All Systems Down
This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. (June 2023) ) |
All Systems Down is a 2018 techno-thriller novel by American writer Sam Boush. The novel deals with a cyberwarfare attack on Western countries, focusing on three groups of characters in the United States.
Plot
All Systems Down begins with a North Korean cyberattack that destroys infrastructure across Western nations, including banks, dams, and the power grid. Russia invades Eastern Europe while China and North Korea invade several US-allied nations in Asia.
The book focuses on one character in particular, Brendan Chogan, an out-of-work parking enforcement officer. While interviewing for a security guard position, Brendan recognizes danger when a computer virus strikes Portland, Oregon, destroying internet access across the city. This is just the beginning of the attacks. Soon, the country descends into further chaos when citizens nationwide lose their cellular service and electricity. Traffic backs up as vehicles are hacked. Local water systems collapse as generators fail.
Meanwhile, hacker Xandra Strandlien's boss at U.S. Cyber Command sends her to Oregon. Intelligence on Chinese–Russian joint military exercises has led to a fear of a post-cyberattack armed invasion, and the Oregon Coast, which has no military bases nearby, is a potential target.
As Brendan and Vailea struggle to secure their home and
At the same time, Xandra has flown across the country with a civilian pilot, Lorenzo, and his daughter Carmen. Each of the several groups has faced enormous challenges with the collapse of modern technology, fleeing and fighting as necessary, to finally converge at the home of Brendan and Vailea. There they concoct a plan not just to survive the cyber war, but to hit back against the enemy.
Kelly and Orion had spotted a Russian submarine in the
When Xandra is shot, she gives Brendan a
In North Korea and in China, the hacking units are celebrating their victory when the lights in their cities go suddenly dark. and blackouts cascade across the region.
Reception
The book was well received by most critics, including
Positive reviews also came from The Good Men Project,[3] Suspense Magazine, and Mystery Suspense Reviews.[4]
Background
In 2019, Lakewater Press announced it was going out of business[5] and would not be publishing the sequel, All Threats Within.
References
- ^ Kirkus Reviews (2018-01-22). "Fiction review: All Systems Down". Kirkus.
- ^ Kim Himstreet (2018-03-01). "Fact meets fiction in new cyberwar thriller". The Bend Bulletin.
- ^ Jay Snook (2018-02-07). "'All Systems Down' Shows how Crippling Cyber Terrorism can be". The Good Men Project. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
- ^ Merryci (2018-01-22). "All Systems Down, by Sam Boush". Mystery Suspense Reviews. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
- ^ Lakewater (2019-11-22). "We Are Closing Down". Archived from the original on 2020-01-30. Retrieved 2020-01-29.