Tier One Wild

Delta Force #2

by Dalton Fury, Ari Fliakos (Narrator)

New York Times bestselling author and former Delta Force commander Dalton Fury (Black Site and Kill Bin Laden) is back with an explosive new thriller.

Former disgraced Delta Force commander Kolt "Racer" Raynor has earned his way back into The Unit after redeeming himself during an explosive operation at a black site in Pakistan. But he is about to face his deadliest challenge yet.

The most wanted man in the world, American al Qaeda commander Daoud al Amriki, and his handpicked team of terrorist operatives, have acquired stores of Russian-built, shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles (SAM's) from ex-Libyan spies in Cairo. Their mission: infiltrate the United States and take down American aircraft. The country's best are tasked with stopping them. But when a SEAL Team Six mission to take down al Amriki goes wrong, Major Raynor and his Delta Force team find themselves front and center as Amriki and his terrorists work their way closer to America. And time is running out.

Dramatic and revealing, Tier One Wild takes listeners on an international thrill ride from the black ops nerve center of JSOC to the bloody streets of Cairo in a story only a former Delta Force commander could tell.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Military Fiction, Audiobook, Action, Suspense, Adventure

Audio CD

First published October 16, 2012

About the author

Thomas Greer, the former special operations commander who wrote a series of books under the pen name "Dalton Fury" and exposed the American public firsthand to the modern exploits of the military's most secretive units, died October 21, 2016 from cancer.

Starting as an enlisted soldier and instructor in the elite Army Rangers in the mid-1980s before becoming an officer, Greer later joining U.S. Army Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta, more commonly known as "Delta Force," the Army's version of SEAL Team Six. He published "Kill Bin Laden" in 2008, recounting his participation in the unsuccessful 2001 mission to capture elusive terrorist leader Osama bin Laden when he was holed up in the Tora Bora mountains of Afghanistan. He went on to write a series of other books, including a fictionalized account of special forces operations.

Greer, 52, was perhaps the first in what has become a long series of shadowy warriors-turned-authors who traded their rifles for pens to meet the public's growing enthusiasm for details on the government's most classified missions. Civilian leaders and military planners increasingly rely on these elite commandos to accomplish secret missions in modern war zones, creating tension between those willing to tell the story and others who choose to uphold their pledge to secrecy.

"Every one of us was dubbed persona non grata by our former organization," Greer told U.S. News in 2015. "To some, that doesn't mean squat. To others, it can be pretty painful as you lose a lot of close friends."

He spoke shortly after Matt Bissonnette, one of the SEALs who contributed to the 2011 mission that killed bin Laden, came under formal Pentagon inquiry for writing his own book, "No Easy Day," as did Robert O'Neill, another of the SEALs on that mission, who revealed himself on Fox News and claimed he fired the shot that killed the al-Qaida leader.

Their actions prompted top SEAL leaders to write a letter to those within their ranks, admonishing those who break from what they described as the "critical tenet of our ethos," to not advertise the nature of their work or seek recognition for it.

"We do not abide willful or selfish disregard for our core values in return for public notoriety or financial gain," Navy Rear Adm. Brian Losey and Force Master Chief Michael Magaraci wrote at the time.

Both Bissonnette and O'Neill claimed they chose to tell their stories for the sake of the American public.

"It was UBL, the biggest target of our generation," Greer explained at the time, using the military's prefered acronym for bin Laden, and referencing the fact that the White House confirmed reports the SEAL unit had conducted the assault. "Once the gates were opened by the Obama administration, I believe both Biss and Rob decided to make their claim to history while it was still marketable."

The greatest source of criticism for the former commandos centered on their decision not to seek approval through established channels at the Department of Defense for discussing classified information. Greer submitted copies of his proposed books for review, as most others like him do, and any information the Pentagon deemed sensitive was either changed or stricken.

Others who knew Greer say he was at least in part inspired to write his own book by a perceived barrier between the general public and the less than 1 percent of them who fought the seemingly never-ending wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"It brings a lot of pride to the American people, especially in times that are needed," says Jim Reese, founder of security consulting firm TigerSwan who served with Greer in both the Rangers and Delta as a fellow officer. "You've got this organization that is in the shadows, and part of it should be. But this is the New York Yankees. What Tom was able to do with both his books and his fiction books was to bring the reality to Middle America, to let Americans be proud of this small element of Americans.

Reviews

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay I thought about this and think I have to go 5 stars here. I say that because as I finished this one the first thing I did was check to see if the "next" was out.

