"Deep War" eBook was published in 2018 and was written by David Poyer (http://www.davidpoyer.com/home.html). Mr. Poyer has published more than 35 novels. This is the 18th in his "Dan Lenson" series. 

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set in the near future. The US and its allies are at war with China. The primary character is Admiral Dan Lenson, but his wife Blair, Marine sergeant Hector Ramos, and Navy SEAL Master Chief Teddy Oberg all play significant roles.

China has made a devastating nuclear attack against US naval forces. In the US there are beginning to be food shortages and power disruptions. Military and the private sector face various Chinese directed cyber and AI assaults. The US economy is being significantly affected. 

A US Naval force makes an attack on China, but it is mostly ineffective due to previously unknown Chinese penetration of military systems. The Chinese Cyber efforts are being directed by Jade Emperor, a powerful AI system. It is out thinking US efforts at every turn. It seems that without taking Jade Emperor out of the war, the US has little hope.

Oberg is behind enemy lines and organizing a guerilla military effort to harras the Chinese. He is sent on a very risky mission with his forces to attack a remote facility in the desert.  He hopes that whatever they are attacking will be worth the losses he anticipates. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the 8 hours I spent reading this 292-page thriller. It was a little hard jumping into the middle of such a long-running series, but this novel read pretty well on its own. The way the story is left, there will definitely be another novel in the series. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

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This is a continuation of novels dealing with a war between the United States and China. Mr Poyer utilizes several characters involved in the combat as a means of centering the action to areas selected by him as most important to the story. Chief among these is admiral Dan Lenson who is selected to lead an important attack on Chinese installations.
The actions involved; the attacks, the combat and the behind the scenes maneuvering are well done. The biggest problem that I have in enjoying "Deep War" as much as I have other books by David Poyer is the time and space dedicated to going into detail about the nomenclature for the weaponry and systems used in the war. The author has an excellent knowledge of carrying out a modern mechanized war with the very high tech equipment utilized in the fighting. The reader will immediately get Mr Poyer's opinions that future war will be fought with cyber attacks as well as central roles played by Artificial Intelligence (AI). I feel that the overabundance of description devoted to the weapons rather than the people involved with the fighting takes the novel from perhaps a good short story to an overly lengthy novel.
A concept is used which was once a science fiction idea is for the Chinese government to be using a thinking computer to direct the war for them. Termed "Jade Emperor" the AI, as it is, anticipates and counters moves by the allies. It thinks ahead and is able to postulate scenarios with appropriate counter measures and order such action by the Chinese military. Mr Poyer has made the argument that with such entities virtually on the horizon it would really be national suicide for nations to make war on each other. Perhaps this concept described by the author will finally become the deterrent mankind needs to avoid armed conflict and use reason.

Deep War is a war where everything is at stake—think the Somme or Stalingrad.

China has intervened in a skirmish between India and Pakistan. When the United States sent in a carrier battle group, China destroyed it with a nuclear bomb—killing all 10,000 people aboard.

It’s now year two of the war. In the US, the first and second amendments have been suspended as well as habeas corpus. A full draft has begun that includes woman for the first time. Due to Chinese hackers, only face-to-face and paper communications can be trusted. The US is seriously considering a confined nuclear solution. Later, China unleashes a new tech solution—an artificial intelligence called Jade Emperor that anticipates every move made by China’s enemies and how to counter them. There is also a renegade Navy Seal recruiting and training homegrown troops to infiltrate China on the CIAs behest.

Deep War is the 18th entry in the Dan Lenson series. However, it can be read as a stand-alone novel. It has something for everyone: military strategy, politics, and low and high tech solutions to war. This book is highly recommended for those who enjoy military fiction but also those who like tech will enjoy it. It is scarily true to life. 4 stars!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Superb military fiction in Deep War. Poyer portrays a very realistic vision of future conflict with China.

This book is about a modern day war with America and it's allies against the Chinese. Modern day weapons with cyber warfare creates an bleak future. Poyer creates a tightly written novel.