Phantom Orbit by David Ignatius
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Ivan Volkov is a Russian scientist knowledgeable about satellites. In the 1990s he studies in China with a scientist named Cao Lin. In their discussions they figure out a way to disable a whole satellite guidance system, like the American GPS. Volkov also meets a young woman named Edith Ryan who turns out to be a spotter for the CIA. Sparks fly between them, but ultimately he realizes she’s using him and he returns to Russia. Cao tries to get him to return to China, but the FSB (KGB with a new name) keep him home. Skip ahead to modern day and these three characters’ lives interact once again while the U.S., Russia, and China are on the brink of war in space involving satellites. China is helping Russia in the Ukraine war.
I was hoping for better than this book delivered, but it wasn’t bad. It took almost 200 pages to get to the present day, which is where the suspense kicks in and things get complicated. Be prepared to read about years of personal history on these characters. There was surprisingly good detail on satellites and how they work, which I enjoyed. The spy tradecraft and cold war type action are less than credible in places, but I liked how they brought it right up to the present day, even working in the Ukraine War and oblique references to ex-president Trump. The ending was mostly predictable thus diffusing the suspense. The writing was good enough to keep me reading, but I don’t have a desire to read another of his books.