Counterspace: The Next Hours of World War III

by William B. Scott, Michael J. Coumatos, William J. Birnes

In Space Wars, Scott, Coumatos, and Birnes created a fascinating war gaming scenario of how World War III might unfold in above the Earth’s surface. Now this thrilling team of writers reunites with Counterspace, an even more chilling fictionalized look at America’s most catastrophic fears.

What if North Korea detonated a nuclear weapon in space and silenced dozens of satellites?

What if an Iranian missile threatened to destroy Israel, while a Venezuelan “research†satellite endangered one of the US’s most promising space initiatives?

What if tech-savvy terrorist cells unleashed back-to-back horrors in California, creating an avalanche of crises overnight, as national leaders robbed of spy satellite imagery were forced to make decisions in the “blind�

These are the scenarios of Counterspace, a frighteningly plausible look at threats to the United States and the world. Scott, Coumatos, and Birnes use war gaming scenarios to show how the US Strategic Command might choose to fight off these menaces and prevent global disaster. Combining current and future technology with our enemies’ grandest plans, Counterspace is equally a terrifying possibility and a hopeful affirmation that America can and will be ready to face such dangers, told with the pulse-pounding power of a modern day thriller.

Genres: Space, War, Military Fiction, Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

William B. Scott is a full-time author (www.williambscott.com). He retired as the Rocky Mountain Bureau Chief for Aviation Week & Space Technology, following a 22-year career with the international magazine. He also served as Senior National Editor in Washington, and in Avionics and Senior Engineering Editor positions in Los Angeles. He covered advanced aerospace and weapons technology, business, flight testing and military operations, wrote more than 2,500 stories for the magazine, and received 17 editorial awards.

His nonfiction book, COMBAT CONTRAILS: VIETNAM, was released in late-2021. A collection of 18 stories told by warriors who lived them, it's the first in a series of CONTRAILS books.

A solo-written novel, "The Permit," is based on actual events associated with the murder of his eldest son, Erik.

He's also coauthored four other books: License to Kill: The Murder of Erik Scott (nonfiction); Inside the Stealth Bomber: The B-2 Story (nonfiction); Space Wars: The First Six Hours of World War III (fiction); and a Space Wars sequel, entitled Counterspace: The Next Hours of World War III.

Bill is a Flight Test Engineer (FTE) graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and a licensed commercial pilot with instrument and multiengine ratings. In 12 years of military and civilian flight testing, plus evaluating aircraft for Aviation Week over 22 years, he's logged approximately 2,000 hours of flight time on 81 aircraft types. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from California State University-Sacramento.

During a nine-year Air Force career, Bill served as aircrew on classified airborne-sampling missions, collecting nuclear debris by flying through radioactive clouds; an electronics engineering officer at the National Security Agency, developing space communications security systems for satellites; and an instrumentation and flight test engineer on U.S. Air Force fighter and transport aircraft development programs. He also served as a civilian FTE/program manager for three aerospace companies: General Dynamics (F-16 Full Scale Development), Falcon Jet Corp. (Coast Guard HU-25A development and certification), and Tracor Flight Systems Inc. (Canadair Challenger development and certification, plus numerous fighter, transport and helicopter test programs).

Bill and his wife, Linda, live in Colorado. They have two grown sons, Erik and Kevin. Unfortunately, Erik was killed through a senseless, horrific tragedy in July 2010.

Find out more at: www.williambscott.com

Reviews

[Betsy Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do not read this book before you read "Space Wars: The First Six Hours of World War III." The books go hand-in-hand. Not the traditional thriller, because there is much more telling about the technology than showing action, both are still worth the read. If you read the papers or listen to international news, you'll feel the hair on the back standing straight up.

[John Boyda · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Counter-Space" picks up where its predecessor "Space Wars: The First Six Hours of World War III" leaves off. These are not science fiction books; rather, they are a penetrating analysis of what might happen if our satellites in space were attacked and disabled. The world has become more dependent on satellites for GPS, TV, and communication. If the nations of the world were weakened by the loss of their "eyes in the sky", what would the reaction be? What actions might take place because of incomplete or inaccurate intelligence? Compound the loss with terrorist actions or the paranoia of some nations and the premise for global war becomes all together more feasible.

A frightening look at what the future could hold. A highly recommended read - just be ready for some thought provoking scenarios!

[Jeff Muñiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable follow up to Space Wars.

