What do you think?
Rate this book
Tier One #4
American Operator
An explosive, high-stakes thriller of espionage and counterterrorism by the Wall Street Journal bestselling authors of Tier One.
A shocking attack in Ankara leaves the US Ambassador to Turkey dead and his chief of staff, Amanda Allen, in the hands of brutal terrorists. But Allen is no ordinary diplomat. She’s undercover CIA. The DNI and the President turn to Ember, America’s premier black-ops task force, and its deadliest weapon, former Tier One Navy SEAL John Dempsey, for help. To find Allen, Ember gets embedded in the most dangerous battlefield on Earth: Syria. But when all communications are disabled by an attack in Turkey, Dempsey finds himself with no backup—a lone shadow warrior racing against time to rescue Allen from her captors before she reaches her breaking point.
What Dempsey doesn’t realize is that Allen is just a pawn in a much larger game. A new player has already been unleashed: a legendary mercenary who matches the American Operator in skill, tactical prowess, and a killer instinct for survival. Now there is far more at stake than a kidnapped CIA agent. Dempsey and his team better get this one right, because the balance of power for the entire Middle East rests on their shoulders. And the new threat is far more dangerous than any Dempsey has encountered in his decades waging war against terrorism. Game on.
A shocking attack in Ankara leaves the US Ambassador to Turkey dead and his chief of staff, Amanda Allen, in the hands of brutal terrorists. But Allen is no ordinary diplomat. She’s undercover CIA. The DNI and the President turn to Ember, America’s premier black-ops task force, and its deadliest weapon, former Tier One Navy SEAL John Dempsey, for help. To find Allen, Ember gets embedded in the most dangerous battlefield on Earth: Syria. But when all communications are disabled by an attack in Turkey, Dempsey finds himself with no backup—a lone shadow warrior racing against time to rescue Allen from her captors before she reaches her breaking point.
What Dempsey doesn’t realize is that Allen is just a pawn in a much larger game. A new player has already been unleashed: a legendary mercenary who matches the American Operator in skill, tactical prowess, and a killer instinct for survival. Now there is far more at stake than a kidnapped CIA agent. Dempsey and his team better get this one right, because the balance of power for the entire Middle East rests on their shoulders. And the new threat is far more dangerous than any Dempsey has encountered in his decades waging war against terrorism. Game on.
426 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2018
1169 people are currently reading
1143 people want to read
About the author
Brian Andrews
36 books1,133 followersBrian 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 2025:
- DARK RISING: (APRIL)
- SONS OF VALOR 4: (7/22)
- THE ADVERSARY: Tier One #9 (11/4)
- EXECUTIVE POWER (11/25)
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!
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 2025:
- DARK RISING: (APRIL)
- SONS OF VALOR 4: (7/22)
- THE ADVERSARY: Tier One #9 (11/4)
- EXECUTIVE POWER (11/25)
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!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
December 8, 2018
From Andrews and Wilson, two US Navy Veterans with combined military experience of 20 years, including service spent on a fast-attack submarine, a deployment with the Marines from II MEF (Marine Expeditionary Force) 2nd LAR (Light Armored Reconnaissance) and service with the Navy Special Warfare Command aka one of the Tier One Seal Teams.
American Operator starts off with a strategically planned terrorist attack which leaves the US ambassador to Turkey dead. We see this occur through the eyes of his assistant, Amanda Allen. We quickly learn that Amanda isn’t who she says she is, posing as a State Department Employee and the Ambassador’s assistant, while on an undercover mission with the CIA. Amanda is ambitious, smart, and GREEN. With only a few months in her new role, we later learn just what she’s made of. As she’s laying there in the rubble of the explosion the attack created, she sees a terrorist place a muzzle of a rifle against his temple and with no remorse, no hesitation, killed her boss. The terrorist’s attention now on her, she’s waiting for her 7.62 rifle round to the head, contemplating everything you can imagine as she believed her life was about to end. The 7.62 round never comes, instead she sees the other end of the rifle, taking a buttstock to the head, almost unconscious, barely feeling and realizing her body is being dragged away.
