Korea launching cyberattacks on China, Japan, and the U.S. Enough of the technical jargon is explained in down-to-earth language that you don't really need to understand it all to get the gist. The point is, this felt really believable.

Basically, the terrorist and his cronies upload a computer virus that allows them to take over the world's military networks (to a certain extent) and make the major powers start firing on each other, with the intent to start a war (this is all in the plot description, so it's not really spoiler territory).

I found the whole concept riveting. It made me want to read up on cyber security and cyber warfare. That's exactly the sort of effect Clancy's work had on its early readers, so I'd say these guys are on the right track.

Now to the few negatives. There were a few scenes scattered throughout where characters (mostly men) are engaged in . . . lustful thoughts and/or activities. It felt a bit cartoonish (and I'm not saying I'm afraid of adult content per se, it's just that some passages made me want to laugh or roll my eyes). And that Russian gangster at the end . . . eww.

Of course, readers of Clancy's work know his books had content like that, too. So if you don't think you'll be bothered by that, have at it.

I like that the main heroes are "baby officers" still in the naval academy. Goodwin, in particular, has a moving backstory. And the ending was a bit more sobering than I expected, but very well done.

Did I mention I'd love to see the Nimitz Library in person?!

Recommended for those who like military thrillers with scary scenarios that could conceivably happen in real life. The chapters are short, most of them 4-5 pages (unlike Clancy, whose prose tended to be more expansive) and the language easy enough to digest.

[Kate Merolla · Rating 2 out of 5]

David Bruns and J. R. Olson’s co-authored military thriller, Rules of Engagement, has its pulse on real-life global tensions and fears about cyber warfare.

What I liked about the book:
-Its timely commentary on cyber warfare and the innovations and perils of technology
-Its, overall, fast pace - its fast-moving chapters

What I didn’t like so much about the book:
-Its weak characterization... For example, choosing to begin the novel with what is essentially a multi-page cast list implies, in and of itself, that characters will not be finely drawn, will not be well-developed.
-Overgeneralization and/or binary thinking... Some of the book’s messages seem pretty surface-level and as a result don’t necessarily do right by cultural groups or, you know, women, as the case may be.

I want to reiterate that I definitely appreciated elements of Rules of Engagement. But I was hoping to like it more than I ultimately did.

Thank you to Bruns and Olson, St. Martin’s Press, and Goodreads Giveaways for my advance readers’ addition.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminiscent of James Clavell's "Whirlwind", "Rules of Engagement" sets up numerous story lines that all culminate in an explosive ending. A truly terrifying premise sets the action in motion, and it doesn't stop until the pulse pounding conclusion. Fascinating characters (and I'm thrilled to see so many strong women written in a military thriller!!!), numerous twists and turns, and nail biting cliffhangers all wend there way through a cyber-attack that is/could be all too real! I'm hoping, based on how this ended, that this novel could lead to a series!!!!

[Barry Filter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I enjoyed a military story as much as I enjoyed this one.
It was almost like discovering Clancy or Vince Flynn again.
Brilliant book, great story line and believable characters.

Highly recommended and can't wait for the next book.

[Ryo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for free in a Goodreads giveaway.

I don't usually read military fiction, and this book didn't convince me that I should change that. There are too many characters, and they seem incredibly underdeveloped, with only a couple of them getting even the tiniest bit of development. The character development was so minimal that their deaths just made no impact, because I didn't get to know them beforehand. The fact that there needs to be a list of characters near the beginning of the book is telling. The plot does move along at a brisk pace, as you might expect from a thriller about a potential global war situation, but the situation where academy students help avert an international disaster seemed incredibly forced and far-fetched, no matter how brilliant they may be.

[Chris Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, good storyline, characters, will def read more of Bruns and Olson!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book certanly drew me and kept me turning the pages. However, there were a ton of characters and locations and that was hard to follow. There was also a part where NCIS is involved and it felt like there was not enough context for that. Those things took away from the story for me. I did love the 3 midshipman and their involvement. I sense they may return in another book.
3.5 stars rounded up for goodreads.
I was given a Netgalley copy of the book in return for a unbiased review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

The scenarios laid out by David Bruns and J. R. Olson hit a little too close to home! This thrill a minute action suspense novel has the North Koreans hacking the computer systems of the US, Chinese, and Japanese armed services. The Russians rear their ugly heads as well. That was enough to start me reading and the non-stop action kept me entertained. Are some of the scenarios far fetched? Well, as fast as technology changes, you never know! I am willing to suspend my beliefs and enjoy. If I have on criticism, it's the amount of jargon and acronyms used, which confused me at times. The characters are three dimensional, the dialogue is crisp and the pacing is fast. Very entertaining.I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

[Shelle Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

ROE is a thrilling ride into what-if scenarios that are playing out in today’s high tech world. A cyberterrorist has been tasked with the job of muddying up the waters, so to speak, in order to encourage the sale of weapons. As scary as the prospect of government-sanctioned agents being able to easily carry out that kind action against the world’s most powerful and technical governments, even scarier is the idea that their go-to guy for that sort of work might go rogue.