It's not by the way.

So, Kolt "Racer" Raynor joins the ranks of exceptional action heroes. I liked the first book about this character but found it a bit more strained and "been there" as the Major had lost men and crawled into a bottle only to be called back.

Here we stay with the character who finally got established and built an interesting story of a terrorist threat that could happen. The final climax stretches a little to include our protagonists but not too much for it to stay an excellent book.

We don't get a "nothing but action book here by the way. Not that this would necessarily have been a problem. I've read many "break out of the gate at a run and never slow down" books and they can be good. Here we take our time. We open with an action sequence and then fade into a sort of "spy thriller" type story that again leads into a fast moving climactic close.

It also ends in a "sort of" cliffhanger...you'll see what I mean.

If you like Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Tom Clancy, Mark Greany etc. this may be what you're looking for. An involving and exciting read, recommended. Enjoy.


By the way. I find it interesting the way different agencies and/or services are portrayed by different writers. For example The (poor and sometimes hated) CIA comes off pretty fairly and positively portrayed by Clancy and mostly so with Flynn or Thor. Here the CIA is shown as loyal but some of the operatives are painted as a bit.....bumbling.

It's interesting. I'm VERY conservative, even Libertarian in many of my views. I believe in small government and am concerned about things like the (so called) Patriot Act. All that being said even I have gotten tired over the years of seeing the CIA used as a "whipping boy". In books, TV programs, movies and so on there have been so many "rogue" CIA agents portrayed that there would be little but rogue agents.

Now while I'm sure there are (as has been demonstrated by history) rogue employees of the CIA as there are rogue soldiers, rogue broadcasters, rogue fast food workers and rogue humans of every stripe it's a bit unfair to condemn them all. These are people who (on the whole) go into hostile areas first. They do I'm sure handle unpleasant jobs and they do I'm sure go wrong and break rules on occasion. But I think we need to change the national attitude about the people themselves a bit. Till things are proved otherwise I think we might give them the benefit of the doubt.

Just me.

As I said here they're not negatively portrayed so much as portrayed to be inept. Clancy used to do this with State Department personnel often. Just interesting to me who portrays who inj what way...

Not a great spoiler, but interesting I thought.

[Scott A. Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. Very, very good. Raynor is a great character. This story wrapped up the first and was a Thriller through and through. Fury is someone for me to watch and I will certainly keep reading.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished Fury's second part in the series, (although his high body count leaves you thinking anyone can get taken out) and when you get to last page your gut loosens up. It's been a long time since an author makes you feel the blood splatter! Bravo and can't wait for the next one!

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book with a group of Tier One operators first trying to stop the flow of stolen Libyan RPGs, followed by the hunt at home for a group of terrorists led by an American jihadi.

[Randy Daugherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kolt"Racer" Raynor former excommunicated Delta Force commander has earned his way back into the fold.
Having completed a very dangerous and off the grid op in Pakistan Kolt has earned the right to enter the group again.His initiation back into Delta included a 30 day trial , one that had changed since Kolt was last in the saddle. Though suffering the extreme training, Kolt was advised that many did not think his reentering was such a great boon for Delta and many had not forgotten the mission that has ended up with Kolt almost dead and his men dead or captured.

"Racer's" luck seems to hold getting one mission after the other,each showing him to be the expert under fire that he always has been. Now Kolt has been handed one of the most explosive missions to date.Daoud al-Amriki the American born alQaeda commander, one of the top most wanted terrorist in the world.Daoud and his hand picked group of operatives have purchased 60 shoulder fired Russian made Sam's from ex-Libyan patriots have a mission in mind. Their mission to cripple first the economy and then to cut the head off of Government, the country in question, the USA.

This was a excellent read and page turner from the beginning. We are once again reunited with Kolt "Racer" Raynor the head strong brash Delta Force Commander. In "Kolt" Dalton Fury has created a very memorable character and we look forward to more from Dalton Fury and "Kolt Raynor"and Delta Force.

[SteVen Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review - The first Dalton Fury book - Black Site was amazing and so is this one - Tier One Wild! The story picks up right where Black Site left off and were once again with the main character- Kolt “Racer" Raynor - on a world wide hunt. Dalton Fury (deceased) never ceases to amaze in the second of the Delta Force novels giving a brief and very detailed summary of people, weapons, places, organizations and many others throughout the novel. With action and suspense happening almost every chapter, the reader is in for one wild ride as Kolt Raynor is in a life and death race to catch up with the infamous ‘bad guy’ to foil his plans and save not only the "POTUS" but also America. Huge fan of Dalton Fury and I really miss his stories...