Jump to Ember, a top-secret organization created by Kelso Jarvis, the DNI. Jarvis, a former Tier One operator himself, proven by his leadership skills when in a hairy situation created by President Warner when he wouldn’t listen to one of his most trusted advisors and ends up in an ambush in Turkey. Ember, very much like the Ex-CIA Autonomous Asset Program that Mark Greaney’s The Gray Man was a part of when he worked for the CIA, or The Orion Team Mitch Rapp started out with in the New York Times best-selling Vince Flynn Mitch Rapp Series, and Brad Taylor’s The Taskforce that Pike Logan and team belong to. Ember is made up of a small group of Tier One Operators from elite sectors of each Military branch, including SEAL Teams, The Army’s Green Beret’s, and MARSOC. This group of ‘American Operators’ are tasked with direct action missions to hunt down and dispatch some of the world’s most dangerous criminals, spies, and of course Jihadists. As Grimes aka GOD (when she’s providing over watch), the bad ass Sniper on Ember likes to say, to take out “tomorrows Bin Laden.”
John Dempsey, Ember’s head of SAD, a former Navy SEAL. We quickly learn that Dempsey is formerly known as Jack Kemper. A SEAL that lost everything, his entire Tier One team on a mission gone bad, his entire life. Forced to abandon his wife and son who don’t know who John Dempsey is. His focus now, on killing bad guys. Something Dempsey is very good at. After we meet the elite team that makes up Ember on an unrelated mission in Croatia, the team gets tasked with rescuing Amanda. With intelligence suggesting a place in Syria where Amanda is being kept, they quickly form a plan of attack which involves Dempsey going solo to confirm her location, with the rest of Ember acting as QRF on a NATO base in Turkey. Upon making his way into Syria, we learn that Murphy’s Law “whatever can go wrong, will go wrong” is in full effect here. With his QRF distracted, due to an attack on the NATO base, their COMM’s down and busy engaging in a fire fight, Dempsey is left alone to fend for himself. Laying low, however is not in Dempsey’s vocabulary, especially when he notices a convoy of vehicles assembling at the compound where Amanda is being held and concluding she’s about to be moved. Forcing him to mount unsuccessful rescue attempt. At this point, Dempsey by all accounts should have packed it up and called it a day, a good effort on his part, a failed one, but he did all he could. Or did he? Dempsey knows himself better than anyone and knows that “his heart always finds a way to fuck things up.” Meaning, he continued his pursuit of the bad guys deeper into Syria, deeper into a theater with representations from Syrian rebels, the Turks, the Kurds, the Israelis, the Iranians, Al-Nusra, ISIS, the Russians, and of course the US led coalition forces. Dempsey however was “unflappable, a machine of war.” Nothing would stop him from completing his objective.
American Operator is one of the best Military thrillers of 2018, with top notch action, plots that twist and turn in every direction, forcing the characters into uncharted territory. A fourth in the Tier One ‘must read’ series by Andrew and Wilson, a quote from one of the authors, Wilson… “Authenticity and characterization go hand in hand. In our novels, we strive to imagine both heroes and villains as real people—driven by conflicting motivations, conflicting emotions, and relationships with other characters.” Reading the book, this quote is 100% accurate, as they capture both the hero and the villain in equal footing, giving you – the reader a realistic plot driven thriller that keeps you at the edge of your seat. With more action, more plots being devised to knock the US Government off its hinges, the propaganda machine this villain unleashes to meet their objective has almost no limits. You will not be disappointed, order American Operator now and escape into this world created by these two American Veterans.
American Operator starts off with a strategically planned terrorist attack which leaves the US ambassador to Turkey dead. We see this occur through the eyes of his assistant, Amanda Allen. We quickly learn that Amanda isn’t who she says she is, posing as a State Department Employee and the Ambassador’s assistant, while on an undercover mission with the CIA. Amanda is ambitious, smart, and GREEN. With only a few months in her new role, we later learn just what she’s made of. As she’s laying there in the rubble of the explosion the attack created, she sees a terrorist place a muzzle of a rifle against his temple and with no remorse, no hesitation, killed her boss. The terrorist’s attention now on her, she’s waiting for her 7.62 rifle round to the head, contemplating everything you can imagine as she believed her life was about to end. The 7.62 round never comes, instead she sees the other end of the rifle, taking a buttstock to the head, almost unconscious, barely feeling and realizing her body is being dragged away.
