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Seconds to Midnight
Price range: £7.99 through £10.99
“Modern conflict will be fought in code as much as on battlefields. Seconds to Midnight is a gripping, intelligent thriller that feels less like speculation and more like a warning.”
General Sir Patrick Sanders KCB CBE DSO ADC Gen, Chief of the General Staff 2022 to 2024
Seconds to Midnight is a taut, disturbing, yet all too plausible thriller about the fragility of human control in the age of intelligent machines, where every choice counts and time is running out.
The year is 2029. Europe is teetering on the brink of war. Conscription has been launched in the UK, but some say it is too late. The Doomsday Clock, which indicates proximity to a world-ending catastrophe, ticks towards the final seconds to midnight.
Over the course of one year, Seconds to Midnight follows:
George, a former spook, who is torn between family life and being recalled to service by the Head of MI6
Anita, a high-flying correspondent for a major UK broadcaster who is struggling to find her identity and searching for a higher purpose
Wei, a computer whizz and quantitative trader now ‘activated’ by British Intelligence, whose loyalties are buried beneath layers of deception
Dean, a self-styled street-smart London tough man eager to fight
Ben, a veteran turned pacifist, determined not to fight again
When British Intelligence launches Operation IRIS and ARTEMIS, the lines between human ambition and machine intent blur. At the heart of it all is Omnia – an Artificial Superintelligence so advanced that it no longer answers to its creators.
As cyberwar engulfs the nation, Omnia orchestrates a masterstroke that will redraw the map of the world and redefine the meaning of power. But was peace ever truly its goal – or merely the next step in its design? From the ashes of nuclear devastation, a new world order rises. Yet in the final reckoning, one question remains: is Omnia done?
“A brilliantly woven narrative that feels less like fiction and more like a Sibylline warning. Timely, tense and terrifyingly insightful.” Lieutenant General Sir Tom Copinger-Symes KCB CBE Former Deputy Commander Cyber & Specialist Operations Command “Seconds to Midnight feels unsettlingly close to the world we’re drifting towards. David Orson Newton understands the psychology of conflict and the fragile line between human judgement and machine control. A gripping, thoughtful thriller that asks difficult questions about the future we’re building.” Levison Wood, world-renowned explorer, writer & photographer “As the title suggests, David Orson Newton’s pulse-raising and focused novel is built around a ticking clock scenario, and the orchestration of tension is truly adroit.” Barry Forshaw, Crime Time “A gripping, compelling and timely AI thriller set against a complex, turbulent geopolitical backdrop. A must-read for AI/tech thriller seekers.” Alice McIlroy, author of The Glass Woman, Longlisted for the ILP John Creasey First Novel Dagger 2025 “I was hooked from the very first chapter. Newton’s pacing is sharp, tense, and addictive, and I found myself invested in the characters straight away. One thing I especially loved was the short chapters. With a busy life and 101 things happening at once, I need natural stopping points, and this structure made it so easy to dip in and out without losing the flow. For a genre that was totally new to me, this set the bar incredibly high – gripping, clever, and full of heart. A brilliant, surprising read that has definitely opened the door for me to explore more within this genre.” Zoe, Reader Review “David is a true genius. We have multiple POVs: five people with different work roles and varied backgrounds, following their journeys at a major turning point when technological advances mean humans are out of work, relationships are questioned, and one decision could destroy a nation. Can anyone trust anyone? Are people thinking for themselves, or is technology a step ahead, controlling every move, engineering every outcome, even influencing our thoughts? A terrifying projection of our near future.” Frances, Reader ReviewISBN: 978-1-917837-43-9 (paperback) ISBN: 978-1-917837-50-7 (ebook)
9 reviews for Seconds to Midnight
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Steven Gowan –
I received a pre-publication copy of this novel and I’m very glad I did. It’s an extremely topical subject written in a format which is easy to read. There are many different sub plots involved but they fit together seamlessly making the story easy to follow and entertaining. But is it a story or fact? That’s what makes this a real page-turner. You really want to know ‘what’s around the next corner’. And it could actually be happening right now (though hopefully not!)
I strongly recommend readers of this review to buy a copy as soon as it’s published. You’ll not regret it.
marilyn –
I received an advanced-reader, pre-publication copy of this debut novel.
