Underwater warfare in the next century
DECEMBER 31, 2019 by DAVID HEALEY
By David Healey
Deep under the oceans, more than a century from today, a struggle is being waged for the survival of humanity.
After the devastation wrought by rapid climate change, the remaining world superpowers are coping with how to sustain their populations. Where do people live? How are they fed? Where will resources come from?
This is the future that Canadian author Timothy S. Johnston images in his newest novel, THE SAVAGE DEEPS.
In addition to being a thriller, the novel also poses so many interesting questions about the world in 110 years. Instead of turning to space for survival, Johnston imagines that the answer lies under the oceans. Mineral deposits sit on the ocean floor, waiting to be scooped up. Geothermal heat and oil deposits are there for the taking, along with new fishing grounds. To feed the masses, vast forests of kelp can be grown and harvested.
However, the superpowers are fighting over these resources. It has triggered a new Cold War—and sometimes a hot one.
“The next natural frontier is really the water,” Johnston explained. “Seventy percent of the planet is underwater. The big issue for humanity is that it will likely trigger a new Cold War underwater, and that is the setting of this novel.”
David Healey author 