When authors compare themselves to Tom Clancy, they had better deliver! I think these authors just might have managed that. I picked up a Tom Clancy novel while I was in the hospital. Not my usual genre to read, it was all the gift shop had left. It sucked me right into a decades-long enthusiasm for his work and spycraft in particular.

He was able to create a multitude of relatable characters who engendered emotional investment from the start, for good or evil purpose. He could wrangle multiple storylines that wove an astonishing butterfly effect on the outcome of the story as deftly as a baker braids strands of bread. His technical excellence was enough to both terrify and enthrall John Q. Reader.

Yes, I do believe That Bruns and Olsen have managed to tick all the boxes, and why not, with their background, they are the real-life people that Clancy spent so much effort researching and writing about in his books.

The story itself is a roller coaster ride as it switches back on itself to each of the major players. It offers a glimpse into the world we have created for safety and convenience that can so easily be used against us. The portrayal of naval combat and the BTS look at counter cyberterrorism are riveting. I am certainly looking forward to more stories including Riley and the Midshipmen. Rules of Engagement could be the start of beautiful new enthusiasm.

This book is set for release on June 25

I received a copy of this book for the purposes of an honest review.

[Jud Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world is a cauldron, ready to boil over at any moment. North Korea is testing missiles that could possibly reach the continental U.S., Putin wants to rebuild the USSR and China wants to expand its territory in the South China Sea. To fight all this, the American military has developed a communications network that can operate independently of the orbiting satellite network. There’s just one problem: unknown to them, the network has been hacked by a long-sought terrorist working for Kim Jong-un. Tensions between China and America rise when China appears to launch an unprovoked attack on U.S. Naval ships and faces an in-kind response. The only hope to stop a full-fledged war is with three Naval Academy Midshipmen. The question is, can they act in time?

Rules of Engagement by David Bruns and J. R. Olson is a well-written, ripped-from-the-headlines novel. While some of the technology in the novel is still in the future, much of what the author refers to is quite real. Bruns and Olson both have a wealth of real-world naval experience from which to draw inspiration, having both been officers for a number of years. Their writing style will appeal to fans of Clancy and Bond. I absolutely loved this novel and give it 4/5 stars.

*A copy of the ebook was the only compensation received in exchange for this review. *

[Brian Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Tom Clancy, grab this book. A good read about a North Korean hacker set on unleashing World War 3. Only the US is able to stop him and his master plan. It comes down to some young navy midshipmen who are masters at unraveling the hackers plans. I look forward to reading more from these authors. This feels like something that could happen as we rely of technology for all aspects of life.
Thank you Netgalley, David Bruns; J. R. Olson and St. Martin's Press for the ARC for my honest review.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got my hands on an advanced copy so pushed this to the top of my to-read list. I am not sad I did so. Really easy, fast, enjoyable read. As the the marketing blurbs proclaim... this storytelling does have some Tom Clancy in it. But I really, really love the short chapters. 3-4 pages and on to the next scene or next set of characters. Bruns and Olson use this method to perfection to build up the plot and then escalate the action.

Having spent much of my career in software development, it was also neat to see these authors place coding and code breaking at the heart of what could be WWIII. Also liked the current events... with the Supreme Leader in N. Korea and Trump playing bit roles. Nice to read a thriller of this sort without the Arab terrorist as a central bad guy. I grew a little tired of the Navy midshipmen trio and the actual details of the code-breaking were a bit unrealistic... or this would have been a solid 5 star read. But highly recommend as a high 4 star. I will go find more novels from this duo.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the exact spirit of Tom Clancy, and now Mark Greaney, two former Annapolis grads—one a former fast-attack submariner and the other a naval intel officer—deliver a masterpiece page turner with twists and drama other writers have not yet touched upon. A rogue nK-contracted foreigner enlists the help of top cyber specialists to unleash a “trainanable” program into the Chinese, Japanese and US command and control networks that might otherwise foil the best Cyber Command specialists. As happenstance, a trio of Annapolis midshipmen on a summer growth experience—budding cyber team experts themselves—prove their worth early in their roles such that they become invaluable to the NSA and Cyber Command, and by extension the US government—n figuring out the origins of the deadly program and those behind it, saving the world in dramatic fashion. A 318 page turner I couldn’t put down and read inside of a day! Releases to the public two months from today! Read it!! #stmartinspress

[John Mosman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a advanced readers edition of of this book. I found the story itself fascinating concerning the technology that runs China, Japan and US defense forces. A rouge operator backed by the North Koreans creates software that is designed to start WWIII. The story jumps from place to place and character to character very quickly (66 chapters). Some of the situations are easy terror plot scenarios, other than the main characters, other characters are rather shallow and the story jumps quickly from place to place. This might have been better in a three part series flushing things out further. However, I am giving this book a 4 because it was a fun, easy read. Beach book for sure! I hope there are more with the few main characters in the future.