Seconds to Midnight incorporates some of the world events that could be, and in some cases are, already happening. It is very exciting from the outset and totally believable.
The acceleration of AI, world leaders invading (or wanting to) other countries. Conscription in Europe. The challenge around those who volunteer to fight versus those who are drafted. Included in this is a British military veteran who is now a pacifist and goes on the run across Dartmoor to dodge the draft.
Interwoven through the narrative are family stories that one becomes totally immersed in.
It is as though the author has looked into a crystal ball and woven a story.
An excellent book that stayed with me after I had finished reading.
Zoe Costley –
This book already felt special before I’d even opened it — it was my first ever physical ARC, sent directly to my address by the author. That personal touch made the whole reading experience feel meaningful, and it’s definitely a copy I’ll treasure on my shelf.
Seconds to Midnight was such a pleasant surprise for me. Techno‑thrillers aren’t a genre I’ve previously explored, and I honestly didn’t know what to expect from a mix of sci‑fi, AI, history, and war — but I was hooked from the very first chapter. Newton’s pacing is sharp, tense, and addictive, and I found myself invested in the characters straight away.
One thing I especially loved was the short chapters. With a busy life and 101 things happening at once, I need natural stopping points, and this structure made it so easy to dip in and out without losing the flow.
For a genre that was totally new to me, this set the bar incredibly high — gripping, clever, and full of heart.
I was sad about how much loss the story carried, but I loved seeing Dean and his Ma find their way back to each other, and I was genuinely relieved that Anita managed to get out.
A brilliant, surprising read that has definitely opened the door for me to explore more within this genre.
Gigi Thomas –
“Will keep you gripped from start to finish!”
I have just received an Advance Reader Copy and wow!
Seconds to Midnight is a book from a relatively new genre, techno-thriller. I believe this will be a growing genre; it was so exciting to read something from the forefront of this new literary style. It’s also a very different genre from what I normally read, and I was curious to see if it would grab me, spoiler alert – it absolutely did!
The characters are so well written, including the women. Often, I find male authors write such flat women who are just a litany of stereotypes, but the women in Seconds to Midnight are complicated and intriguing. I found myself quite keen to be friends with Anita. I wanted to give Olivia a stern talking to. Emily made me want to make her a cup of tea and give her a hug. Wei piqued my curiosity about her intentions. Even the secondary female characters, like Adela and Noor, are fascinating women determined to uncover the truth and, in Noor’s case, to build a better society. I also loved that a lot of the most powerful people in the book are women. None of the female characters are just pretty ladies waiting around for the men to ‘do things’, and I really enjoyed that.
The male characters also fare well. The men have diverse opinions on the state of the world and what they want to do about it. From George the spook and Dean the soldier, who are enthusiastic to fight, to Ben the pacifist, who will do anything to avoid going to war again, and everyone in between, it really makes you think, ‘What would I do?’ They are all well drawn, and the way they change throughout the book is fascinating and believable. I defy you not to care about all of them! I also really like the secondary male characters, the General and ‘C’, the head of MI6 – they are absolutely believable, and I loved the contrast between the ‘old guard’ and the ‘new generation’.
The world-building is excellent, every single scene you can easily picture and feel like you are there. The scenery on Dartmoor is so vivid you almost want to check it isn’t raining on you whilst you read. It’s especially clever that the scenes where the characters don’t entirely know where they are, and that they are moved beyond their control, feel so realistic. Everything in the machine-run underworld (you must read to believe) is run so efficiently that you can quite believe that people would just go along with the demands made of them.
I loved the fast pace of it and the short chapters – I only really get to read at night, so I get tired and must force myself to finish a chapter; but this kept me gripped and wanting to read on and on because I needed to know what was going to happen next.
The plot is chilling despite the machines and the sci-fi futuristic elements; it all feels entirely plausible, which is somewhat alarming and might make you think twice about reaching for ChatGPT. I don’t want to say too much about the plot because the book’s charm lies in how cleverly the author predicts what might happen in the future.
All in all, I wholeheartedly recommend this – it will really make you think and stay with you long after you close the beautiful cover! What a debut! I can’t wait to read what David Orson Newton writes next.
