Insurgent

Tier One #10

by Brian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson

From New York Times bestselling authors Andrews & Wilson comes another heart-stopping installment in the popular Tier One series, perfect for fans of Jack Carr.

John Dempsey and Task Force Ember find themselves tangled up in a running covert war with China special operations as they pursue a new and unexpected threat with the power to bring the west to its knees. Meanwhile, after an action-packed, emotional reunion between father and son, Jake and Dempsey must both decide if there is room in their personal lives for each other.

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

432 pages, Hardcover

Published July 21, 2026

About the author

Brian is a US Navy veteran, nuclear engineer, and former submarine officer. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in psychology, holds a Master's in business from Cornell University, and is a Park Leadership Fellow. He is a principal contributor at Career Authors, a site dedicated to advancing the careers of aspiring and published writers: www.careerauthors.com.

He is half of Andrews & Wilson, the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, & #1 Amazon best-selling co-author team behind the TIER ONE series. New in 2026:

- SLEDGEHAMMER (short): (JAN)
- SCARS (audiobook): (FEB)
- THE EQUESTRIAN (short): (MAR)
- INSURGENT: Tier One #10 (JULY
- And much more!

In addition to their novels, Andrews & Wilson have multiple projects under development for film and television with major motion picture studios including Tier One, Dark Intercept, 4 Minutes, Portal, Glitch, and The In Between.

Find Brian online at:

Web: www.andrews-wilson.com
Instagram: @andrewsandwilson
Twitter: @BAndrewsJWilson

Sign-up for his newsletter at www.andrews-wilson.com to stay informed about all his new releases or "Follow" his Amazon Author page!

Reviews

[Todd]

The tenth entry in the Tier One series is another masterpiece by the dynamic duo. Dempsey and Ember are in Yemen to take out the technology wizard behind the scenes.

Meanwhile the Chinese are still salty about Ember's hit on the Golden Dragon to rescue one of their own. The Chinese have a couple of plays up their sleeves to bring the fight to both America and Ember.

[Justin]

Started and finished in 24hrs. Perhaps that’s the biggest compliment I can give both the story and the authors. This is quite simply the best modern military series currently available in print. I would love nothing more than to see it brought to life
Onscreen. I’ve ran out of positive things to
Say about both this and the sons of valor series. If you enjoy great stories and great action do yourself a favor and pick up
Tier one (book 1) and dive in. You won’t be disappointed

[Alan Melnick]

Absolutely brilliant!

This latest book in the Tier One series is, in my opinion, one of the very best in this amazing series.

I loved the plot, and the action. I thought the action scenes were especially great in this book, so detailed and well written. Andrews and Wilson write action scenes as well as anyone, and they are definitely on top of their game with the action scenes in this book.

The characters were great, both the returning characters that those who have read this series, like me, have come to know and love, and the new characters that are introduced in this book. I thought the villain in this book was especially well developed by the authors, and that really made the book better.

All in all, an amazing, authentic thriller, with plenty of hard hitting action and a great plot with great characters. Andrews and Wilson have shown once again why they are among the very best in the genre of covert ops thrillers.

[Tim Getwellsoonjaymee]

Truly Next Level

It's hard to believe it has been 10 years since this series started. Before The Terminal List I think. It is absolutely astounding at the amount of material the authors have produced in that time. It would be easy to pivot or take the foot off the Tier One pedal, but they certainly have not.
Early on in this book I was struck by the sophistication and elevation of the story. They have come a long way from taking out sh*theads in the sandbox. Don't get me wrong the earlier entries hold up very well but I am impressed by the complex geo-political elements. The technological pieces. There is a plausibility and creativity that is highly satisfying and entertaining to me. This book is exciting, it's intense, and provides a good amount of fist pumps to the air.
There are such a diverse and developed cast of characters that the authors could easily loiter on and it would still be great. The many character arcs and progressions are well done. Yet the authors manage to stay tied in and faithful to events even in the first two books and all the way through. Personally I had hoped Jake would get a little further along than he is but it's coming and where he is at is believable even if mildly whiny and irritating. You can sense the evolution of the characters are in capable hands and there's going to be satisfying developments.
The only downside is that despite my best efforts I going to have to wait for the next one! Thankfully these books are worth re-reading and the authors continue to generate highly entertaining out put with their other books.
Tier One indeed. This series is top shelf

