Shadow of war, p.1
Shadow of War, page 1
Praise for Timothy S. Johnston
The Furnace
“ . . . a Crichtonesque thriller . . . ”—Kirkus Reviews
“The action was tense, the mystery convoluted and interesting and the gore properly gruesome. Johnston held no punches while delivering his tale . . . ”—SFcrowsnest
The Freezer
“The exciting tale will keep readers rapt, desperate to find out what happens next.”—4 stars from RT Book Reviews
The Void
“This engrossing and exciting SF thriller is Johnston’s third Tanner Sequence adventure (after The Freezer), but it stands well on its own . . . SF and mystery fans will be impressed with Johnston’s tightly written deep-space whodunit.”—Publishers Weekly Starred Review
The War Beneath
“If you’re looking for a techno-thriller combining Ian Fleming, Tom Clancy and John Le Carré, The War Beneath will satisfy . . . I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s what I call a ripping good yarn, a genuine page-turner. If you like action spy thrillers with lots of high tech in a science fiction setting this book will definitely please. It’s loads of fun. And fast-paced. Did I mention fast-paced? ‘Cause it is.”—Amazing Stories
“The War Beneath is a thrill ride from beginning to end, with several heart-stopping scenes that clearly illustrate the boundaries of underwater living and warfare . . . Sometimes I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as I waited for Mac and his team to figure out how to live through their next quandary. The environment is well-described to the point where I nearly had to hold my breath for the entire book, something I find myself doing in underwater scenes in movies. The politics are sharp and twisty. What I really enjoyed about the story, though, was the evolution of Mac, himself. The plot challenges his past, present and future and he has to decide not only who he is, but who he wants to be. He has to balance his wish for a safe future for his city against the future of all the underwater cities and he has the legacy of his father and his relationship with his sister to consider as well. All in all, I really enjoyed The War Beneath. This novel is everything I’ve come to expect from Timothy S. Johnston and a promising start to a new series and one I look forward to following.”—SFcrowsnest
“… sit back, start reading and enjoy a deep sea dive into the future . . . One very riveting, intelligent read!”—Five Stars at Readers’ Favorite
The Savage Deeps
“The Savage Deeps delivers on every level. The action is perilous, but not an exact repeat of what we’ve seen before. New technology abounds, all detailed with exhaustive research. Once again, Mac is the star of the production, a wonderfully complicated character written with delicacy. There is a point when you can push a character too far. Mac is nudged up against the edge and held there until you think he might break. These scenes, for me, are just as thrilling as watching Mac perform daring underwater maneuvers. The emotional impact of this book is just as compelling as in the first one.”—SFcrowsnest
“The Savage Deeps is like a futuristic Das Boot with a lot of intense action and some interesting technology . . . I give The Savage Deeps a five star rating.”—A-Thrill-A-Week
“Reading The Savage Deeps is like watching a movie. The visual imagery of folks living and working in enclosed domes beneath the oceans, of zipping through the deep waters to visit other colonies using high-tech, high-speed subs is mesmerizing . . . In no time, the savage deeps explode with war. Torpedoes, mines, imploded subs, and bodies litter the ocean floor. With spies and traitors everywhere, will McClusky survive? Will Trieste realize independence? Twists, turns and the unexpected carry the exciting plot to its conclusion. You close the book and re-enter your own real world, feeling anything but certain that what you just read could never really happen . . . Johnston is an author skilled in bringing life to his characters through dialogue, engaging readers’ emotions by their behaviors and thinking, and creating brilliant settings, all of which play out like scenes in a movie. Thinking of that, dare I suggest these two books are just ripe for becoming the next blockbuster movie? Food for thought!”—Five Stars at Readers’ Favorite
Fatal Depth
“Timothy S. Johnston has the knack of getting the genre formula absolutely right in terms of balance. No one aspect hinders the others in any way. Plot, action, characterization, tech info, and originality are combined seamlessly into a tale that flows as rapidly as a river in flood. Some books are impossible to finish reading. This book is impossible to put down . . .
