Empire Rising

Campbell follows his promising debut, 2014’s The Trident Deception, with another riveting military action thriller. Christine O’Conner, the president’s national security adviser, fears the consequences of signing the Mutual Access to Environmental Resources Accord, which assures the U.S. and Pacific Rim nations access to dwindling oil reserves and cuts off China from present and future production. A well-prepared China responds to the signing by declaring war and seizing Taiwan, the first in a series of attacks that will lead to serious losses for the American Pacific fleet. Meanwhile, the Chinese take O’Conner prisoner while she’s visiting Beijing. After escaping, she plays a leading role in a dramatic SEAL raid, but the book’s primary focus is on the course of the naval war between China and the U.S. Campbell ably juggles a large cast as he switches among the personnel of the missile submarine USS Michigan, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, and other American vessels. This is a must-read for fans of this subgenre. Agent: John Talbot, Talbot Fortune Agency. (Feb.)