[Mark Easter]

This is a terrific series that just keeps getting better. Dempsey’s development remains endlessly engaging, and the supporting cast continues to grow in meaningful, believable ways with each installment. I eagerly await the next book. Bravo.

[Lindsey Mize]

Insurgent is the tenth book in the Tier One series and brings John Dempsey and Task Force Ember back for another round of high-stakes missions and espionage. This time, a mission in Yemen quickly turns into something much bigger, with the team facing a growing threat involving China and trying to figure out who they can actually trust. Meanwhile, things are getting complicated back in Washington as the upcoming election becomes tangled up in the espionage.

I am absolutely obsessed with the Tier One series. At this point, as soon as a new one comes out, I’m listening to the audiobook. I read almost anything Andrews & Wilson release, but there’s just something different about this series.

I don’t think I’ve ever finished another book and genuinely felt like I was missing something afterward. Finishing a Tier One book feels like people I love have left and now there’s a hole where they used to be. I’ve become THAT attached to these characters.

And Insurgent definitely delivered. There were parts where I literally caught myself holding my breath because things were so intense and I was completely captivated. And PETRA! I absolutely loved getting to see her badass side come out in this one.

My one disappointment was that I really wish we had gotten an interaction between Jake and Dempsey. I kept hoping for it, especially given everything surrounding their relationship.

There were also a few things said throughout the book that made me feel like Andrews & Wilson may be starting to set things up to wrap up the series. I sincerely hope I’m wrong because I am NOT ready to say goodbye to these characters. At all.

Basically, I loved it. I loved being back with these characters, I loved the intensity, I loved Petra getting her moment, and now I’m right back to waiting impatiently for more.

LOVED IT. I would rate higher than 5 stars if I could

[Kristine]

I can not believe how these books just keep getting better and better. There are five star ratings, and then there are FIVE STAR RATINGS - this book falls into the latter category, and to be honest, I already had a feeling that this was going to be the rating after just a few chapters in. It started off with a bang and never let up. Sometimes I am flabbergasted that these two authors are not as hugely popular as they should be. I do know that they WILL be, it is just a matter of time because they are THAT good.

This writing duo of Andrews and Wilson currently have about 4 or 5 active series going on at the same time (they are ALL fantastic and yet so very different) that are each set in different worlds with the exception of 2. "The Tier One" and "Sons of Valor" series are set in the same world and lately we have been seeing some character crossover. As a huge fan of each series, it is always fun to get to see some of the people that we have grown to really like pop in and make "cameo appearances" and sometimes they even have important reasons for doing so -we already saw this happen several times in past books with the Jake storyline (when Chunk was checking in on him for John).

Anyway, this book started off a bit differently. We get a prologue that starts in the middle of something that is going to occur much, much later in the book. Some very chilling events have been set in motion, and it doesn't take long to realize that things have gone very, VERY wrong for Dempsey and Task Force Ember. With that Prologue coming before the book even really started, I was somewhat nervous during the entire book knowing that eventually we were going to get to the events in the Prologue. Was the team going to be able to rescue Dempsey in time? Did they walk in to a set up all along?

The entire book continued to build up the tension level in my mind, and I kept going back and forth trying to figure out how Task Force Ember was going to get out of this eventual situation (and to be honest, how they even got in that mess to begin with). Needless to say, my level of investment was crazy high, and I flew through the book because I just HAD to know what was going to happen.

