The U.S. races against the Peoples Republic of China for alien technology
588233
An engrossing novel that takes place in the not so distant future. I thought the characters were well developed and enjoyed the novel. The ending did seem to be rather abrupt. i would have liked it to have had a little more details.
4333553
It has been one year since America has entered the Dark Age.  And, everything continues on a downward spiral.  The United Republic of America has a female in charge - President Salazar.  The first invasion of the United States in 150 years is launched.  Meanwhile, the majority  of the US population (60%) is located in Kansas and Nebraska.  Border control is one of the strategies employed.

The author has a knowledge of military strategy and planning that kicks this story up a notch! I also thought the addition of the back side (to put it nicely) of politics played an integral part in book 3.  In addition to the ground warfare, the aviation battles are well written.  I appreciated the mention of the AN - 225's (borrowed from Ukraine) and the size of them.  And, of course the comparison to a C -130.  How many times I have sat in one of those web seats homeward bound!

I liked the mix of characters, excellent plot and the ending is outstanding.  I found it be a fast moving novel and most highly recommended.
2089094
A fascinating look inside the chinese mindset.  A must read for anyone who wants to know about the crazy history of the Red Guard, the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.  Also provides a great insight into how the chinese operate today.  Fan Shen tells a story that will stick with you as you purchase your next "made in China" item.
3610419
China continues to fight the invading Lizards, and Germany wants Poland at any cost even if it means the destruction of the Father Land
343804
I thoroughly enjoyed the first in the series, Invasion:Alaska. This one continues a few years later when the Southern border of California is the focus (along with other parts of the state) of an aggressive Chinese military continuing to respond to the pressures of their imperialist government.  It is good military action taking place in the near future with balance of power having shifted to the Chinese from America including the technological edge.

I have read both books and look forward to the next. I have read other fiction from Heppner which I have also enjoyed.  This series reminds me of the military thrillers of Larry Bond. I highly recommend this series.
983830
How treason and greed subverted American cold war efforts to limit and contain our enemies
426205
Had been in China for more than 20 years, I am glad to see this book. It vividly disclosed many hiden aspects and plots behind the Chinese government's operation on western investment.

The American expatriate in China lives in a state of constant contradiction. The reality of China does not support dreams of democratic transformation, or dreams of climbing the gold mountain. But the expatriate has staked his life on those dreams, and in fact part of him still believes them. Moreover, when he speaks to the world outside China, he must wholeheartedly sell those dreams to others, in order to justify his own existence.

Only occasionally, in a private moment, with a like-minded fellow over drinks, can that expatriate businessman allow himself to see frankly how ridiculous is the illusion he believes and sells, and the ugliness of what in other moments he will not face.

The purveyors of transformation do not allow for the possibility of China transforming the U.S., but this seems to be one effect of the headlong plunge by American business into China.

A Chinese school teacher in Shenzhen speaks to Gutmann of "American companies with Chinese characteristics." That teacher is referring to companies for whom "the normalization of illegal activity" has become "an accepted part of doing business." They do so because without adopting corrupt practices they would lose the ability to compete at all. What these companies cannot now estimate is the long-term cost to them of abandoning the corporate culture of the United States, with its expectations of transparency, accountability, legality, and fair play. But corruption is perhaps the less worrisome competitive strategy adopted by American business.

Gutmann makes clear that the executives of Cisco Systems could have had no illusions as to the way in which their technological breakthroughs would be used to stamp out free speech on China's internet. It is a short path from a Cisco router to the hell of a Chinese labor camp.

Network Associates could also have had no illusions, when it provided China with stocks of computer viruses, that those viruses could be used to jump start China's ambitious cyber-war capabilities.

Similarly, Loral and other American high-tech companies have worked hard to gain opportunities to transfer dual-use technologies to China's military. If China begins an invasion of Taiwan by disabling America's satellites, and launching precision-guided munitions at its carrier groups, American business will have provided the know-how.

At work here is a different kind of transformation than what Gutmann used to sell gullible CEOs and Congressmen. The desire for profit, unmoored from other considerations, is leading some American businesses self-consciously to strengthen Chinese government.
2015928
While a bit disjointed due to the story being centered around an event instead of central characters,  it is a great story full of science and technology as well as political avarice that could well portent our very close future.

