EPISODE · Jun 7, 2026 · 35 MIN
The Counterfeit: Chinese spy-ops, and a possible future view of America (Feat. Dr. Ralph DeFalco)
from On the Fringe · host Dave and Gavin
(00:00:00) The Counterfeit: Chinese spy-ops, and a possible future view of America (Feat. Dr. Ralph DeFalco) (00:00:49) Introducing Dr. Ralph DeFalco III (00:02:52) The Counterfeit: A geopolitical thriller as described by the author (00:08:40) Crafting a realistic scenario and characters (00:17:28) Layers of depth and meaning in the novel (00:20:16) How things change: creeping normalcy (00:26:13) Historical context, modern, and historic parallels (00:32:05) Final thoughts and where to find out more about the book A former intelligence professional provides an authentic look at intelligence operations and a potential dark future for the United States--in a gripping work of fiction. In this episode, Dave and Gav sit down with Dr. Ralph DeFalco, author of The Counterfeit, retired Naval Officer, and a national security operative with more than fifty years of experience, to talk about Chinese influence campaigns, economic coercion, and the blurry line between fiction and forecasting in the intelligence world.The conversation explores how speculative fiction can function almost like strategic modeling, where imagined crises have a habit of becoming uncomfortably plausible a few years later. Dr. DeFalco talks about plotting a novel as a labour of love and how he drew from history to create a believable and authentic environment. On the Fringe also taps into how influence actually works in practice and why democracies continue to struggle to respond to slow-moving forms of pressure.One thing I (Dave) forgot to mention in the interview is that I felt the book shines a light into Chinese society under the CCP, specifically about how the Chinese Communist Party secures the Chinese state, how Chinese intelligence operations are conducted, and how information is tightly controlled in China behind the great firewall.If you’re hooked, here’s a link to bookshop.org to purchase the book.(we make ZERO commission) As always, thanks as always for joining us On the Fringe and don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share. All the best from both of us,Gav and Dave
What this episode covers
(00:00:00) The Counterfeit: Chinese spy-ops, and a possible future view of America (Feat. Dr. Ralph DeFalco) (00:00:49) Introducing Dr. Ralph DeFalco III (00:02:52) The Counterfeit: A geopolitical thriller as described by the author (00:08:40) Crafting a realistic scenario and characters (00:17:28) Layers of depth and meaning in the novel (00:20:16) How things change: creeping normalcy (00:26:13) Historical context, modern, and historic parallels (00:32:05) Final thoughts and where to find out more about the book A former intelligence professional provides an authentic look at intelligence operations and a potential dark future for the United States--in a gripping work of fiction. In this episode, Dave and Gav sit down with Dr. Ralph DeFalco, author of The Counterfeit, retired Naval Officer, and a national security operative with more than fifty years of experience, to talk about Chinese influence campaigns, economic coercion, and the blurry line between fiction and forecasting in the intelligence world.The conversation explores how speculative fiction can function almost like strategic modeling, where imagined crises have a habit of becoming uncomfortably plausible a few years later. Dr. DeFalco talks about plotting a novel as a labour of love and how he drew from history to create a believable and authentic environment. On the Fringe also taps into how influence actually works in practice and why democracies continue to struggle to respond to slow-moving forms of pressure.One thing I (Dave) forgot to mention in the interview is that I felt the book shines a light into Chinese society under the CCP, specifically about how the Chinese Communist Party secures the Chinese state, how Chinese intelligence operations are conducted, and how information is tightly controlled in China behind the great firewall.If you’re hooked, here’s a link to bookshop.org to purchase the book.(we make ZERO commission) As always, thanks as always for joining us On the Fringe and don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share. All the best from both of us,Gav and Dave
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The Counterfeit: Chinese spy-ops, and a possible future view of America (Feat. Dr. Ralph DeFalco)
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