In particular, the Rise of Oceania series by Timothy S. Johnston is sparklingly addictive, stimulating, entertaining, and truly “the pause that refreshes.” In other words, a pleasant and exciting way to ignore your mundane real world problems. Escapist literature? You bet! In the best possible way. Action adventure techno-thriller done exactly right. Perfection, I’d say. Doesn’t get better than this.”—Amazing Stories
“The excitement factor in ‘Fatal Depth’ is no joke. You could almost compare it to a tsunami plow. The threads in the story culminate in an almighty push that will carry you all the way to the end in a dizzying rush. I read the second half of the book in one sitting . . . ”—SFcrowsnest
“… heart-stopping action! Timothy S. Johnston is an incredible writer, word perfect, and so imaginatively creative one has to read his books to truly experience the cinematic aspects of his beloved underwater world. He builds tension with every chapter as his plot twists and turns throughout, and even the last page jolts us with an unexpected shock. Yet, somehow in the midst of all the dangerous excitement, his readers find themselves caught up in the emotional pasts and presents of his characters, but never at the loss of momentum or suspense. There’s a reason Johnston was the winner of the 2018 Global Thriller Award. Discover that reason for yourself when you read his entire Rise of Oceania series of books.”—Five Stars at Readers’ Favorite
“Fatal Depth: The Rise of Oceania is nautical thriller cli-fi reading at its best, and joins two others in navigating a flooded, collapsed world in the 2100s in which political clashes take place at sea . . .Exquisite in its combination of futuristic vision, military maneuvering on all sides, conundrums facing survivors who keep encountering new situations, and political struggles that affect all communities above and below the tides of change, Fatal Depth: The Rise of Oceania is both a powerful addition to the series and a fine stand-alone read accessible to newcomers who may not have prior experience with this setting. Maps, a timeline, and succinct description paint all the background necessary to thoroughly enjoy this thriller, which should be on the shelves of any library strong in nautical cli-fi or science fiction powered by political and military clashes.”—Midwest Book Review, D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer
An Island of Light
“From one of the most talented authors I’ve discovered in the past 2 years, Timothy S. Johnston, comes the fourth book in his series about the new world beneath our oceans, An Island of Light. I’ve had the pleasure of reading all three of Johnston’s previous novels about Trieste City and the hair-raising challenges faced by its gutsy mayor, Truman McClusky. Johnston has consistently dazzled me with his cinematic descriptions of this world in the deeps, a world created and populated in the hopes of surviving the ravages of climate change on our planet’s surface . . . The result is a most satisfying and substantial read, especially for me, as who we are is significantly more important than what we do. While the technology and science behind this undersea world are fascinating, as is the ever-evolving and twisty plot, in the end, it’s the characters who bring the story home. In conclusion, I have to say that of the four books in the series, An Island of Light is my favorite. That’s because this time the emphasis is more on what makes people tick than on what is ticking inside the subs, the SCAVs, and the bombs. Readers are as riveted, maybe even more so, by what people say and do than by the ongoing battles for underwater supremacy. Is this a new direction that Johnston will pursue in his stories about Trieste and the underwater colonies? I look forward to finding out. Brilliant, stylistically flawless writing again, Mr. Johnston. It’s a pleasure to read your books for so many different reasons!”—Five Stars at Readers’ Favorite
“Readers of Timothy S. Johnston’s The Rise of Oceania series will find plenty to appreciate here. Indeed, Johnston achieves the remarkable, not only exceeding the action and suspense of his previous books, but maintaining a pace that keeps the pages turning and the heart pounding, start to finish. Combine this with Johnston’s command of leading-edge science and technology, and you’ve got one of the finest thriller writers working today. Prepare to be blown away, literally and figuratively.”—Michael Libling, author of Hollywood North: A Novel in Six Reels
“Take a murder mystery, combine it with a futuristic setting, and add elements of psychological and social reflection for a sense of the action and focus of An Island of Light, which requires no prior familiarity with its predecessors in order to prove thoroughly engrossing on many different levels.
“Thriller, sci-fi and mystery audiences alike will find it crosses these genres with high-octane action and appeal.”—Midwest Book Review, D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer
“An Island Of Light, the fourth book in Timothy S. Johnston’s The Rise Of Oceania series, is perhaps the darkest chapter in the saga yet . . . Megan did it, no question. She also didn’t have a plan beyond simple revenge, so when the USSF comes looking for their missing admiral, Mac and the rest of the team scramble to hide the evidence, t o no avail. When the USSF leaves Trieste with Megan and Mac’s chief of security in their custody, Mac has to gather the shreds of his current plans and tie them off to the dangling threads of what comes next: rescue his sister while interrupting the USSF occupation of a neighbouring colony . . .
“As author Johnston explores the morality of torture, murder, and retribution, he manages to keep Mac’s moral compass pointing north but only just. It’s this aspect of the book that will stay with the reader. Mac has always been a very real character. One the reader can empathise with and one we’re willing to follow into the depths. So it’s very fitting that he should struggle so mightily before pulling off the most inventive and daring rescue yet.
“An Island Of Light is a worthy instalment in the Rise Of Oceania series and I look forward to the next book.”—SFcrowsnest
The
Shadow
of
War
Text © 2022 Timothy S. Johnston
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of Fitzhenry & Whiteside, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews and articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Fitzhenry & Whiteside.
Published in Canada by Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited
209 Wicksteed Avenue, Unit 51, East York, ON M4G 0BB1
Published in the United States by Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited
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Fitzhenry & Whiteside acknowledges with thanks the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for their support of our publishing program. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (BF) for our publishing activities.
fitzhenry.ca
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Title: The shadow of war : the rise of Oceania / Timothy S. Johnston.
Names: Johnston, Timothy S., 1970- author.
Identifiers: Canadiana 20220436177 | ISBN 9781554556007 (softcover) | ISBN 978-1-55455-625-0 (pdf) | ISBN 978-1-55455-626-7 (epub)
Classification: LCC PS8619.O488 S43 2022 | DDC C813/.6—dc23
Publisher Cataloging-in-Publishing Data (U.S.)
