The Cool War is a science fiction novel by American writer Frederik Pohl, published in 1981 by Del Rey Books.

H. Hornswell "Horny" Hake becomes embroiled in "the Cool War", in which each country tries to sabotage the economies of its rivals, even if politically they are allies.

The children are, however, carrying a virulent flu-like disease that affects only adults aged between 30 and 50, the "prime of life" individuals who tend to run businesses and government in industrialized countries.

However the War has produced a group of people who profit by its continuation and can suppress technologies that might solve humanity's problems.

In particular a new form of solar energy collection relies on bio-engineered "sunflowers" which, while technically plants, have extremely reflective petals and can be trained to focus light from a wide area on a furnace or power generator.