New China in SSG: Spy/Spec-Ops Group

Dec 07, 2013 Samuel rated it really liked it

BROKEN CHINA

Ever since the late Deng Xiaoping decided Communist Economics sucked and opened his country up to increasing levels of foreign investment, the People’s Republic Of China has gone from strength to strength. However, behind this seemingly endless economic success which has helped lift millions out of poverty, last year showed some cracks in the mask. From corrupt officials, a growing segment of the population who are willing to call the princelings in Beijing out for their screw ups, BROKEN CHINA

Ever since the late Deng Xiaoping decided Communist Economics sucked and opened his country up to increasing levels of foreign investment, the People’s Republic Of China has gone from strength to strength. However, behind this seemingly endless economic success which has helped lift millions out of poverty, last year showed some cracks in the mask. From corrupt officials, a growing segment of the population who are willing to call the princelings in Beijing out for their screw ups, illegal land seizures and a unhealthy desire by the people at the top to play up bellicose ultranationalisim as a replacement for Communist propaganda, as time goes on, China will soon be at the crossroads and be facing a situation which could rip it apart. In Barry Sierer’s début geopolitical thriller “New China”, a series of unfortunate events kicks off the second Chinese civil war where Britain, America, Russia and the ASEAN group plot and scheme to shape the future of the most important country in Asia.

The novel opens during the 1972 Northern Ireland Bloody Sunday Massacre where the commander of the Paratrooper unit muses on how he was forced into a no win situation by the political hacks in Whitehall. We then cut to 2013 where military and intelligence officials in Britain, America and Russia are monitoring disturbing political tensions in Beijing where the new politburo has recently been elected. The tensions come to a head when Hong Kong’s Time’s Square is taken over by protestors. Even though the treaty which allowed Hong Kong freedom from political interference by Beijing for 50 years hasn’t expired, out of desperation, the order is sent out to silence the protestors through the use of the PLA. Unfortunately, due to the actions of the arrogant, bellicose commander leading the assigned units, these efforts cause the deaths of multiple civilians including several foreigners. The politburo attempt to arrest the General but he performs a military coup and sets up a dictatorship with the aim to preserve the existing order and from there on in, things turn from very bad to so much worse with the war turning into a four way down and dirty duel for the middle Kingdom.

In terms of plot, “New China” is impressive. From a massacre in one of Hong Kong’s trendiest Shopping malls to an attack on the nuclear missile Silos of the PLA Second Artillery Corps , the action is on the level of Larry Bond’s “Red Storm Rising, highly gripping with something interesting always going on. In terms of research, Mr Seier has done his homework on the geopolitical complexities of the PRC and painted the most realistic and terrifying geopolitical scenario involving China that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. This is not one of the “invade Taiwan, destroy America” plots that has been done to death so many times by established names in the genre, instead, the author has taken something that is unique and geopolitically relevant, crafting a story which can match the best of Clancy, but without the door stopping length. What’s more, elements of this scenario are playing out in the news, with economic growth and municipal debt at concerning levels and China coming into increasing conflict with the ASEAN group.

As for characters….they’re alright. A problem with geopolitical thrillers is that they leave little room for character development unless they’re the length of your average Tom Clancy novel. “New China” is a case in point. The story gets its weight from the skilled exploration of the repercussions of the PRC’S winning streak coming to a horrible end, not character development. However, the cast in “New China” however have a saving grace. They’re not black and white, like the founders of Post-Imperial China, they have agenda’s to fulfil and are perfectly happy to get their hands bloody to do so. A key example is Samak Banamyong, the faction leader for the ASEAN group's "New China". Despite having a pretty noble goal, which involves the destruction of the rotten old dictatorship, he also has a group of POW’S run over by an APC in order to find out whether the rank and file of the PLA would disintegrate if their political officers get killed first. He’s also got an extremely tragic past which has warped his present day motivations. As a result, I found him the most interesting character instead of Colonel Ian Sanderson of Her Majesty’s RMC, the only morally good character of the tale.

Now for some criticism. Most of the nomenclature is accurate to an acceptable degree. However, the Special Boat Service is referred to as the Special Boat Squadron ( Pre WW2 name) and Browning Hi-Power handguns are still being used when in real life, they have been phased out and replaced with the SIG Sauer P226 (L107A1) and the Glock 17. Apart from that, “New China” was a blast.

Barry Sierer has created the starting point of an interesting saga. There are plot threads which haven’t been tied up, regimes that need to be set up and tragic characters who have yet to face off against each other on the geopolitical chess board. Overall, the author has crafted a brilliant “what if?” scenario which will keep you up at night, watching the news and gasping as it slowly plays out in real life.
COMPLETELY RECOMMENDED.
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