As always, this book did not let me down. There were a couple of different storylines going on concurrently and it was interesting trying to figure out how they were all going to intersect. We are again dealing with the Chinese MSS (and their CRAZY, psychopathic mission leader/spy on the ground in America) and their attempts to spy on America's newest technological addition to the bomber class jet- the new B-21 Ranger. One of their missions was to destroy the new prototype jet on the Air Force base runway before it became exponentially harder (and virtually impossible) to do so once the B-21 got in the air. To be honest though, the fact that we actually DID let the Chinese buy up so much land right next door to several military bases in real life is just mind boggling. This story arc, while fiction, shows America's complacently in not realizing what was happening with the acquisition of all these parcels of land until after it was too late. I think Americans sometimes underestimate the levels that other enemy states are willing to go to in order to knock the US down and keep us down, creating vulnerabilities that are not easily remedied.

There is also the break though hack to Task Force Ember's computer firewall that gave them access to information that VERY few people - even at the highest levels of government - were read in on. Personal and family information of all of the team members, organizational structure, and operation information on current and past missions - gave the Chinese unprecedented information and access that could be used to create and implement successful attacks on the US (this is not a spoiler as it is alluded to in the prologue)

So, another absolute winner! While this could probably be read as a stand alone if you have not started on this series, but you would be doing yourselves a disservice if you did not go and find book one and start from there. It is most DEFINITELY worth it!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. This book will be out for publication on July 21, 2026.

[Ginger]

Going into *Insurgent*, I was a little nervous when I realized this was book ten in the Tier One series—especially since I haven't read any of the previous nine books. I really didn't want to have to go back and read an entire series just to understand what was happening in this one. Thankfully, that wasn't necessary.

There were definitely pieces of the characters' histories and relationships that would have meant more if I had been following the series from the beginning. I could tell there was some important backstory I was missing, particularly surrounding John Dempsey and some of his personal relationships. But while I knew I was missing context, I never felt like I was missing the current story. I was still able to understand the mission, follow the characters, and become completely invested in what was happening.

And once the action got going, I was in.

Andrews and Wilson do a fantastic job with pacing and tension. The different threats and moving pieces of the story kept things interesting, but it was the scenes with the team on the ground that really pulled me in. The situations felt realistic and were written in a way that made it easy to imagine being right there with this small group, fighting their way through an increasingly dangerous situation and basically just trying not to die.

The fact that I started book ten worried that I hadn't read the first nine and finished it thinking I might actually want to go back and start the entire series probably says everything that needs to be said about how much I enjoyed it.

And then there's Ray Porter.

Ray Porter is one of my all-time favorite narrators, and military thrillers are where I especially love listening to him. His pacing is always on point, his accents are fantastic, and his ability to differentiate characters continues to amaze me. This book has a large cast that includes American, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Korean characters, and even though the majority of the main group is male, I never had trouble knowing who was speaking. He gives each character a distinct tone, voice, or regional accent without making the performance feel exaggerated. There's also a woman on the team, and Porter gives her a clearly recognizable female voice that fits naturally alongside the rest of the cast.

One of my favorite things about his narration, though, is how much he performs the situation rather than simply reading it. When the characters are moving quietly and trying not to be discovered, his voice becomes quieter and more controlled. When they're having a normal conversation, his delivery changes with them. And when everything explodes into a firefight, the urgency and intensity immediately come through. You don't just hear what's happening—you can feel the situation changing through his performance.

That's exactly what I want from the narration of a military thriller.

*Insurgent* gave me great pacing, plenty of tension, realistic-feeling action, an interesting larger threat, and characters I became invested in despite knowing almost nothing about their previous nine books. Instead of making me feel like I'd arrived too late to the series, it made me want to go back and find out everything I missed.

And Ray Porter is the GOAT. I will not be taking questions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Elaine]

So… there are some authors that you just know.
You know that the book will be a nail-biting, hanging on to the edge of your seat…good read!!!