Names: Johnston, Timothy S. 1970-, author.
Title: The Shadow of War ; the rise of Oceania / by Timothy S. Johnston.
Description: Toronto, Ontario : Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2022. | Series: Rise of Oceania. | Summary: “In the world’s undersea realms the superpowers are pressing. Climate change is ravaging the surface nations and their militaries are surging into the oceans to seek out new resources to sustain their exploding populations. Now Truman McClusky, mayor of the underwater city, Trieste, must gather a team of operatives and travel to the world to steal the most unique and deadly weapon ever invented for use underwater. War is looming, and in order to win a war, one must do whatever it takes, even if it means embracing your darker side”-- Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: ISBN 978-1-55455-600-7 (paperback) | ISBN 978-1-55455-625-0 (pdf) | ISBN 978-1-55455-626-7 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Military weapons -- Fiction. | Climate changes -- Fiction. | Undersea colonies – Fiction. | Science fiction. | Fantasy fiction. | BISAC: FICTION / Science Fiction / Action & Adventure. | FICTION / Thrillers / Military.
Classification: LCC PZ7.J646Sh | DDC 813.6 – dc23
Image Credits:
© [ZinetroN] / Adobe Stock
© [NikolaM] / Adobe Stock
© [SergeyBitos] / Adobe Stock
Cover and text design by Ken Geniza
Interior schematics by Cheyney Steadman
Printed in Canada by Copywell
Books by Timothy S. Johnston
Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited
The War Beneath
The Savage Deeps
Fatal Depth
An Island of Light
The Shadow of War
A Blanket of Steel (Forthcoming)
Carina Press
The Furnace
The Freezer
The Void
Timeline of Events
2020
Despite the fact that global warming is the primary concern for the majority of the planet’s population, still little is being done.
2055
Shipping begins to experience interruptions due to flooded docks and crane facilities. World markets fluctuate wildly.
2061
Rising ocean levels swamp Manhattan shore defenses and disrupt Gulf Coast oil shipping; financial markets in North America become increasingly unstable due to flooding.
2062-2065
Encroaching water pounds major cities such as Mumbai, London, Miami, Jakarta, Tokyo, and Shanghai. The Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and the Maldives disappear. Refugee problem escalates in Bangladesh; millions die.
2069
Shore defenses everywhere are abandoned; massive numbers of people move inland. Inundated coastal cities become major disaster areas.
2071-2072
Market crash affects entire world; economic depression looms. Famine and desertification intensifies.
2073
Led by China, governments begin establishing settlements on continental shelves. The shallow water environment proves ideal for displaced populations, aquaculture, and as jump-off sites for mining ventures on the deep ocean abyssal plains.
2080
The number of people living on the ocean floor reaches 100,000.
2088
Flooding continues on land; the pressure to establish undersea colonies increases.
2090
Continental shelves are now home to twenty-three major cities and hundreds of deep-sea mining and research facilities. Resources harvested by the ocean inhabitants are now integral to national economies.
2093
Led by the American undersea cities of Trieste, Seascape, and Ballard, an independence movement begins.
2099
The CIA crushes the independence movement.
2128
Over ten million now populate the ocean floor in twenty-nine cities.
2129
Tensions between China and the United States, fueled by competition over The Iron Plains and a new Triestrian submarine propulsion system, skyrockets. The USSF occupies Trieste following The Second Battle of Trieste.
Winter,2130
Trieste Mayor Truman McClusky begins a new fight for independence against the United States. With new deep-diving technology, he defeats French and US warsubs in battle in the Mid-Atlantic ridge, killing Captain Franklin P. Heller.
Spring, 2130
Russia launches dreadnought Dragon, a new terror in the oceans. She is 414 meters long, can travel 467 kph underwater, and possesses a new weapon: The Tsunami Plow. Dragon sinks many vessels and destroys the Australian underwater colony, Blue Downs. McClusky leads a raid to infiltrate and destroy the submarine.
June - August, 2130
Meagan McClusky, captured for murdering a USSF Admiral, is imprisoned at Seascape, the Fleet’s new HQ. Truman McClusky, Mayor of Trieste, embarks on a perilous journey to rescue her using stolen German Submarine Fleet warsubs to draw Germany into the conflict. Seascape is destroyed with a new category of weapon, the Isomer Bomb.
January, 2131
Present Day.
“To light a candle is to cast a shadow.”
—Ursula K. Le Guin
“I like my shadow; it reminds me that I exist.”
—Mehmet Murat Ildan
3 January 2131 AD
In the Indian Ocean
In the Indian Ocean, West of the British Indian Ocean Territory
Latitude: 7º 19’ 56” South
Longitude: 72º 4’ 08” East
Depth: 198 meters
Date: 3 January 2131 AD
Time: 1108 hours
Mission: Investigate mineral deposits along active tectonic zones surrounding the Indian Ocean basin; research the geology of the region.