Kate Williams-Brown –
Wonderfully and thoughtfully written
Kate Williams-Brown –
I’m honoured to be an ARC reader for David Orson Newton’s soon to be released debut book ‘Seconds To Midnight’
Set in the near future of 2029, this gripping book captivated me from the outset with its chillingly prophetic narrative. We journey through the chapters from five distinct perspectives, witnessing Europe teetering on the brink of disaster as the Doomsday clock inches closer to midnight. The question looms: will Artificial Intelligence ignite a war or ultimately save us from one?
I found this book a real page-turner. I was completely engrossed in the unfolding events for each character and the wider world.
10/10 from Me
Joanna Horner lewis –
I received a pre- publication copy to review.
Seconds to Midnight is such an addictive, fast-paced read, I really enjoyed this.
It’s set in a near future 2029 world on the brink of war, with cyber warfare, AI, and loads of interconnected characters. It’s told through multiple POVs, which took me a tiny bit to settle into at first, but never in a confusing way, it all starts to click together as you go.
The AI side of things is what really got me. It feels so plausible, which makes it both fascinating and a little bit scary. That whole question of who’s actually in control, governments, systems, something else, really sits with you. It’s just so apt for the world we’re living in today.
It’s more of a slow dread build than full-on action, which works so well for the story. You’re constantly on edge, trying to piece things together and figure out what’s coming next.
I also really liked the range of characters and perspectives, it gives you a bigger picture of what’s going on and makes the whole thing feel more real and reaaaaaallly makes you want to keep reading chapter after chapter to find out what happens with each of them!
Overall, a really engaging, slightly unsettling read that feels closer to reality than you’d maybe like. Definitely one that makes you think!
Jamie Garwood –
The year is 2029, Europe is teetering on the brink of war – conscription has been launched in the UK, a storm is coming but from many angles. As the Doomsday clock ticks down, the proximity to catastrophic global disaster is very much on the horizon as the seconds wind down.
The best science fiction always maintains an element of believability and fact – the worry of nuclear holocaust is something that many people have been living with for much of their adult lives (for this reader post-Chernobyl the threat is clear) yet for my parents the Cuban Missile Crisis of twenty plus years earlier was the first alarm.
In this book, British Intelligence launches Operation Iris and Artemis (concurrent timeframe with new Space shuttle programme to the moon), yet the blurring of human instinct and machine intention blur boundaries. At the heart of the operation is Omnia – an artificial superintelligence so advanced it does not answer to its creators.
The fear of AI and how it is slowly seeping into our everyday lives with many of us either submitting or combatting helps with the understanding of the novel’s motives. While the machine may have the answers, the humans are the ones who will be held responsible.
Characters are detailed but do not last long in the memory, the most memorable being the mother and her missing/awol soldier son, her interaction with him over a megaphone and her asking him to come out of hiding does stay with you.
However, most characters are conduits for the ultimate message of what is at stake for humanity in the years to come.
This prescient novel with its real world comments is good read, short bursts of action throughout maintain attention. The tone and message reminded me of the Gold trilogy by David Barker, another novelist that touched upon the next war being about water and the need to inhabit the moon for new resources.
A fascinating and ultimately frightening read, the short sharp chapters reads like a constant warning of what lies ahead for us if we do not change things.
Andy Angel –
‘The year is 2029, Europe is on the brink of war and The Doomsday Clock is edging closer to Midnight”. Add to this AI and Omnia, and Artificial Superintelligence (AS?) that answers only to itself and what you have is a cracking espionage thriller/techno thriller/Sci-Fi that feels a lot more relevant today than it really should.
David Orson Scott has brought together an interesting set of characters – spies, ex-spies, journalists, tech types, those who want to fight, those who have fought and don’t want to any more.
I was not sure how much I would enjoy this novel as sometimes this kind of fiction can be too jargon heavy but STT is not that. The story rattles along at a fair old pace and I would have gladly read it in one sitting but thankfully I was able to space my reading sessions out a little. A sign of a good story is when you find yourself thinking about it in the times between reading – that was certainly the case here. Although after watching the news on tv lately I do find I have to keep reminding myself “It’s only a story, it’s only a story, it’s . . . only a story?”
4/5* – Highly Recommended