A rogue planet just took out Mars in our solar system and is on a course for Earth. The year is 2076 and democracy is pretty much dead c so the government plans to select people to colonize another planet with people who would continue America's authoritarian regime. But those who believed in the Democratic American where freedom of speech and assembly were still a part of the Constitution want their own people on board the starship Exodus.

This is a first book of a trilogy.  I was pulled in and couldn't wait for the characters to pull through on their challenges during Selection and find out how they would survive first in space, then on the world they selected.
116025
Page 157-58 my book
Chinese people are just about everywhere, Shuai Yuhua said, again erupting in laughter. You should never go anywhere where there are no Chinese.
Is that because such places are too dangerous? I asked.
Wrong. Its because those are places where it is impossible to make money.

This is a fascinating account of Chinas impact on Africa. It is a recent phenomenon and I do feel the full repercussions will be upon us sooner than we think. China is not just the future world power, in many ways it is currently the most dynamic power of our time  at least economically. They are now exporting their remarkable can do to Africa.

There are many aspects the author examines. And he is quite capable - speaking in English, French and Mandarin.

One aspect is that all kinds of businesses are being set-up by the Chinese  from small by the side of the road stalls (similar to what we see in China-towns across North America) to vast enterprises like soccer stadiums, hydro-electric plants and the like.

There are many candid conversations with both Africans and Chinese. Many Africans appreciate the level of expertise and technology that the Chinese are bringing. They do not appreciate that the Chinese are bringing their own labour, they do not disclose the work to be done with its environmental effects, the wages the Africans receive are often below the minimum wage set by the government, and often no health regulations are followed, in mine-work for example.

The Chinese appreciate the opportunities they are presented with in Africa. Competition, stress, overcrowding is fierce in China  so, many, find in Africa, a land of opportunity. I could not help but feel, just as there is corruption in business deals in China; these same practises were easily transplanted to Africa.

The author points out that in African countries where the natural resources are abundant, is where greater disparity exists between rich and poor. The Chinese entrepreneurs simply give huge bribes to those in power to get their business established. The wealth does not trickle down, it stays and accumulates at the top.

The author discusses how the Chinese are similar and dissimilar to former colonial powers. The Chinese are now intent on hard structural development. Western powers are geared more towards soft development such as containment of AIDS. Obviously, as the author acknowledges, this is an over-generalization.

There are suppose to be at least one million Chinese now in Africa, and this is a conservative estimate. And more are coming. Think of that  a European country, or even the U.S., could not come close to having a million people who would choose to emigrate to Africa. China could easily find another one million to go. The Chinese currently in Africa are urging their family and friends to come over. Many of the Chinese the author interviewed are in Africa for keeps.

The significance of this will continue to grow for years to come. This is an engrossing book on a topic that we in the West are barely aware of.
1148892
That is the first book of Alex Ryan I read and I found the plot rather captivating with the new type of nano bots used as a weapon of mass destruction destroying human body in untraceable way.
The action is in China and is a good mix of scientific discovery, crime and chasing a brilliant and wicked scientist who plans to sell his discovery to terrorists.

Nick Foley and the beautiful Chinese  doctor will ruin those plans and prevent  mass murder.

Interesting book and I look forward to another of Nick Foley adventures.
2684801
Fascinating book! I thought that Chapter 3 "Information Technology: An Unprecedented Force for Disruption" and Chapter 4 "White Collar Jobs at Risk" were the most interesting.

Chapters 5, 6, and 8 on higher education, health care, and the overall national economy discuss political and social implications of the rise of the robots and AI. The US political system is totally unprepared to address, and may be incapable of addressing, what will likely happen in the next 10 to 20  years. I'm 67 years old and I hope I will still be alive around 2030 or 2040. I think it will be very interesting to observe how the American  society and it's political system deals with all this. As the ancient Chinese curse goes "May you live in interesting times!"
4390418
The war planners is a scary look into how  China could accomplish an invisible invasion of the USA..... It all seems so logical...a really interesting concept.
3411862
Much of the current divisive political climate echoes throughout this far-future sci-fi world. Dystopian ruling cultures have taken hold on multiple worlds in the galaxy and the ensuing conflicts are rapidly pushing planets toward an apocalyptic event horizon. And it's not the first time it's happened.