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good shoot 'em up...not a bad read. A little short on plot and narrative, but still fun to read. I will go back and read the first one. I think there were only three in the series, so I'll check them out.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent! I will read his other books.

[Matt Odom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A first class thriller from beginning to end.

Having enjoyed Black Site so much, I opened this sequel with trepidation, but I need not have feared!

I rarely give any book five stars, but I enjoyed this one so much, there wasn't a single thing about it that I would change and there was no 'fluff' (pages on end with not relevance to the story itself - a common plague these days)

[Cindy B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exciting plot and interesting narration…profanity and, as one would expect, violence. Ends well and has action, drama, and keeps up the readers interest.

[Terry Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former soldier I'm a little biased in wanting to read any and all books with military themes...I can't help myself!
This particular series of books is one of my all-time favorites. The pace of the stories never lets up! It is written with enough authenticity and understanding of military procedure and life, that the reader is never left wondering whether the author knows his stuff.
It provides just the right amount of back-story (or is that back-stabbing) politics inherent in any military action, and delivers an accurate portrayal of the emotions and frustrations experienced by nearly all soldiers at this elite level.
The main character, Kolt Raynor, is constantly second guessed by those that should keep their noses out of military actions once the decision has been made to 'go'. You can't fight a war by tying the hands of those at the head of the spear; they should be unchained and released to do what they were trained to do. More often than not, that is exactly what Raynor does, ignoring the politics and pushing on regardless of the personal consequences! That is what makes this series of books so enjoyable! Raynor is the type of fictional character we all hope is really leading our boys wherever their duties take them. A thoroughly enjoyable series of books!!

[Robert Enzenauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I really like this author, and would compare Kolt Racer Raynor with the best action heroes of my other favorite authors, including Brad Thor, Tim Tigner, Vince Flynn, Lee Childs, and Brian Haig. I am happy to see that author himself Brad Thor thought highly of this book also. As a combat veteran myself, I certainly wouldn't describe this author as an FNG (per Mike C.) The good guy is REALLY, REALLY good, and the bad guys are really, really bad. And as alluded to by a couple reviewers, the plot could really be next months newspaper headlines. The author's personal experience as a Delta Force veteran, certainly lends significant "street cred" and really believable action scenes and descriptions of combat operations. But what a bummer. I just have been internet searching, and found that the REAL "Dalton Fury, retired SF veteran MAJOR Thomas Greer, died last year from prostate cancer at the age of 52, suffering a similar fate as another lost giant, Vince Flynn.

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exciting and riveting...If there is "one" distraction is that Dalton uses the name "Major Kolt 'Racer' Raynor" but uses it throughout the book and sometimes in the same paragraph. Example, he'll say, the major did this and Kolt did that but Racer was on call. We know who he is so why didn't Dalton just keep it clean and call Kolt Racer in the unit and Kolt in civy street. We are good attentive readers and would be able to follow this security method.
Otherwise, this book needs to be read only after book #1. But it is a fun book to read.

[Shannon Wise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, but that ending was bullshit. I can't say anymore because it will give it away.

Colt Raynor is back and trying to prevent a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. He and his unit are trying to track down stolen SAMs (surface-to-air) missiles and the American Taliban who wants to use them on U.S. soil.

The book was well-written and a roller coaster ride. But. The ending pissed me off. I think that's why I didn't give it five stars. But if you like action novels and thrillers, this is a good one.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was sorta the sequel of Black Site with the same characters dealing with David The American and it plodded along literally until the last 2 pages when it reached in and grabbed my heart with his last breath.

[Steve Schlutow · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a simple fun popcorn read, if you enjoy this genre. I think Fury is one of the better writers of the quick action military sorts.

[MsEleanorMae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was excellent!

[Dries · Rating 1 out of 5]

apparently murphy's law only exists for the terrorists.
the first book was ok, this one is retarded.

[Mike Worley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Black Site a better read.