We open up with Jack Dempsey being caught by the Chinese. And it’s not just caught… it’s a spectacular showing of caught. And really, if they could catch him, what chance would anyone else ever have?

And that’s just it! I kept going back in my mind wondering what I missed?

And then we worked our way through the story…. With the President, First Lady, and all the security detail surrounding them…

And when I say that each and every one of them is a badass? Well, I really mean it!! And you can’t help but to root for them all along the way!!

We also have an entire team named ‘Ember’ that is definitely undercover, and working tirelessly to keep American safe! By however and whatever means are needed to do so… and honestly, they work together like a well-oiled machine!

This one made me laugh. Made me tear up, and made ma proud to be an American!
And being as I just finished this, the day after the 25th anniversary of 9.11.01, well… it made it that much more poignant!

#Insurgent by @JeffreyWilson and @BrianAndrews. Narrated beautifully by @RayPorter.

5 bold, bright, scary, wonderful stars for me!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

*** This one has not been released yet, but look 👀 for it on 9.22.26!! ***

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and @BlackstonePublishingAudio for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
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Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!

And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷

[Joy Johnson]

I was still sitting in my feelings about the last book so when I started this one and JD is sitting across from a Chinese operative, I had to put it down and regroup.

YES! My drama button setting is sitting a little high, I can't help it! I’m EMOTIONALY INVESTED! And absolutely unapologetic about it.

There’s a lot to admire about this book but I won’t bore you completely just a little bit. Here goes!
Serving your country in any capacity takes a physical and emotional toll that ripples out to every aspect of your life and this writing team exploits that aspect of military life so poignantly it sometime leaves you in a chokehold of emotions if you yourself have experienced it. I appreciate the way they write female characters. Strong, smart, funny, capable even in the face of danger, self-doubt, and the unrelenting misogyny that so many of us face. I absolutely love that every single male character has faced some sort of doubt about themselves, their abilities and the true emotional toll their service has made them endure. The HUMAN element is always front and center! The fast paced thrill ride they deliver every single time is why adrenalin rushes are so damn addictive.
One line in this book that will live rent free in my head forever I’ll paraphrase….as if all the carnage needed an exclamation point the truck exploded…..still giggling!
I could wax poetic forever about this book, the series, the writing team! I will leave you with this, I’m not new to this but I’m true to this high octane, thought provoking, fiction imitating real world danger series!

[David Scott]

I received an advance copy of INSURGENT from the publisher, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to read it early. All thoughts are my own.

I came into this book as a huge Andrews & Wilson fan after tearing through the entire Tier One series, and somehow INSURGENT still managed to exceed my expectations. From the first chapter, it delivers exactly what this series does best: relentless pacing, emotional stakes, tactical authenticity, brotherhood, sacrifice, and characters you feel genuinely invested in.

What stood out most to me was how much heart this book has beneath all the action. Yes, the missions are intense, the tension is constant, and the pages practically turn themselves - but the emotional weight is what makes it land. These characters have been through hell, and INSURGENT never lets you forget the cost of that. By the end, I was completely locked in, eyes wet, and not ready for it to be over.

Andrews & Wilson continue to write military thrillers that feel cinematic without ever losing the human element. The action is sharp, the stakes feel real, and the character work is strong enough to make every twist, loss, and hard-fought moment hit that much harder.

If you’re already a fan of Tier One, this is an absolute must-read. If you love military thrillers with elite operators, high-stakes missions, and real emotional payoff, INSURGENT belongs on your list.

An incredible read from start to finish.

[Steven Netter]

READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books

Gritty, fast-paced and suspenseful, Insurgent is a unflinching, hard-edged, intricately plotted thriller that will keep you up late into the night. Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson once again bring the heat with another masterfully crafted, intense, and emotionally draining thriller.