Jump to Ember, a top-secret organization created by Kelso Jarvis, the DNI. Jarvis, a former Tier One operator himself, proven by his leadership skills when in a hairy situation created by President Warner when he wouldn’t listen to one of his most trusted advisors and ends up in an ambush in Turkey. Ember, very much like the Ex-CIA Autonomous Asset Program that Mark Greaney’s The Gray Man was a part of when he worked for the CIA, or The Orion Team Mitch Rapp started out with in the New York Times best-selling Vince Flynn Mitch Rapp Series, and Brad Taylor’s The Taskforce that Pike Logan and team belong to. Ember is made up of a small group of Tier One Operators from elite sectors of each Military branch, including SEAL Teams, The Army’s Green Beret’s, and MARSOC. This group of ‘American Operators’ are tasked with direct action missions to hunt down and dispatch some of the world’s most dangerous criminals, spies, and of course Jihadists. As Grimes aka GOD (when she’s providing over watch), the bad ass Sniper on Ember likes to say, to take out “tomorrows Bin Laden.”
John Dempsey, Ember’s head of SAD, a former Navy SEAL. We quickly learn that Dempsey is formerly known as Jack Kemper. A SEAL that lost everything, his entire Tier One team on a mission gone bad, his entire life. Forced to abandon his wife and son who don’t know who John Dempsey is. His focus now, on killing bad guys. Something Dempsey is very good at. After we meet the elite team that makes up Ember on an unrelated mission in Croatia, the team gets tasked with rescuing Amanda. With intelligence suggesting a place in Syria where Amanda is being kept, they quickly form a plan of attack which involves Dempsey going solo to confirm her location, with the rest of Ember acting as QRF on a NATO base in Turkey. Upon making his way into Syria, we learn that Murphy’s Law “whatever can go wrong, will go wrong” is in full effect here. With his QRF distracted, due to an attack on the NATO base, their COMM’s down and busy engaging in a fire fight, Dempsey is left alone to fend for himself. Laying low, however is not in Dempsey’s vocabulary, especially when he notices a convoy of vehicles assembling at the compound where Amanda is being held and concluding she’s about to be moved. Forcing him to mount unsuccessful rescue attempt. At this point, Dempsey by all accounts should have packed it up and called it a day, a good effort on his part, a failed one, but he did all he could. Or did he? Dempsey knows himself better than anyone and knows that “his heart always finds a way to fuck things up.” Meaning, he continued his pursuit of the bad guys deeper into Syria, deeper into a theater with representations from Syrian rebels, the Turks, the Kurds, the Israelis, the Iranians, Al-Nusra, ISIS, the Russians, and of course the US led coalition forces. Dempsey however was “unflappable, a machine of war.” Nothing would stop him from completing his objective.
American Operator is one of the best Military thrillers of 2018, with top notch action, plots that twist and turn in every direction, forcing the characters into uncharted territory. A fourth in the Tier One ‘must read’ series by Andrew and Wilson, a quote from one of the authors, Wilson… “Authenticity and characterization go hand in hand. In our novels, we strive to imagine both heroes and villains as real people—driven by conflicting motivations, conflicting emotions, and relationships with other characters.” Reading the book, this quote is 100% accurate, as they capture both the hero and the villain in equal footing, giving you – the reader a realistic plot driven thriller that keeps you at the edge of your seat. With more action, more plots being devised to knock the US Government off its hinges, the propaganda machine this villain unleashes to meet their objective has almost no limits. You will not be disappointed, order American Operator now and escape into this world created by these two American Veterans.
March 3, 2021
great action. very well written but geopolitics? well i have a big problem with it. point of view too much american. guys it is time to stop looking at the world as black and white. America is just another player in the big game of interest. well true the other side plays it dirty sometimes but who is not. and i did not like the way the kurds are pictured. even knowing they part in the armenian massacre early 20th century. the parts of the russians are a bit weak and too expected. but the action of the team nice.
August 7, 2022
This is a Spy Thriller. I like this series. It has been a solid 4 stars for me. I like the MC because he seems like a normal guy. Not with all the superhuman traits so many other MCs in this seem genre seem to have. Of course he kills people, but normal otherwise. All the characters are also tethered in the same way.
I liked the way this one unfolded and there was plenty of action. The parkour scene was funny. So 4 stars.
I liked the way this one unfolded and there was plenty of action. The parkour scene was funny. So 4 stars.
