Shadow tyrants by Clive Cussler

"Shadow tyrants" by Clive Cussler and Boyd Morrison-  Ashoka's nine unknowns!

This book is published by Michael Joseph in 2018 and has 480 pages. This is Book 13 of The Oregon Files.

A freight ship launches missile on America's Diego Garcia base in Indian ocean. Ashoka's Nine Unknowns exist. There is a traitor in the Nine Unknowns. Project Colossus will shift the balance of power. Vajra can render the electronics useless in the target zone. The corporation has to fight on multiple fronts. 

What is Project Colossus? What is Vajra? What is the aim of Nine Unknowns? Who is the traitor? Can The corporation save the day?

In ancient India, Ashoka the great was distraught after winning a war of Kalinga and realised that the knowledge in his possession, if fallen in wrong hands,  can be devastating. So he called nine persons and gave them scrolls containing nine areas of knowledge and asked them to save it from the world. Their descendents carried the tradition forward for more than 2000 years. This secret society was known as The Nine Unknowns. This is probably worlds oldest secret society. 

The story is interesting as all Clive Cussler stories are. Authors have churned out another thriller with the fantastic idea of Oregon, the spy ship. Those who have read the series and those who haven't will remain attracted to the book till they complete it. There are no new characters introduced that will continue in subsequent books. 

Oregon, Spy ship disguised as tramp steamer and it's occupants led by Juan Cabrillo are The Corporation. The Corporation takes assignments,  mainly for CIA, and carries out the assignments with a combination of deception,  technology,  courage, planning and creativity. 

So what's new in the book? The team splits up for separate assignments thrice in this book. There is a gun fight onboard Airbus A380 plane in air.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become the next big thing. What can AI do and what are the consequences of empowering AI when it reaches singularity? Singularity means it becomes conscious and able to improve itself thereby becoming independent. So is AI boon or bane? This subject was explored by Dan Brown in his book Origin recently. This book also addresses the subject.

This story has Vajra, a tool to render all the electronics in the world useless. This will bring the humanity back to old age, billions of people will die of starvation. Similar concept on a smaller scale (a country instead of world) was used by Bill Clinton and James Patterson in their book 'President is missing.

Apparently these two topics have caught the imagination of fiction writers. Over time,  fictions tend to become reality. Is this what humanity will be staring at in future?

There are numerous fictions by Indian authors about Nine Unknowns. Despite this being the oldest secret society legend, it had not drawn attention of international authors. I was wondering how long will it take?

Why did I read this book? Author and series

What I didn't like? End of Nine Unknowns.

What did I like? AI and No computers idea.

 Recommend reading.