Proxy War (Paperback)

In the upcoming global showdown, the U.S. confronts a new enemy on the battlefield: Artificial Intelligence.

In the heart of Central Asia, a strategic power play unfolds as the People’s Republic of China extends its military might. Under the pretext of protecting their Belt-and-Road projects, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) gains a stronghold in the region. Against this invasion, a courageous band of freedom fighters is the only challenge to the PLA forces.

On this geopolitical chessboard, the newly-elected U.S. President wants to make a bold statement against Chinese expansionism. Don Riley, recently appointed CIA Director of Operations, is chosen to spearhead the critical mission.

Don launches a clandestine CIA operation to aid the freedom fighters, but as the losses pile up, he realizes they are fighting a new enemy. The PLA harbors a secret weapon – Foresight, a quantum-powered battlefield AI. This advanced system anticipates and counters the resistance's moves with chilling precision, pushing Don to the edge. With each passing day, as Foresight's surveillance net widens, the window for effective resistance narrows.

Don and his team put everything on the line. As the resistance draws the PLA into a decisive final battle, he launches a covert team. Their mission: neutralize Foresight.

Proxy War, the sixth book in the acclaimed Command and Control series by ex-submarine officer David Bruns and former naval intelligence officer J.R. Olson, is a high-octane military adventure. A must-read for aficionados of Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney.

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Praise for the authors and the COMMAND AND CONTROL series:

"David Bruns and J.R. Olson deliver captivating and utterly authentic portrayals of modern day combat that compares with the best of the timeless classics by Tom Clancy, Dale Brown, and Stephen Coonts." —Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mission Critical

"A fascinating World War Three scenario, and an action-packed story. This is going to be an amazing series!" —Andrew Watts, USA Today bestselling author of The War Planners

"With their background in the U.S. Navy, both Bruns and Olson have the right stuff to create a realistic military tale." ―Booklist

"These two guys have lived it. Now they’re writing it. Taut, tense, and totally believable, you will be dropped into the midst of a world with which few of us are familiar. A fine thriller indeed." —Don Keith, author of Only the Brave and Final Bearing

"Command and Control is a masterpiece of a military thriller from the first page to the explosive ending…some of the best combat writing I’ve seen since Tom Clancy." —Jason Kasper, USA Today bestselling author of The Enemies of My Country

"Bruns and Olson deliver an action packed story from the first to the very last page. Torn from tomorrow’s headlines, loaded with intrigue and mystery, a must read for any fan of military techno-thrillers." —George Wallace, author of Warshot and Operation Golden Dawn

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What readers are saying:

★★★★★ "...like vintage Clancy..."
★★★★★ "...plenty of action, tactics..."
★★★★★ "...real world tensions and possibilities..."
★★★★★ "...for the high-stakes military thriller buffs..."
★★★★★ "Another compelling read in this exciting series!"

J.R. Olson graduated from Annapolis in May of 1990 with a BS in History. He served as a naval intelligence officer, retiring in March of 2011 at the rank of commander. His assignments during his 21-year career included duty aboard aircraft carriers and large deck amphibious ships, participation in numerous operations around the world, to include Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia, and Afghanistan, and service in the U.S. Navy in strategic-level Human Intelligence (HUMINT) collection operations as a CIA-trained case officer. J.R. earned an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies at the U.S. Naval War College in 2004, and in August of 2018 he completed a Master of Public Affairs degree at the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota. Today, J.R. often serves as a visiting lecturer, teaching national security courses in Carleton College's Department of Political Science, and hosts his radio show, National Security This Week, on KYMN Radio in Northfield, Minnesota.

David Bruns earned a Bachelor of Science in Honors English from the United States Naval Academy. (That's not a typo. He's probably the only English major you'll ever meet who took multiple semesters of calculus, physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, naval architecture, and weapons systems just so he could read some Shakespeare. It was totally worth it.) Following six years as a US Navy submarine officer, David spent twenty years in the high-tech private sector. A graduate of the prestigious Clarion West Writers Workshop, he is the author of over twenty novels and dozens of short stories. Today, he co-writes contemporary national security thrillers with retired naval intelligence officer, J.R. Olson.