September 14, 2021
Wow, this is one thrilling ride through a plot so devious that you have no clue where it will lead. American Operator by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson is the fourth book about John Dempsey and the Ember group. This one is mostly set in Turkey and Syria. It also contains my favorite character so far, Amraz "Raz" Demir. I hope he gets his new BMW and turns up in more stories, he was brilliant. It's interesting to read about this strange political landscape that is set both in Europe and the middle east. It has a big problem that probably never will see a good solution. Great work gentlemen.
July 27, 2024
I enjoyed the book and the characters. It fell short of 5 as some activities fell short of reality or the flow of the events in question. Overall though I enjoyed the action and it was easy to believe I was there helping Dempsey achieve his objective.
January 16, 2019
Oh my gosh! The boys have done it again! Get ready for a fast paced read with this one. The speed and intensity of action are ramped up in this installment(if that’s even possible). While reading the action scenes, my heart was racing and I was thinking how is JD gonna get out of this one?!? After my head was spinning from the action, the boys would write this beautifully constructed emotional scene. Honestly, that is why I love this series. They can write blistering action one chapter, then these gut wrenching emotional scenes the next.
Also, if your a fan of Elizabeth Grimes, you’ll love this read! After what happened to her in the last book, Grimes returns a new women. She is epically kickass and I absolutely LOVE her in this!
Also, if your a fan of Elizabeth Grimes, you’ll love this read! After what happened to her in the last book, Grimes returns a new women. She is epically kickass and I absolutely LOVE her in this!
March 25, 2025
What an exciting and exhilarating book! This Tier One series is very well done and not only makes me feel like I am right there, but also gives me a great deal of respect for the men and women who run into ‘the suck’ instead of away from it. I couldn’t do what they do but I sure do embrace riding along with them via a great novel. It’s obvious that the authors know what they are talking about and it makes for a very realistic and terrifying ride.
January 14, 2020
I cannot get enough of this series and John Dempsey. This time, he's on his own, out to rescue a kidnapped American. Between the torture tactics of the bad guys and the forward combat thinking of John Dempsey, this was quite a ride.
There's just so much here to like. A woman is tortured but not in a traditional sense; there's really no blood and gore involved. Rather, it's the suspense that makes it work. Getting into the head of a captor was both interesting and terrifying. Also, watching John Dempsey calculate combat tactics in his head was fascinating. The final pages of the story kept me riveted as the action unfolded.
This isn't the kind of genre I'd ever have picked up if not for Ray Porter and his audiobook narration. I'm right there in the action, feeling every emotion, examining the political landscape, marveling at the plans to defeat the bad guys and thoroughly entertained as it all plays out.
It does occur to me that this is wholly "Americans are the good guys and everyone else is wrong." I think stories like this can't help but be that way - I'm sure military thrillers from other countries are much the same, painting themselves as the good guys fighting whomever they see is in the wrong. This is what helps me reconcile my reservations about how conceited Americans can be. But in the end, I'm an American and consider myself a patriot, so I cheer on these fictional special ops guys in my head. And honestly, fighting against corruption, mafia-like groups, power hungry regimes and religious fanatics is probably universal no matter who the heroes are.
There's just so much here to like. A woman is tortured but not in a traditional sense; there's really no blood and gore involved. Rather, it's the suspense that makes it work. Getting into the head of a captor was both interesting and terrifying. Also, watching John Dempsey calculate combat tactics in his head was fascinating. The final pages of the story kept me riveted as the action unfolded.
This isn't the kind of genre I'd ever have picked up if not for Ray Porter and his audiobook narration. I'm right there in the action, feeling every emotion, examining the political landscape, marveling at the plans to defeat the bad guys and thoroughly entertained as it all plays out.
It does occur to me that this is wholly "Americans are the good guys and everyone else is wrong." I think stories like this can't help but be that way - I'm sure military thrillers from other countries are much the same, painting themselves as the good guys fighting whomever they see is in the wrong. This is what helps me reconcile my reservations about how conceited Americans can be. But in the end, I'm an American and consider myself a patriot, so I cheer on these fictional special ops guys in my head. And honestly, fighting against corruption, mafia-like groups, power hungry regimes and religious fanatics is probably universal no matter who the heroes are.
December 28, 2018
Action packed as always and full of surprises. I enjoy JD and the team, the humor they find when in treacherous situations kept me on the edge of my set. I can't wait to see what Jake is up to as he follows in his father's footsteps. Chunk is another favorite of mine and I hope to hear more from him in the next chapter of Tier One. Awesome book!