[Clay Kallam · Rating 2 out of 5]

With “Counterspace” (Forge, $25.99, 352 pages), it’s really hard to know what you’re getting just from the title. Is it about using magical powers to make sure there’s room at the counter at your favorite Sunday brunch spot? Or is it a probe of alternate dimensions to add working room in your kitchen?

Actually, the subtitle – “The Next Hours of World War III” – makes it more clear, as “Counterspace” is a military-politico book that focuses on the technological aspects of the next “world” war. The action begins when the North Koreans fire off a missile that detonates a nuclear warhead in low earth orbit, thus frying the satellites that allow modern militaries to communicate.

And authors William B. Scott, Michael J, Coumatos and William J. Birnes do deliver action: They introduce a character or subplot, and resolve it – right now. There’s no waiting 100 pages for the inevitable. The inevitable blows up pretty much immediately.

That, and the detailed description of the various technologies of modern warfare, are about all the positives, however. Character development? For sissies. The only “love” affair is about as ridiculous as the final scene, which features revelations in high-level political negotiations that would be much more suited to Miss Marple sitting around a fire solving a village mystery.

Maybe that book about mystical powers and seats opening up for brunch wouldn’t have been that bad after all.

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pure claptrap. This book never met a stereotype it didn't like: every U.S. male officer is "muscular" and was a former service academy sports hero. Among them are LTC "Burner" Burns (black), GEN "Buzz" Sawyer (white), President Pierce Rutledge Boyer (patrician), Admiral Lee (the story's Yoda), BG "Speed" Griffin (fearless test pilot), MG Dawn "Viking" Erikson (white, blonde, blue-eyed), MAJ Hans Richter (white with marriage problems due to his work), 1LT Jennifer "Fearless" Fernandez (natch, the brilliant Hispanic female). It goes on and on. You will meet many others: "Pepper" Malloy, Joshua "Cube" Stone, "Shark" Fisher. You get the idea. Naturally all the Americans save one are brave, intelligent, humane. All Iranians are despicable. North Koreans are inscrutable and evil. Hugo Chavez is a buffoon. The Chinese leadership is proud but wise and very Taoist.

The writing is clunky as hell, the characters are ridiculous, and this book exists just to show off the technological savoire faire of its "writers".

[Berry Muhl · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, let's talk about the prose. This is writing by committee, and it could have benefited from better copy proofing. Some of the writing is clunky, such as the odd word choices: a city is described as being "evaporated" by nuclear strike, when "vaporized" would have been more appropriate. And the clinical, procedural style of the novel is degraded at times by the sudden intrusion of the amorous thoughts of the various characters.

Now, let's talk about the story. It's gripping. Thrilling. Infuriating. You get into the Clancyness of the story, despite the less-than-Clancyish writing. It's intended to be a parable for what can happen if the US loses its technological and military edge in outer space, and I think it should be read by many, many people, including just about everyone in Washington.

[Nate Huston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book tries to be both informative and entertaining and in so doing, falls short of both. It's a good try, and props to the authors for doing a good job of explaining strategic space challenges, but it's clunky. Very clunky. The pseudo-love scene in the plane is COMPLETELY unnecessary. And Generals calling dudes butt-heads? Really? Oh, and use of the word "'tronics" made me crazy.

That said, the book is an admirable effort to put forth a realistic scenario of mostly unintended escalation in space. It correctly points out that blinding an enemy (or ourselves) may have disastrous consequences. There's a reason Open Skies was started up with the Soviets: Deterrence abhors uncertainty.

[Jaron Roux · Rating 4 out of 5]

If everything in this book had been true, I would have rated it a 5! I think it is a great novel that gives insights as to how dependent we are as a nation on space based assets for our national security. I think the authors do a good job at attempting to show some Air Force culture. But the light hearted love story is a bit far fetched. Key themes for me from this book. As new technology becomes more reliable and cheaper, it is easy to let go of legacy systems. GPS vs VORs. The importance on cross domain operators in the Air Force. Lack of understandig space policy, law, doctrince and strategy is not good for the future of space. The power of perceptions, from how the Chinease viewed our actions. How Jews viewed Irans actions. Lastly, the power of non-state individual actors!

[Sheehan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sequel to Spacewars, Counterspace was a further examination of the utility of space-based assets in maintaining situational awareness, how this can help prevent and facilitate armed aggression as necessary.

This book pretty much followed the same formula as it's predecessor, including new weapons, political players, and technological tchotchkes. It was a straight ahead thriller like Fail-Safe with a few novel pathes to our destruction and salvation.

Not bad, just not great...