What will the next world war look like? Across the world, people are filled with waves of mass paranoia and anxiety about what’s to come. We’ve seen technological advancements, the invention of powerful nuclear weapons, and rising global tensions. Many Americans’ concerns center on the perceived threat to democracy, security, health, culture and power. These five fictional stories are grounded in the real anxieties about growing global powers, and what that might mean for the future — but they’re also highly entertaining action-packed reads.
Never by Ken Follett
Told in multiple interweaving stories that take place across the globe, Never imagines the circumstances that might lead to the brink of World War III. Russia, North Korea, China and America are pushed towards war as the result of a global domino effect. When a stolen U.S. drone kills Chinese citizens living in Chad, the U.S. is unwillingly associated, and threads begin to unravel in multiple countries. This character-driven story captures American anxiety about other global powers and their allies’ access to nuclear technology, and how small slip-ups in political decisions can have catastrophic effects.
Read BookTrib’s review here.
13 Days to Die by Matt Miksa
In Tibet, a man is the first victim of a deadly epidemic. An American intelligence officer who witnessed this death joins a female virus hunter in investigating the medical research team she belongs to. Together, they learn that the outbreak may have been an intentionally manufactured bioweapon — but who did patient zero work for? The two of them uncover a twisted conspiracy that heightens the tensions between political superpowers. Written by a former FBI intelligence analyst before the start of COVID-19, and then edited to suit our reality, this timely thriller highlights the fears that have arisen about the threatening potential of bioweapons.
Slay the Dragon by William McGinnis
When a police officer is killed at an Oakland protest by an out-of-place stranger in a van, an ex-Navy SEAL and his cop buddy investigate the crime. What they uncover is a decades-long planned assault on America by China and a database filled with files on everyone, which gives foreign enemies the ability to track and kill a target at any time. The goal is for the Communist Party to weaken American democracy by furthering its already existing divides, and for China to take over as the dominant power in the world. Find out if American democracy survives while you experience terrifying real-world connections.
Read our review here.
American Traitor: A Pike Logan Novel by Brad Taylor
Two Americans on vacation in Australia find their friend and colleague on the run after witnessing something top secret that he shouldn’t have. The pair discovers a scheme against Taiwan — an ally America swore to protect. The plan involves manipulating an artificial intelligence defense system and destabilizing the government. If that succeeds, Taiwan will be pulled into a global war. One missing man holds the key to preventing this conflict. Pike Logan returns in this installment to neutralize the threat of war with an American ally when political and technological defenses are weakened.
Washington Power Play by Allan Topol
An attempted terrorist attack on a Washington hospital sends a young FBI agent on the hunt for a mole in the U.S. government. She learns of another country’s plot to back a candidate in the U.S. presidential race. But a foreign diplomat — her former lover — blocks her plans to uncover the truth and protects the plot for political power. The young agent’s life is in danger as the diplomat’s scheme is aided by a Washington lawyer with questionable motives. The scheme to elect an American president with foreign loyalties is an all-too-familiar premise that makes this political thriller about potential threats to global power worth the read.
Read BookTrib’s interview with the author here.
Thanks for the mention, BookTrib. I’m glad you enjoyed my thriller, 13 DAYS TO DIE.