March 21, 2021
Read and Enjoy a well written exciting story which keeps your attention till the very end Couldn't recommend it any higher
March 27, 2022
A Good description of what the secret guys & gals go through
This was a close-up look at a day in the life of a top secret group that fights terrorists. Similar to Delta Force, they travel the world fighting the bad guys for what is right. A Good read.
This was a close-up look at a day in the life of a top secret group that fights terrorists. Similar to Delta Force, they travel the world fighting the bad guys for what is right. A Good read.
April 8, 2021
A great ending to the series
I thoroughly enjoyed this four book series. The characters are great, the story line progresses quickly, and the action never stops. A great read
I thoroughly enjoyed this four book series. The characters are great, the story line progresses quickly, and the action never stops. A great read
January 2, 2022
This one in the series I really enjoyed. Andrews did a nice job shifting the “bad guys” and introducing the newest baddies in a believable way. He also quite deftly showed the progression with a change in management (for lack of a better way to put it) at Ember-from anger and questioning, to acceptance and ultimately understanding. It was very nicely done. I’ve already purchased the next two in the series through Audible (Porter is an AMAZING narrator and I could listen to him all day). Cannot wait to dive into Red Spector (the new antagonist to JD is Russian and his equal it seems).
March 24, 2019
A great read; quick read. The Ember team works well together helping complete their missions. The characters are solid; plots are plausible; means used by the team are believable. I highly recommend the book!
March 19, 2019
Excellent!
Absolute page turner, I could NOT put this down. I actually hated to do my normal daily rituals that I couldn’t read while doing LOL! Yeah I liked it that much :>} can’t wait for the next one.
Absolute page turner, I could NOT put this down. I actually hated to do my normal daily rituals that I couldn’t read while doing LOL! Yeah I liked it that much :>} can’t wait for the next one.
May 17, 2020
American Operator is evidence that Tier One novels only get better and better with each new book. An intricately woven espionage thriller with spectacular and tactically sound action sequences and protagonists that evolve wonderfully throughout the events of the book.
American Operator starts a new story arc for the Tier One series, bringing into the fold a new adversary for Team Ember in the form of Zetas, the Russian mirror image of Team Ember. With a sinister plot revolving around Russia's manipulation of Turkey as a NATO member, the narrative is a race against time with multiple plotlines playing in together, all of dire consequences, that link up in the end to form the bigger picture as well as brilliantly setting up the next book in the series, Red Specter.
The action sequences are stunning, with shootouts described with a wonderful finesse, putting readers behind the weapon sights in the firefights, providing readers and action fans with incredible insights into the tactics and weaponry involved. Particularly the climax battle between Zeta Prime, leader of Zetas, and John Dempsey is a spectacular confrontation. Both extremely talented combatants dish it out with HK SFP9 aka VP9, and Sig Sauer P226, with each shot causing a surge of adrenaline in readers. Even as it seems John Dempsey has met his match, he will always be the top operator and the writers show that very well in his combat exchanges.
I personally enjoyed the evolution of Dempsey as he reels over the guilt of having left a treacherous spy, with whom he had gotten personal, to die in the events of Crusader One. The toll of this decision plays out in his actions in American Operator. Another excellent dynamic in the book is that of Dempsey and Grimes. Grimes also takes a major evolutionary step forward as she herself reels from almost having died in the events of Crusader One. Her brush with death molds her into one of the best snipers out there in action thrillers. Each sniper shot is described in its purity and calmness in the face of death.
American Operator is top-notch in every possible manner. The thriller becomes a chess game between two shadowy forces at play, with close calls and edge-of-your-seat suspense. My love for Tier One series ranks higher and higher with every subsequent Tier One thriller I read. Hats off to the superb authors!!
American Operator starts a new story arc for the Tier One series, bringing into the fold a new adversary for Team Ember in the form of Zetas, the Russian mirror image of Team Ember. With a sinister plot revolving around Russia's manipulation of Turkey as a NATO member, the narrative is a race against time with multiple plotlines playing in together, all of dire consequences, that link up in the end to form the bigger picture as well as brilliantly setting up the next book in the series, Red Specter.