On Earth, humanity drove itself extinct in the biological and nuclear nightmare known as the Old War, or World War III. Their sentient AI survived them. The "Chines" evolved, expanded, and then restarted the human race from embryonic stock. After nurturing the humans and establishing them in mostly underground cities, the Chines abandoned eden to give the humans space and to create their own worlds deeper into the galaxy.

Interestingly and not inaccurately, for both humans and Chines, the other race is their mythic creator race. For humans, the promise of the Chines returning is their only hope when a hostile insectoid alien race arrives on Earth and threatens extinction of humans, again.

In alternating chapters, two separate and barely related storylines follow two distinct heroes and their very different responses to the threat on Earth.

Sheemi, a largely disgraced military grunt, is sent by her high ranking general father off-planet to find the new world of the Chines on a mission to obtain their help against the alien Hexi. Sheemi's boredom in space leads to her sexual laxity and eventual, disgraceful pregnancy--all before finding hints of the Chines. The military space travel involves skirting parallel universes to make instantaneous deep space jumps.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Kellan is a living cultural myth--and not a liked one. "Special" humans emerge and are shunned in the new cities of Earth. Like a recessive gene or a latent computer program, some rare humans are born with the urge to either dig, tinker, draw or sing. The subject of their focus is always ancient Chines. Get the four together, and extraordinary doors and locks hidden across Earth open . . .

The breadth of the historic world-building is astounding. The fallibility of the protagonists is commendable. The novel is highly recommended.

I received my copy of this novel directly from the author through bookreviewdirectory.wordpress.com.
1021428
A original and EXTREMELY well thought out scenario of humanity's first contact with aliens, the back and forth of estimation of the level of the aliens technology and population from the human side is entertaining as well as the political battle between the different human factions wanting a piece of the action. Highly recommended!
4002410
China is putting the squeeze on Taiwan, North Korea is hassling South Korea, The Middle East is still a threat, Russia is pondering flexing their muscles and Japan waits to see what China might do.  While the world steps towards nuclear war the U.S. takes a wait and see policy.

Actually two American Presidential hopefuls square off on what to do.  Our old friend Rickets has given Taiwan tactical nuclear warheads and is urging them to use them against mainland Chinas Navy.  But Admiral Brody disagrees and wants to commit U.S. forces to assist Taiwan.  What will happen?

Now enters are old friends and hero's Pierre Renard and Jake Slade,  so will Taiwan really follow a Frenchmans war strategy? And will they really let a renegade U.S. Naval officer lead the charge?

John gives us another well written Naval Novel and packs enough believable scenarios into it to make it gripping and frightening at the same time.  Can there really be a nuclear torpedo that can knock out a sub and not devastate a huge area of ocean?  Also, what will an underwater nuclear explosion be like?

Oh and let's throw in the Chinese stealing a North Korean sub to use as a plant to suck America into a no win situation.

I loved the book.  I took just one day to read it and now I want more.

Oh, and by the way, Renard and Slade are getting old, by military standards, but they still can teach the young kids a thing or two.

Please read the first three in this series to get your head in the game and then grab this one.  Oh and by the way, order it now at its low price, it's a steal.

Here is a disclaimer, John sent me an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an "honest" review.  Please trust me this review is honest, I loved the book, not just because it was a gift but because it was Awesome.  Thank you John.
1625250
This is an involved story of invaded worlds, human, aliens, cyborgs, mind control, deep space and defenses. Freedom isn't free. Tanner, Greco and suspicious Acton work wonders to destroy enemies and establish a positive working relationship. Enjoyable read. Next adventure please.
4703514
In this 60's trend-setter, the two world super-powers, U.S.A. and Russia  (Boy, this WAS made a long time ago) have each created a super-computer to  run things. One day, these two super-machines decide that humans are  superfluous (sound familiar?), hook-up on-line, and basically enslave us  all. High concept, extremely plausible story that has obviously been  ripped-off many times since.