Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War

In the immortal words of Seinfeld's Jay Peterman, Ghost Fleet is "one ripping good yarn." A fictional depiction of a major war in the near future, the authors have produced a worthy successor to Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising. The authors expertly provided a full course meal for a variety of readers -- a sobering extrapolation of extant geopolitical trends, realistic portrayals of hypothetical battles, ironic depictions of the choices American servicemembers would face, and a comprehensive inventory of current and projected technologies used successfully (and unsuccessfully -- take heed DOD weapons buyers...).Ghost Fleet's authors readily acknowledge the debt to Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising. To this end, consider the following two points. First, Clancy was simply a former insurance salesman with an affinity for military hardware and simply imagined how these fascinating weapons systems might be used. Ghost Fleet's authors, Dr. Peter W. Singer, a widely respected defense futurist, and August Cole, a seasoned journalist who covered the defense arena, do Clancy one better, by footnoting extensively throughout the book. At every mention of a military hardware or technology, Singer and Cole direct you to source material where the reader can learn how close to reality the authors' story is. (As well as intriguing theoretical proposals like "The Next Lightweight Fighter: Not Your Grandfather's Combat Aircraft") Second, Red Storm Rising previewed the American reliance on stealth aircraft and precision weapon technology in the Persian Gulf War. Ghost Fleet, given its ample references, may similarly be providing a preview of a future conflict's cyber, space, and robotic aspects.In Ghost Fleet, a reader is a given a front row seat on a popcorn-thrill ride keyed to the contemporary challenges American decision-makers and servicemembers face every day. Labor Day is coming up and Ghost Fleet is a choice read for the holiday!

I have to admit that I waited a year between the time I bought this Kindle version of "Ghost Fleet" and finally got around to reading it. Perhaps the biggest reason is that I'm frequently disappointed by the sheer cluelessness shown by authors of so many techno-thrillers in regards to how data security and cyber attacks work, how big data analysis works, and for that matter, how the Navy works. Because I write about those topics in the real world, I was afraid that I'd find a story lacking in authenticity. I shouldn't have waited.What I found as I rode through the night on a train to New Orleans was a novel in which the authors exhibited deep understanding of exactly how those topics worked, how they might be used in a real-world conflict and how current protective technology might be bypassed. The authors knowledge of the vulnerabilities of US defenses rang true, and brought to mind recent events that few know about, such as the failure of US defense satellites for a period of weeks a few years ago. Likewise, they showed deep knowledge of some critical technologies, such as the rail gun development currently underway in Dahlgren, Virginia. For me, this meant that I could enjoy the book while not being bothered by a lack of connection to reality.But to be a good novel, the book has to display more than technological acumen. The writing must also be good, and in "Ghost Fleet" it mostly was. There were a couple of spots where historical or social events were drawn in more detail than was necessary, causing the experience to drag, but you can skip a few paragraphs without missing anything. Otherwise the writing is tight, the story well told, the characters well drawn. Notably, there are a few plot threads that remain unresolved - perhaps fuel for a sequel?As a writer, I appreciate excellent writing. As someone deeply involved in much of the technology in this novel, I appreciate the accuracy. This is a book that I can recommend very strongly.

Recommended for professional reading by The Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Robert Neller, Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War by P. W. Singer and August Cole is an excellently researched, realistically presented scenario for near-future conflict pitting China and Russia against the United States. Its highly probable plot is a very realistic projection from today’s headlines. The technology is extensively documented in the Endnotes, which put to rest any quibbling about the feasibility of the equipment from robots to railguns. The book is very reminiscent of Sir John Hackett’s The Third World War August 1985, which my generation of Marines read as mental preparation for conflict with the Soviet Union in the 1980’s. While the characters could use a bit more development, the action is fast, the situations all too believable, and the disasters in combat of cost cutting myopia, such as relying on China for computer chips, absolutely terrifying. For one who was concerned with communications disruptions as the electronic threat, the ramifications of cyberwarfare described and documented in this book are mindboggling. It is both a good read and an important one.