The action sequences are stunning, with shootouts described with a wonderful finesse, putting readers behind the weapon sights in the firefights, providing readers and action fans with incredible insights into the tactics and weaponry involved. Particularly the climax battle between Zeta Prime, leader of Zetas, and John Dempsey is a spectacular confrontation. Both extremely talented combatants dish it out with HK SFP9 aka VP9, and Sig Sauer P226, with each shot causing a surge of adrenaline in readers. Even as it seems John Dempsey has met his match, he will always be the top operator and the writers show that very well in his combat exchanges.
I personally enjoyed the evolution of Dempsey as he reels over the guilt of having left a treacherous spy, with whom he had gotten personal, to die in the events of Crusader One. The toll of this decision plays out in his actions in American Operator. Another excellent dynamic in the book is that of Dempsey and Grimes. Grimes also takes a major evolutionary step forward as she herself reels from almost having died in the events of Crusader One. Her brush with death molds her into one of the best snipers out there in action thrillers. Each sniper shot is described in its purity and calmness in the face of death.
American Operator is top-notch in every possible manner. The thriller becomes a chess game between two shadowy forces at play, with close calls and edge-of-your-seat suspense. My love for Tier One series ranks higher and higher with every subsequent Tier One thriller I read. Hats off to the superb authors!!
March 1, 2022
Another smashing read from the Tier One series
Thrillers and military fiction is one of my favorite genres and comprises a lot of the reading that I do. This is one of the best current series in the genre. I give 5* grudgingly, and have given every single book in this series a 5. The plot is totally believable, the character development is simply outstanding and the action is breath taking. Another masterpiece by one of my favorite authors. Absolutely loved it.
Thrillers and military fiction is one of my favorite genres and comprises a lot of the reading that I do. This is one of the best current series in the genre. I give 5* grudgingly, and have given every single book in this series a 5. The plot is totally believable, the character development is simply outstanding and the action is breath taking. Another masterpiece by one of my favorite authors. Absolutely loved it.
November 13, 2018
Enjoyed It
Loved “American Operator”. Always a fan of a quick read this one was not only quick but had a flow to it that made the time fly by even faster. What I would also classify as an easy read the authors kept you constantly in the loop and only infrequently went into military jargon perhaps necessary to some. But when confronted with such a passage I found that I could skip forward half a page or more without losing the train of thought in the action. No doubt I will watch with great anticipation for the next two books in the series.
Loved “American Operator”. Always a fan of a quick read this one was not only quick but had a flow to it that made the time fly by even faster. What I would also classify as an easy read the authors kept you constantly in the loop and only infrequently went into military jargon perhaps necessary to some. But when confronted with such a passage I found that I could skip forward half a page or more without losing the train of thought in the action. No doubt I will watch with great anticipation for the next two books in the series.
January 19, 2019
I really enjoy the Tier One series. The three previous books are on my 5-star list. This one makes it a perfect run!
Set in Turkey and around the Middle East, the daughter of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is abducted. The US Special Ops team ‘Ember’, led by the series hero John Dempsey, must save her. The plot evolves from a straightforward search and rescue to a twisting story involving many other factions. Are the Russians involved? What is the endgame? Is there a mole in the government? Could an assassination be planned ?
I find the Ember characters are VERY interesting. Almost all are former Tier One (best of the best) Navy SEALs – and one is a surgeon. (I never considered that this profession also has patriots willing to serve in Special Ops units.) The commander, Kelli Jarvis, is SO SMART – a genius savant with special gifts.
The authors have written a very exciting novel (especially in the last part if the book) and mixed-in headlines of the day. Fake news – “When the populace loses the ability to discern truth from fiction, eventually they give them equal weight. Apathy supplants angry. Disinterest usurps disapproval.” While the manner in which Dempsey gets assistance in Syria is a little farfetched, it sure is exciting! Given the ending, there will certainly be another book in the series. … Thank gosh!
Set in Turkey and around the Middle East, the daughter of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is abducted. The US Special Ops team ‘Ember’, led by the series hero John Dempsey, must save her. The plot evolves from a straightforward search and rescue to a twisting story involving many other factions. Are the Russians involved? What is the endgame? Is there a mole in the government? Could an assassination be planned ?
