A gripping techno-political novel reveals how one digital attack could unleash one of the greatest disasters in history
Dieter Gartelmann combines geopolitical intrigue, cyber warfare, environmental risk and human courage in “Dam Break: The Day Half of China Flooded” (published by Partridge India). Spanning three nations — Iran, India and China — the novel presents a high-stakes narrative in which one of the world’s largest engineering projects could trigger a disaster affecting millions.
The story centers on Azar Hosseini, an Iranian water specialist whose life is shaped by political oppression and personal tragedy. After her father becomes entangled in the aftermath of a cyberattack on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, Azar’s path eventually leads her into a global crisis involving the safety of China’s largest hydroelectric system. Azar joins forces with Viraj Kumar, an Indian hydrology doctoral student, to analyze the risks surrounding China’s massive reservoir network. Their scientific warnings bring them into contact with China’s Water Minister Wang Fang, who faces intense political pressure while trying to address a growing threat to millions of people living along the Yangtze River basin. As warning signs mount and scientific models reveal catastrophic flood scenarios, the novel evolves into a desperate race against time. When the Three Gorges Dam begins to fail, authorities must attempt the near-impossible: evacuating millions before a massive wall of water surges downstream. At the same time, political rivalries and secrecy at the highest levels threaten to undermine rescue efforts and reshape China’s future.
Through detailed research and fast-paced storytelling, “Dam Break” explores the dangers posed by large-scale infrastructure projects when political certainty overrides scientific caution. In Gartelmann’s imagined scenario, the collapse of a dam would not simply trigger flooding — it would disrupt global supply chains, destabilize markets, and demand trillions of dollars in recovery efforts.
“There is danger with all megaproject proposals and it’s worth listening to the no voices,” the author states.
Not all the baddies are bad. But you need courage to confront evil and it helps if you have strong love connections to remind you what’s at stake. My biggest take away is change can happen. How I would love President Xi Jinping to read my book.”
“Dam Break: The Day Half of China Flooded”
By Dieter Gartelmann
Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 386 pages | ISBN 9781543710625
Softcover | 6 x 9in | 386 pages | ISBN 9781543710618
E-Book | 386 pages | ISBN 9781543710601
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Dieter Gartelmann migrated to Australia from Germany at the age of thirteen and settled in Adelaide, South Australia. After studying engineering, he spent more than forty-five years working in information technology. Later in life, while pursuing a master’s degree in cybersecurity, Gartelmann began writing fiction inspired by real-world events.
