MONROE DOCTRINE

In the near future, one nation sets in motion a plan to conquer the world in this military thriller.

In 2024, all strategically deployed pieces are in place and Project Ten is a go. China is ready to take over the world after years of slowly designing and unleashing technological advances, such as deepfakes and ultrafast and free Wi-Fi, as well as maneuvering its Communist-friendly Latin American political allies, like Cuba and Venezuela. By the time America realizes what is happening under its own nose and invokes the Monroe Doctrine, it is too late. The time has come for China to begin its nefarious plan in earnest, starting with the deployment of a new, lab-created strain of a SARS virus, Covid-24, which targets the frail and sick all over the world. The next step is a military attack. The ensuing economic and political destabilization of such world powers as the United States and the European Union should enable China to win a war to end all wars. China’s grandiose scheme includes a key component: Jade Dragon, an artificial intelligence especially created and nurtured to help the country complete this deadly mission. Who can possibly stand in the way of such a potent force? There is a lot to commend in Rosone and Watson’s plot-driven series opener that delivers plenty of action. Chapters from multiple perspectives follow a large cast of characters across many theaters of war in a fast-paced buildup to a chilling portrayal of China as a supervillain. The story’s use of technology—from the sinister AI to the problematic, very contemporary deepfakes, fake news, and data farming—is highly effective. Unfortunately, many of the players are paper-thin, nothing more than moving pieces in a puzzle whose final picture is very clearly and unabashedly pro-America. Ultimately, this thriller lacks emotional gravitas despite the number of lives tragically lost in its pages.

An action-packed and tech-savvy but uneven war tale.