I find the Ember characters are VERY interesting. Almost all are former Tier One (best of the best) Navy SEALs – and one is a surgeon. (I never considered that this profession also has patriots willing to serve in Special Ops units.) The commander, Kelli Jarvis, is SO SMART – a genius savant with special gifts.
The authors have written a very exciting novel (especially in the last part if the book) and mixed-in headlines of the day. Fake news – “When the populace loses the ability to discern truth from fiction, eventually they give them equal weight. Apathy supplants angry. Disinterest usurps disapproval.” While the manner in which Dempsey gets assistance in Syria is a little farfetched, it sure is exciting! Given the ending, there will certainly be another book in the series. … Thank gosh!
November 16, 2018
This was a great read by Brian Andrews and Jeffery Wilson. The Tier One series has been a favorite of mine for a while. John Dempsey (formerly Jack Kemper) is tasked with helping run Task Force Ember and his age is slowly starting to show. The rescue mission he’s tasked with is continuously foiled and stopped, while he’s left alone to his own devices to help save the victim. He might have made some bad choices to get himself in those spots, but he is the best for a reason. The action was great, phenomenal in fact. The storyline is amazing and one that is set up for future books. The length was a little hefty but I had no problem crushing through this one. They did an awesome job creating this Tier One thriller and you will love it!
November 13, 2018
Amanda Allen sees her boss, the US ambassador to Turkey killed right before her eyes. Why are they kidnapping her? Besides being his chief of staff she works for the CIA, but how would they know.? Ember sends John Dempsey to see where she could be and who took her. They have crossed into Syria. The crew is waiting to come help him but then they come under attack. Can they save her in time? Lots going on and it seems like every time the team tries to back him up something gets in the way. Spine tingling read that keeps you wondering if they can get to Amanda in time.
July 29, 2023
This may be my favorite of the series so far! Classic military political thriller with John Dempsey leading the way. Team Ember is tasked with rescuing a young CIA operative from Turkey after she was kidnapped while the Ambassador was assassinated. The interesting piece is the CIA operative also happens to be the daughter of the chief justice of the Supreme Court and he doesn’t know she’s in the CIA. JD is looking for a needle in a very dry haystack in this one!
October 16, 2018
I have not read the other books in this series unfortunately, as this is definitely one of the best action thrillers ever written. The authors really know what they are talking about; not only on guns, fighting, spying and such, but also the problematic situations with Turkey/NATO/Russia/Syria. A definite MUST read.
March 29, 2024
Excellent opener to a new trilogy. Again, some of the geopolitical plotlines are a little bit too relevant in current times but written long enough ago to still be able to appreciate the fictionality. New characters, again strongly written and providing background allows for more investment into the story.
August 24, 2024
Andrews and Wilson knock it out of the park with this one. The daughter of a Supreme Court Justice is working as the ambassador's aid in Turkey when she is taken by persons unknown.
Some new team members are aboard and Dempsey picks up an interesting sidekick while chasing after the snatchers
Some new team members are aboard and Dempsey picks up an interesting sidekick while chasing after the snatchers
June 12, 2025
Overall, I enjoyed the book. The story was not as compelling as the first two books. However, it is tying into a greater plot and possibly more wide-reaching story that connects everything together. But I have to continue on to find out where it leads. I recommend if you already started reading the series.
November 13, 2018
Wow another great Tier one book even if the name changes still full of non stop excitement!! I am looking forward to his other books coming up and the next in this series Great read don't pass it up.
December 11, 2018
Love it!
Once again, I couldn't put the book down. I found myself holding my breath whenever John was in danger. I also felt like I was right there next to Grimes when she was acting as overwatch. Can't wait for the next book, and I hope the Ember team adds Amanda to their ranks.
Once again, I couldn't put the book down. I found myself holding my breath whenever John was in danger. I also felt like I was right there next to Grimes when she was acting as overwatch. Can't wait for the next book, and I hope the Ember team adds Amanda to their ranks.
December 29, 2018
Best one yet!
I really enjoyed this latest installment in this series. I found it not only thrilling but believable. Enjoyed the interaction between the team members . With more emotional issues revealed in this book. I appreciated the insight and history coming from our protagonists also. Can’t wait for the next one!
I really enjoyed this latest installment in this series. I found it not only thrilling but believable. Enjoyed the interaction between the team members . With more emotional issues revealed in this book. I appreciated the insight and history coming from our protagonists also. Can’t wait for the next one!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews