The Benevolent Deception

Simon Ashcroft #1

by Aiden Bailey

THE THREAT IS REAL. THE STRIKE IS IMMINENT. THE ENEMY IS UNKNOWN…

Striking from the shadows, cyberterrorists unleash the ultimate digital weapon. Known as ‘Shatterhand’, this insidious program seizes control of the world’s militaries, manipulates the media… and even impersonates the President of the United States. And former intelligence officer Simon Ashcroft may be the only man aware of the sudden global threat…

Ashcroft’s investigation leads to Casey Irvine, an innocent tourist on safari in Kenya. The sinister Shatterhand program has targeted Casey for assassination. And the terrified woman has no idea why she is marked for death…

Battling deadly terrorists, corrupt police, and even military forces, Ashcroft and Casey struggle to uncover the vast conspiracy. Can they survive long enough to expose the true enemy behind the Shatterhand Code?

Genres: Thriller, Action

390 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 14, 2016

About the author

Aiden Bailey is an international bestselling thriller author from Australia. Formerly an engineer, he built a career marketing multi-national technology, engineering, and construction companies. His various roles have included corporate communications with the Australian Submarine Corporation, technical writing for several defence contractors, engineering on an outback petroleum pipeline, a magazine editor and art director, and engineering proposal writer for the Royal Australian Air Force’s surveillance and intelligence gathering aircraft and drone enabling works. Aiden has travelled widely in six continents and his experiences are the basis of many of his stories.

Reviews

[Kathi Defranc · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Amazing Espionage Adventure

What an outstanding read....The action, adventure and brilliant characters find themselves in so many twisting storylines..Never a dull moment as we go through the story with Simon, tasked with saving a young lady in Africa, Connor, a journalist seeking a breaking story, and Peri, a member of the Secret Service, who finds herself in a hospital with malaria when Air Force One is shot down! All these incidents are happening simultaneously, the author dragging us from one then to the next..
An absolutely marvelous thriller, one I am so entertained by and can't wait to read the next! I was unable to put this story down, until the end, and then I said' Oh NO, you can not end it here!'
A very enjoyable adventure , so I must now haunt the author for the next!!!

[Meenaz Lodhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Bailey has surely surpassed himself here! An astounding thriller, with intrigue and sci fy elements makes it an amazing fast paced read.
The different plots of different characters and how they begin to merge as a whole, intertwine bit by bit, had me glued to the book! I can't wait to read the next instalment!

[Ross Sidor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-plotted and expertly crafted political action thriller deserving of all the praise it has received. It's full of typical genre elements like spies, terrorists, mercenaries, and conspiracies, but with the addition of a unique and light sci-fi twist with the inclusion of highly advanced artificial intelligence systems with very different objectives. With the level of real world detail and research concerning the locations, weapons, technology, and politics involved, however, the reader will find the book requires minimal suspension of disbelief. There is a lot of mystery to the plot, which slowly reveals itself and continues into the second volume, but it feels like a big budget, high concept movie, and the author clearly had a very particular vision in mind when he set about writing this story. Also unique to the genre is our primary protagonist, a former Australian spy turned private contractor who starts out on a routine security assignment in Africa. The other characters are equally compelling, and Aiden L. Bailey is a master of pacing. This is a long book, but it flows quickly with taut prose that doesn't waste any words, and by the time you reach the end, you will be ready to go straight to the next book.

[Kashif · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Benevolent Deception, despite illuminating with high praises, still caught me off guard with its scary-realistic narrative. The characters are grounded with characteristics and flaws that are very easy to relate to, which makes it natural to root for the characters. Mr. Bailey weaves a brilliant story spanning across continents but linked together effectively. I personally enjoyed the concept of Artificial Intelligence as employed by Mr. Bailey. The chain of events set in motion from the first page itself are thrilling and send chills down the reader's bones with the stunning but dangerous ramifications of not one, but TWO Artificial Intelligence programs hell-bent on their opposing missions. The action in the book is fueled with great character development and technical and weapon realism that keep the reader hooked. The twists and turns are absolutely mind boggling, leaving the reader desperate to find out more. While the book spans over 500 pages, it never feels too overwhelming. Rather, the book ends on a Bourne movie-esque cliffhanger-ish note that has me waiting impatiently for the next book in the series. From technical details to characters' emotions, this book manages to accommodate all the makings necessary for a cyberthriller with plenty of action to keep the readers on the edge of their seats. A MUST READ!

[Todd Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Brilliant. I love finding a new Author that can truly capture my attention, and entertain me like Aiden Bailey has done with this amazing book. The story really does move along at a good pace, with plenty of things happening throughout. I especially like the way the Author has structured this book with different characters and events, happening in different parts of the world. Journalist Connor Raferty thought he was going to write the scoop of a life time when he arrived in the Amazon to interview the leader of the FARC. He certainly didn’t expect them to kill his driver, and then for the American Rangers to turn up not long after. He hadn’t heard that America had declared war on the drug cartels, and were going to systematically destroy drug labs around the world. Peri Keser couldn’t believe her ears when she heard Air Force One had been shot down. She had to drag herself out of the hospital bed, barely able to stand from malaria, to get a ride out to the crash site to verify that the President was in fact dead. Nothing is making sense though with reports of the President currently being alive and well in Berlin. Peri needs to stay under the radar while she is investigating, and not end up dead like those around her. If you enjoy Action Thrillers, then you will love this book. It really is that good.

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A GODS EYE VIEW.

"In God We Trust. All others we monitor". - Unofficial creed of the American NSA.

"“We worried for decades about WMDs – Weapons of Mass Destruction. Now it is time to worry about a new kind of WMDs – Weapons of Mass Disruption.”
― John Mariotti

" Amazing. We've managed to perfect the apple--a genetically modified version that never goes brown. And yet, we still haven't upgraded human beings. The human race has stalled out, Harold. And from what I've seen, most of it is rotten to the core."- Samantha Groves.

Computers. They've come along way from the days when they took up entire rooms in university laboratories. Out with the floppy disks and in with the one terabyte hard drives. Gone are the pocket calculators and in are the smartphones and tablet computers. Unlike political systems however which claim to be perfect and absolute upon their ascendance, computer technology hasn't reached its own "end of civilization" moment where there are no more worlds left to conquer. Because in this decade, multiple companies and countries have begun exploring the final frontier, artificial intelligence. Most people when they think of artificial intelligence don't really grasp its implications. But once perfected, AI will radically change the world. Whether it be processing surveillance data faster than the PRISIM project could ever hope to perform or managing the logistics to pre - empt a continental wide famine, having a computer that is just as smart as a human, if not more so, is not a question of how, but when. As of now, only Google, Facebook and the People's Republic Of China have given the question serious thought.

The implications of AI are the focus on The Benevolent Deception by Adrian L. Bailey. Bailey is an indie published writer who hails from Australia. He has significant experience in engineering and as such has a great appreciation for technology. As such, his first novel, a conspiracy/geopolitical thriller with a slight science fiction injection, focuses on a scenario where a world changing piece of technology gets perfected, and the repercussions that would follow if it were not used correctly. Many men and women have sought to change the world, but have never really succeeded. So now to the review. What would happen if changing the world became computerized?

The novel begins in the Niger River State of southern Nigeria. A group of mercenaries protecting one of the vital oil pipelines is attacked by southern separatists. Dodging molotov cocktails, we are introduced to the protagonist, Simon Ashcroft, a former intelligence officer turned private military contractor. He kills several of the men attacking him and his subordinates and subdues some survivors. Across the world on another continent, a USSS agent by the name of Peri Keser watches in horror as Air Force One is reported shot down over Southern Afghanistan. She is then witness to a strange occurrence in Bagram airbase with the power going out. A few minutes later, the power reboots and to the surprise of her and the Bagram commanders, their radar shows Air Force One still in the air, en - route to Berlin. Shortly after this shocking discovery, Peri goes to the crash site of "Air Force One", and after confirming her boss is dead, sees a broadcast from Air Force. The broadcast is live and shows the POTUS unhurt and delivering a speech. The speech is of his new policy proposal to destroy all non - state actors that threaten the USA, from the Middle East to South America. We then cut to Columbia where a journalist who is about to be shot by FARC suddenly is rescued by a large unit of US ARMY RANGERS. Suddenly finding himself going along with them to a drug factory raid in the Minaflores region, he is then nearly killed when a predator drone opens fire on the Rangers it's supposed to be protecting. All these plot threads come together in a rapid fire barrage of intriguing plot twists and chilling violence where soon, only one question remains. When the whole world is about to be changed permanently, how many bodies will the new world order be built on?

In terms of plot, the Benevolent Deception is a gem. What Mr Bailey has done is part of a recent trend in spy/military fiction, namely to mix it with elements of other genres. In this case, Mr Bailey takes a plot that for all intents and purposes is a conventional geopolitical epic, and throws a big, computerized curveball into the mix in the form of a mysterious campaign of cyberwarfare and information manipulation. This gives Bailey's first thriller an atmosphere that unsettles, with the echo of a cyber Lovecraft or electronic Alice In Wonderland. The story harks back to the grand tradition of the old speculative fiction novels that were the forerunner to contemporary technothrillers. The author took a contemporary backdrop and cleverly distorted it in dynamic and interesting ways, freeing himself from the shackles that can hold back most 21st century thriller fiction. Instead of just merely being run and gun, Bailey successfully makes the reader think, about the pitfalls of the modern, tech heavy world that has sprung up around us.

Action and setting? Despite not having a military background, Bailey knows how to craft scenes of fast paced, thrilling violence. He has also traveled across the world in his pre - writing days and thus has the knowledge to accurately recreate the settings his characters find themselves in. He even manages to get the little details right, from the hyenas and environment of Kenya to the sands of the NSA facility in Nevada. From the violent opening in Nigeria to a brutal manhunt through the Kenyan jungles, a run through a rain of bullets on the grounds of the NSA data farm and a explosive, stunning finale on the east coast of India, The Benevolent Deception goes above and beyond the normal level of action in most thrillers, with enough mayhem for several good sized blockbuster films.

Research? The Benevolent Deception has an outstanding level of technical detail. The author has pulled out all the stops in this book and done his homework on everything, from modern cyberwarfare and the behavior of proper artificial intelligence, to the equipment of military units and the lovingly detailed settings. He joins a select group of indie thriller writers who ensure the technical details in their work are airtight. A major standout in the novel is his portrayal of media framing and information warfare. A primary plot element, the opposition use the distortion of information to shape a particular narrative they wish the world to follow and put targets on the backs of people they wish to be killed. In this year, with all the fuss about fake news leading to events such as Comet Ping Pong shooting incident in Washington DC, the book's look at what happens when the true power of information warfare and propaganda is unleashed is somewhat chilling.

Now to the characters. For brevity's sake, I'll focus on three. Simon Ashcroft, Casey Irvine and the American President. First Ashcroft. A former ASIS officer turned soldier of fortune, Ashcroft is introduced working for a PMC in the Niger Delta, a region which is home to one of Nigeria's feared separatist groups. Initially pulled into a situation where he's playing fireman for his boss, doing a final last minute job before some R&R, Ashcroft soon finds himself attempting to avoid getting out of his depth. A consummate professional who is having a very bad day, Simon is a very likable, funny and dare I say it, charismatic protagonist. A badass and savvy operator, yes, but also one with the right amount of humanity and a bit of an enigmatic streak to him. Out of the cast, he downright dominated all the scenes he was in.

Next, Casey Irvine. An American tourist on Safari in Kenya, Casey's life goes down the tubes when a bunch of heavily armed poachers begin opening up on her camp and her fellow tourists (a particularly chilling chapter and Bailey accurately portrays the RPG7 and Kalashnikov tooting poachers of modern Africa dead on). Saved by Ashcroft, she is forced to come with him for her own survival, despite her fears around a man whom she believes is a mere killer. While a little whinny at times, Irvine is a decent depiction of a real life person's behavior in the sort of situation she finds herself in, and over the course of the story, she begins to grow a spine and become more assertive as a person, culminating in a tense scene where she mostly keeps her cool despite a greedy, slightly homicidal military officer sticking a gun in her face.

Finally, we have, "The American President". This guy is a very fun character. A mysterious, enigmatic wild card who will keep readers guessing about what he really wants. Having survived getting blown out of the skies of South West Asia, the President decides to stop with the grand American tradition of kicking the can down the road and begin solving the world's problems, one bullet and predator drone strike at a time. A hero? A villain? Or something in between? "The American President", will keep you on your toes as the bodies begin to fall, with each new policy pronouncement he makes.

As for the constructive criticism? Well, some of the other members of the cast need just a tad more development, namely the USSS Agent Keser and an ally she makes at the NSA. A bit more fleshing out would do them some good for the sequel. I also noticed about two grammatical errors. Nothing serious and 99% of people who are going to be reading this book will probably go past them, but just one extra scan over the final manuscript can help reduce the chances of that one error slipping in. But overall, Bailey covers most, if not all the bases in his first novel, particularly in developing a fascinating fictional setting and establishing the main players with aplomb.

So, my verdict is this. Wishing that the spy/technothriller genre could be shaken up? Like science fiction, but hate Aliens, UFO's and jetpacks? The Benevolent Deception is the novel that fills the void. A genre bending tour de force, the novel resurrects the age old tradition of speculative thrillers in grand style and explores the next big thing in computers and cyberwarfare with succinct, deft skill. Featuring a surreal, paranoia inducing plot that brings to mind a 21st century version of Alice In Wonderland, but with guns and cruise missiles, and a cast of characters who are brought to the edge of madness by the machinations of an electronic God and forced to do whatever it takes to survive, Aiden L Bailey has written the start of a unique, fresh thriller novel series that is going to be on its way to achieve complete, global domination of the online thriller novel market. As Ashcroft and company end the novel, their past lives taken from them, the benevolent conflict is about to begin. Faced with a choice to steal what was lost back from a divine power, battle lines will be drawn and they will most certainly return to decide what change will the world face.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

[HornFan2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy, from the author for my honest review.

The Benevolent Deception a really good long read, has multiple intertwining storylines, full of twist and turns, reads like a manual stick shift car were the driver, being the author burns a few clutches, as his writings fast one page, and then slows down due to an overload of details.

The down side to 'The Benevolent Deception' for me is that it's too fuckin' slow to read, torture reading at times, this should read fast, be heart pounding, full of twist and turns, but it's not at all just overloaded with needless details or fluff writing as I call it. That just seems to be continuously added, feel that the author just needs to add to the espionage thriller genre verse trying to micmic a master in the genre.

Don't get me wrong I liked it, it's interesting since it takes place in Nigeria, but just bogs down with details, then you have the additional stuff added in as each storyline goes along and need a score sheet to keep everything intact and your left hanging in a few places.

Just feel with it having three different intertwining storylines involving Casey, Connor and Peri sharing the spotlight with Simon Ashcroft, hiding him at times, it probably would have been better to read as a single's series, just break it apart into chunks verse being a whole book.

Like Aiden L. Bailey's writing style, even as detailed as he is, you can still read the talent in his words.
Just hope his next book is shorter, less details, less storylines, lets Simon stand on his own two feet and be less like a wannabe James Bond.

[Bodo Pfündl · Rating 5 out of 5]

1984 meets Person Of Interest in this uniquely twisted thrill-ride!

What instantly drew me to this novel was its interestingly fresh premise, showcased in the synopsis. And indeed “The Benevolent Deception” did not let me down in that regard (or in any other for this matter)!

Aiden Bailey has written a fast paced, globe-trotting thriller-debut, which boasts breath-taking settings, cinematic action scenes and an impressive cast of diverse and multi-layered characters, whom are much more than the stereotypes you usually encounter in this genre. But the book’s biggest selling point is its unpredictability! You can never really predict what happens next and are as much in the dark as the characters, about what is transpiring, until the very end. And just when you think you have figured out what is really going on, the author manages to pull the rug from under your feet with a killer twist, that will have you reeling and impatiently waiting for the next book in the series!

Bailey successfully turns many tropes and conventions of the genre on their head, delivering a dark, thought-provoking and utterly unique thrill-ride. Totally recommended!

[Kronos Ananthsimha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The threat of sentient quantum computing has never been more believable. Its scary applications can either create a utopia for us or end human civilization as we know it. Bailey's debut thriller - The Benevolent Deception is either a masterpiece in storytelling or the most complex and confusing plot I've come across.

The level of application of these quantum systems is closer to reality than you would think. I wanted a bit more of the technical side of it but was shown the effect it will have on people. Bailey's research, plotting, and the narrative is at a quantum level despite this being his first book.

The book focuses on four protagonists: Simon - a mercenary, Casey - a tourist, Perri - a liberal Muslim woman and Conner - a gay journalist. All four of them are complex, flawed, relatable and unique. They go on a journey of self-discovery, emotional development and introspection through a plot that's deceiving and yet satisfying.