Insurgent is a superb continuation of the beloved Tier One series, containing everything you’ve come to expect from the dynamic duo of Andrews and Wilson. Relentless pacing and a constant sense of urgency. Well developed characters fueled by conflict and complex feelings. High stakes, geopolitically and personally, with life and death consequences. A masterful chess match between the good guys and the bad guys. In addition, we get to witness Dempsey’s continued emergence as a strategic leader and more self-aware operator/individual. All packaged together to deliver a gripping, pulse-pounding, impossible to put down page-turner that will have you holding your breath before fist pumping in triumph.

[Sue]

Insurgent is another pulse-pounding, ripped from the headlines action thriller in the Tier One series. China has bought a farm in rural America next to a military base in an attempt to destroy the newest stealth fighter. China has also got an operation running on the east coast, hacking and spying everything and everyone possible with the goal of preventing Jarvis from winning the election.

This entire series is fantastic, and this entry to it is terrifyingly realistic. My only quibble is that the lead villain is a bit over the top. Otherwise it is an outstanding story even if they are a bit obsessed with chewing tobacco . The characters continue to learn and grow, something not typical of this genre.

If you are a fan of military/political action novels, this one is for you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Not family friendly due to profanity and violence.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Abibliofob]

It's been awhile since I read about John Dempsey and the Task Force Ember but it was easy to get into and one wild ride as usual. Brain Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson is great at putting stories on paper. Insurgent is the tenth adventure with Tier One but we also get some crossover by the characters from Sons of Valor series and that makes it even better. I had a really good time reading this book and I will recommend it to all that will listen to me and even some that don't. The story was interesting in that it involved multiple problems even though the origin came from the same source. I also like the gallery of characters, they make the series so much more interesting to read with all their various personal lives. It's also well written and hard to put down. I must thank Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for supplying me with this advance copy.

[Martin J]

great story, not so great editing on kindle version

The story, as usual, was great. A&W stories captivate and make reading fun. This is the first time though that I encountered so many grammatical errors and misspellings in one of their books. It pains me to have to give them four stars, but it must be done. I do find humorous the irony that the story’s protagonist has impeccable attention to detail, but the editors do not. I also have to state that my reading “flow state” was thrown off by the grammatical errors and misspellings. Hopefully the physical books had better editing. All that being said, I really did enjoy the story and can’t wait to see what the future holds for Ember SAD, Chunk, and Jake. Thanks A&W for the entertainment. Keep on churning out the good stuff.

[John]

Like I've said before...You will love the writing by Andrews & Wilson. The Insurgent is a fantastic military thriller, with action and drama.
This book could be read as a standalone, but then you'd want to go back and start from the beginning.
Dempsey and the Ember team are off to Yemen to take out a high-value target(HVT), when all hell breaks loose. Great plot development, amazing cast of characters, and a lot of bullets flying. Gritty, fast-paced and suspenseful
The Ember series and the Tier One series are both top notch military thrillers that will make you want to finish the book in a day. I highly
recommend both series. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this fantastic novel, Hooyah!!
The novel will be available on July 21st.

[Gavin Mattiace]

The stakes continue to expand for John Dempsey and Ember. The inclusion of action by proxy and a focus on the adversary's covert efforts within the United States helps demonstrate an underlying theme that the United States is not "ahead" in the global competition with China. Andrews and Wilson have a flair for incorporating new technology and following the development of modern warfighting, and this novel places this on full display. From next-gen aircraft to drone warfare and new top-of-the-line personal gear, these two authors continue to maintain their place among the best of the modern military thriller authors.

[Lee]

WOW another great book from Wilson and Andrews in the Tier One series. I just can't seem to get enough of these (and of course it's brother series with Chunk....I hear there is one of those coming sometime soon and I can't wait.) JD has become my newest hero and I love, love, love the team. Never thought I would have such strong feelings about a military series but I do. This one was so exciting it kept me reading when I had so much else to do. The only thing that makes me unhappy is I finished it and now have to wait for the next book. Hope you are working on it now and that it will come out soon.