[Bill Hooten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really liked the first two volumes in the "Delta Force" series, and Dalton Fury and Kolt "Racer" Raynor rank right up there with Vince Flynn and Mitch Rapp (in my opinion). The first book tells of how "Racer" regained his status among the elite Delta force, and why he had lost it in the first place. This book tells the story of his first few months back as the leader of Delta team. Those months are active, with operations in India, Egypt, and Mexico. But the most important action takes places with "Racer" and "TJ" acting on their own initiative stateside. The story is interesting, exciting, and non-stop. New characters are added to the mix, and they provide more depth and color to the telling of the story. There are a lot of twists and turns, that keep you turning from one page to the next. There is one big downer to the story, and I really hated to see that -- but I am sure that is just part of the life of the men and women that serve in these elite units.

[Clyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book in the series provided a solid installment in my newest favorite special forces book series. The main character in this series is unique in that he goes through successes and failures that get him kicked out, reinstated, and then recruited to other black ops services. I continue to get the real world vibe that I appreciated from the first book. There is enough detail to establish the author’s bonafides, but not so much to be overwhelming or snooty. The plot stems from real world issues and involves difficult decisions, where the right decision is not obvious, and is questioned by others. He continually has to fight off his own demons and detractors, but demonstrates the confidence and skills that have made him valued and favorites by some, and envied and disliked by others. Great books.

[Tracy T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I did struggle at times with this book. (audible review)

It got a bit boring sometimes and I would lose interest, then it would get better and have my interest again. This happened a couple of times throughout. But it did end up to be a good book and I enjoyed the majority of it.

There was lots of action, terrorists and good guys taking out the bad. I do recommend this book, just be patient at times.

As for the narration, it was great! Loved it. I really like Ari Fliakos he does a great job on all the voices, accents and female voices. He has a nice reading voice and reads with emotion.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed the Delta Force books more than I expected. I will admit a large part of my hesitance was the use of the pen name Dalton Fury. It's a little over the top cheesy for me as a pen name. However, the writing it pretty good, the stories are good, and it's been kind of fun to go back and forth between a Delta Force Rangers perspective and Jack Carr's Navy Seals view of things in his books.

This book has Kolt Raynor back in the system from book 1 and chasing the American al Qaida member David who got away. This time the threat could have worldwide consequences.

I really enjoyed this book, I'm looking forward to 3.

[Scott Robertson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this Tier One story
I guess the U.S. lack of southern border security has spawned multiple action/thriller books about middle east terrorists partnering with Mexican drug cartels to smuggle weapons into the U.S. and launch attacks from within our borders. This is an all too real scenario, but I had a hard time accepting the level of independent operation of a terrorist leader while relying on a much higher level, more coordinated organization to put all the pieces in place. I hate it when my suspension of disbelief reaches a limit and causes me to not fully engage with a story.

[Doug Sundseth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent action/suspense novel. The military parts are detailed and believable, the plot is coherent and credible, and the main character is well-handled as well. One of the best suspense novels I've read in recently.

I really like the narrator as well. His voice isn't what I would normally associate with this sort of book, being calmer and lighter than most action narrators. This lends a more clinical air to the presentation, which works well with the detailed a precise air of the narrative.

[Jack Stubblefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading the first in the Delta Force series by Dalton Fury. I struggled to get through portions of the novel. Not so with #2! I commend Mr. Fury for honing his craft. If it weren't for 'life stuff' (you know, job, family, sleeping, eating, etc) I would've finished this book much quicker. Great pacing from start to finish. Can't wait to see what the author has in store for us next. Highly recommended. Good stuff Maynard!

[William E. Moylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read many "top tier" authors that have series that are character driven . But this series and author is the only one that I can't help myself, and I buy the next in line, to have in my Kindle library as soon as I finish reading its predecessor. With other series I usually try to wait until the book goes on sale. Not with Dalton Fury. Again can't help myself and just push "buy" for the next mission to start! You won't be disappointed with this series!

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this one and loved it from beginning to end. It has a very good narrator and you can feel the action as it happens.

The only thing I don't like about these books, is that you have to start the next one to see if everyone likes what he did in the previous one. This one just ended with two dead and you don't know what happens next.

I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars but don't get too involved with characters as they may not be in the next book.

[Jeff Kempling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the novel, but hate the fact the he keeps jumping back and fourth with the main characters names IE: first, call-sign, last, Kolt “Racer” Raynor. "As the attacker lunged forward to plunge the knife into the back of Raynor’s calf, Kolt kicked the thug’s left knee with all his strength, locking it straight and throwing the man off balance."

[Demyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non-stop Action

A fast moving, action packed adventure.

Believable characterization. Well researched technology with appropriate applications.

With many character names and call signs to learn, it would have helped if the author didn't switch randomly between using first names and second names.