With believable action, nerve-racking twists and scary projections of a possible future Bailey brings out a new turn in the thriller narrative. He leans less towards technology and politics but moves towards character journeys and deceptive perceptions.

All the parallel plots focus on two NSA programs called Shatterhand and Benevolent. Both of these have gone out of control and do not have any humans managing them. From a fake President to geopolitical chaos, the use of quantum coding is explored to disastrous results.

From a journey across Africa to Afghanistan and the US, and across Europe, the characters are always in a fix that keeps on amplifying. In every couple of chapters, the plot twists orchestrated by hidden entities left me stunned. The climax makes this whole book seem like a long prologue to the sequel - The Shatterhand Code which is coming out this year.

I was especially delighted to read scenes set in India and the use of MARCOS or Marine Commandos in a thriller book. Though Bailey is from Australia, he has been to most of the locations of the book sometime in his storied career.

The only problem I had was that I felt that it took a long time to read this book. Since the book has equal page space for all protagonists, it feels like a long journey.

I'll have memories of this book for a long time due to its original concept that moves beyond just action.

[Luminousity · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. Lots of twists & turns, it has a fantastic momentum that makes it really hard to put down. But what I loved the most was that - aside from it being a great, enjoyable read - the characters were drawn out with a depth that is not seen very often. I felt like I got to know each of them from a very personal perspective and they seemed like real people, rather than typical action heroes.
I don't normally read this genre, but a friend recommended it and I'm glad I gave it a go.
I'm so glad that there is another on the way.
Highly recommended!

[Barbara Currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enthralling read

I found this book hard to put down. From beginning to end the twist and turns in the story were captivating. The characters come to life as the story unfolded. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
A great read.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book with lots of suspense. Simon, who’s a spy must protect the one women with important info. Fabulous.

[dennis barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Benevolent Deception. Aiden L Bailey

Air force one has been shot down. The president is dead. Now an imposter, an exact look a like is in place. Computers have been sabotaged. Misinformation. Is an AI ( artificial intelligence) who can exactly mimic voices in place? Misinformation to world government's sabotaged. This is an absolute thriller extraordinaire! I highly recommend!

[Steven L Lepper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start

I guess I missed the fine print that this was Part 1 so I was a little surprised when it just stopped. That's my fault. I wasn't disappointed that it didn't stop though. Plenty of twists and turns. Enough action for the action fans and plenty of techno twists for the technical fans. There are three main threads and I can't wait to read #2 to see where they come together. Very recommended.

[Marlys · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a unique thriller. It contains lots of intrigue. I enjoyed all the twists and turns in the plot. I received an ARC of this book and I voluntarily reviewed it.

[Norman Hirschman · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing seat of your pants read. The plot was so realistic that at times I had to look out my window to see if my world still existed:) I really recommend this book . I hope to be able to read 2 soon.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Cliffhanger

I hate cliffhangers. This book was too long to end as a cliffhanger, for peace sake!! I struggled to get through the book because of all of the different plots running simultaneously just for the story to NOT end. I’m done.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little peak at what is to come

Well thought out and written. The characters fit the profile and make for good story telling. You can't get your head around this yet, it has so many possibilities. Well done

[Roy Burnham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another agenda?

Highly improbable but why the queer scenes, they did nothing to advance the plot or add to the character? Won't read this author again.

[Jeannie Huie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very long, very intricate story line. Definitely a thriller, but too long and a cliff-hanger.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting storyline. Action is often disrupted by moralizing about shooting "bad guys".

[Bbbbfonya Zöldike · Rating 1 out of 5]

At about the two-third it is still like the beginning - I stopped reading.

[Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intruguing

I actually loved the book to the end. Interesting plan with interesting multiple main characters. I would have given it a 5, but I totally DETEST non standalone books.

[Softbananas · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmmm lets see, the story was a stretch at minimum. It dragged on more than wife takes to get herself ready... for anything. There were political agenda items included, a big no-no. I suppose I just didn't get along with this book.
I gave 3 stars because I believe the author to be very enthused about his work.

[barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read feel well travelled after reading and was totally immersed in the book great story love Simon full of action and characters well described brilliant read as always from Aiden