[Eric Cousineau]

This story was my introduction to Wilson and Andrews’ work and what an introduction! A fast paced hard hitting story with wonderful twists and turns! With their vivid and down-to-earth writing style the authors make their protagonist, John Dempsey, come to life. This fast paced and action-packed story grabs you from the first page and keep you on the edge of your seat right to the last page. I could not stop reading this book once I started and now, I am anxious to read the other books from this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Clayton]

Thank you to Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for the review copy.

Another Tier One masterpiece. These guys know how to keep you locked in on every page. Dempsey and crew are back at it protecting the world from the evil cowards trying to wreak havoc.

A good 3 perspective story following Jake, Petra, and as always, Dempsey, Pacing was great, and switching back and forth between characters and to the Kang Ren pov was done well.

5 stars, great action great writing, Andrews and Wilson are must read every single time

[Sabastian Burlison]

Action packed

China is up to no good again and this time they're operating in the domestic United States. It's up to the members of Task Force Ember to stop a deadly plot from unfolding.

While in the background John Dempsey's son is a Navy Seal "following" the same road. Well that remains to be seen.

But Andrews and Wilson did a wonderful job writing this book. Can't wait to see what's next in the Tier One series.

[A Military Nerd]

Andrew’s and Wilson are at the top of their game! Insurgent is book 10 of the Tier One Series and it is absolutely fantastic. The level of research these authors do is astounding and their ability to translate that to the page is damn near perfect. If you have not tried this series, you are missing out on something amazing.
Also, Ray Porters narration is superb. He continues to demonstrate why he is one of the best in the business.

[Christina Patterson]

Another rock solid Dempsey and Ember book. This book will pull you in from page 1. Dempsey and team fight to protect America from the Chinese. Jake is again brought into the story; but most importantly this book sets up the future of Tier 1 and Ember. Thank you to NetGalley and the Blackstone Publishing for an ARC of this book.

[Nicole Porter]

This is simply the BEST series I have ever read. The writing is concise, intelligent, and witty. The characters and character development over the series is outstanding. The stories are always a perfect blend of suspense, action and heart. This book in the series didn't let up at all - first rate.
It is my favorite day of the year when the new Tier One book comes out.

[Cyndy]

Excellent series as always!

What an amazing story from Andrews and Wilson in this latest book of the Tier One Series. I’m loving the crossovers from their other series. Cannot wait for the next book. I highly recommend all their books and series. Ray Porter is unmatched as the narrator!

[James Thomas]

This is the five-star rating system I use:

★★★★★ Great book! Can’t wait to read it again (and I will).
★★★★☆ Good book. I am glad I read this.
★★★☆☆ OK book. Nothing special but not bad.
★★☆☆☆ Not good. Why did I waste my time?
★☆☆☆☆ Lousy. I didn’t finish.

If for whatever reason, I go back and reread a good book, I will change the rating to five-star because I read it again.

[Julie Pint]

Love this series! Dempsey is back on home territory only to come face to face with a familiar enemy. The Ember team must work fast to outwit them before tragedy comes at the highest levels. The real world implications are downright frightening. Thanks to NetGalley for the read, and to the brilliant narration of Ray Porter.

[Linda Brown]

Great fun exciting story

This is another episode in the Ember story. I only wish and hope somewhere out there we have a group like this protecting our interests.
This is an exciting on the edge of your chair story. I love each of these patriotic characters and hope to read about them again.

[jeff cravens]

Can't get enough!

This story (not just this chapter) is ... "AWESOME" just seems inadequate. But bad for my ego... I want to take each book slow to savor the story. But all my discipline goes right out the window, and I devour each one like an out-of-control glutton! sigh... maybe next time...

[Jonnie]

This is my favorite series from these authors. Well written and focused. I liked book #9 a little better but if you like this genre and especially if you like this series, then I highly recommend it.

I liked the political message. This country needs leaders like Jarvis (and the fictional Jed Barlet from the 1990s West Wing show).