Move Over Jack Ryan, In The Donyang Deception By Colin Farwell, New Analyst From The Office Of Naval Intelligence Saves Not Just The Day, But The Whole US East Coast

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, in Colin Farwell’s The Donyang Deception, new and slightly out of his depth ONI analyst, Zach Hooper, must foil a plot to trigger a natural disaster on a scale not seen for millennia that would wipe out the entire US east coast.

The Donyang Deception

Colin Farwell’s Zach Hooper stands out in a genre already riddled with macho and agency-based world saving protagonists capable of stopping evil in its tracks and keeping the world as we know it, spinning. His new thriller, The Donyang Deception, enthrals from the outset as its hugely plausible storyline of a power struggle in a secretive country, stolen technology and a force that, once unleashed… is unstoppable.

Plausible character, Zach Hooper isn’t a martial arts expert or licenced to kill. Rather, he’s a young analyst, turned detective, who discovers that his mission is far, far bigger than anyone thought and he is soon caught up in a plot bursting with catastrophic potential. Pleasingly more egalitarian than many of his fellow literary heroes, Zach is happy to share the world-saving limelight with Nikki, an African American US embassy worker in Paris assigned to provide Zach with support.

In a country like North Korea, scientists are given the near impossible task of developing a new super-explosive for use in their rocket programme.  Then, routine surveillance by a US spy satellite shows one of Donyang’s rockets wiping out an aircraft carrier.  The video is sent to Zach Hooper, a young analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and the story’s protagonist.  His bosses conclude that Donyang’s rapid progress in perfecting the weapon is due to guidance technology stolen from the west and begin searching for the source.  They are also alarmed by the power of the warhead that appears to be a new super-explosive.

Hopper is despatched to Paris and the satellite launch company, EuroSat – one of a number of organisations with rocket guidance expertise.  He quickly teams with Nikki Russell who works at the American embassy.  With her help, together with some clever analysis and entertaining ploys, he finds the spy planted in EuroSat.  In parallel, the US navy recover wreckage from the aircraft carrier and discover it was a fibre glass replica.  However, Donyang’s leader was deceived by his own people and believes he has a wonder-weapon.

Keziah, the leader’s half-sister is plotting a coup.  To bolster support she hatched a plan to present herself as someone who could stand-up to America… and win.  Keziah has been working an idea to cause a ‘natural disaster’ on a scale not seen for millennia.  This would unleash a force so powerful that an enemy superpower would be crippled for a generation… and the world would be deceived that EuroSat had caused this apocalyptic event.

Zach has one clue that suggests a problem with an upcoming satellite launch.  The pair travel to the launch site in South America and gradually discover Keziah’s terrifying plan – where a satellite launch is a key element.  EuroSat don’t believe them and with just hours left before catastrophe they must prove they’re right.

Then Zach is sent to join Marines who will storm the ship used in Keziah’s plan.  However, the captain manages to escape and can trigger the ‘natural disaster’ remotely.  Zach’s pursuit of him leads to a face-to-face confrontation with Keziah where her plan unravels, her escape fails, and disaster is averted.  Zach and Nikki receive Presidential medals.

During the mission Zach discovered more about the circumstances of his father’s death a few years before.  Now it transpires that an earlier Keziah scheme was the cause, and he realises he’s been an unknowing avenger.

With this new and exciting author determined to keep his plots grounded in what is actually possible – with many narrative elements based on fact – Zach Hooper is a character that every fervent thriller fan will want to hear more from.

Colin Farwell

Author Colin Farwell has enjoyed a varied career as an engineer (in electronics and software), as a consultant to industry and government and latterly as a Business Development Manager in both the telecoms and defence industries.  He has a marketing degree and an MBA, having originally qualified in electronic engineering.

In this first novel, The Donyang Deception, he draws upon his knowledge and experience, including how things happen in big organisations, to make the story credible.

Guided by the maxim there’s always someone who knows the book aims to be exciting – but always grounded in what is actually possible. His ambition for The Donyang Deception is that a mainstream producer somewhere will want to turn it into a film. Book sales are great, but the big screen is the ultimate prize.

Find more from Colin Farwell now:

Published on 23rd November 2023 ‘The Donyang Deception’ is available in paperback (ISBN 978-1-7394651-0-0) at £9.99 and as an ebook at £3.99 – both from Amazon.

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