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Camp Valor #2
The Trigger Mechanism
The second book in the Camp Valor series by the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of American Sniper.
When a drone explodes at a crowded high school basketball championship, unleashing a mysterious chemical, a riot ensues, leaving fans dead. The gas is revealed to be a vaporized cocktail of hormones and neurotransmitter chemicals, which have the ability to trigger horrific and seemingly unstoppable acts of violence by otherwise non-aggressive participants. Over the anonymous Tor browser—the gateway to the darknet—the Encyte network claims credit for the attack. A series of similar violent outbreaks follow, terrorizing the public. When everyone is a weapon, no one is safe.
Using spyware technology, a reclusive billionaire and Camp Valor alum develops a theory about the leader of the Encyte network's identity. Camp Valor is given the summer to stop the violence. Wyatt Brewer, who is living in hiding with his family after taking down Glowworm Gaming the previous summer, wants no part of the mission or of Valor. It’s not until the violence is linked to a video game created by Glowworm Gaming that Wyatt acquiesces, agreeing to return to the camp for another summer, with one He will not kill.
Wyatt searches to find the Encyte network, and to reconcile the kind of young man he thought he wanted to be with his true nature. As Wyatt and his section zero-in on what they believe is their target, Wyatt has a terrifying realization. What if they themselves are being used by their faceless enemy as a weapon?
When a drone explodes at a crowded high school basketball championship, unleashing a mysterious chemical, a riot ensues, leaving fans dead. The gas is revealed to be a vaporized cocktail of hormones and neurotransmitter chemicals, which have the ability to trigger horrific and seemingly unstoppable acts of violence by otherwise non-aggressive participants. Over the anonymous Tor browser—the gateway to the darknet—the Encyte network claims credit for the attack. A series of similar violent outbreaks follow, terrorizing the public. When everyone is a weapon, no one is safe.
Using spyware technology, a reclusive billionaire and Camp Valor alum develops a theory about the leader of the Encyte network's identity. Camp Valor is given the summer to stop the violence. Wyatt Brewer, who is living in hiding with his family after taking down Glowworm Gaming the previous summer, wants no part of the mission or of Valor. It’s not until the violence is linked to a video game created by Glowworm Gaming that Wyatt acquiesces, agreeing to return to the camp for another summer, with one He will not kill.
Wyatt searches to find the Encyte network, and to reconcile the kind of young man he thought he wanted to be with his true nature. As Wyatt and his section zero-in on what they believe is their target, Wyatt has a terrifying realization. What if they themselves are being used by their faceless enemy as a weapon?
347 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 14, 2025
56 people are currently reading
949 people want to read
About the author
Scott McEwen
33 books270 followersScott McEwen is a trial attorney in San Diego, California. He grew up in the mountains of Eastern Oregon where he became an Eagle Scout; hiking, fishing, and hunting at every opportunity presented. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Oregon and thereafter studied and worked extensively in London, England. Scott works with and provides support for several military charitable organizations, including the Seal Team Foundation.
Scott's interest in military history, intense patriotism, and experience with long-range hunting rifles, compelled him to accurately record the battlefield experiences of Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in United States military history.
Japanese: スコット マキューエン
Scott's interest in military history, intense patriotism, and experience with long-range hunting rifles, compelled him to accurately record the battlefield experiences of Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in United States military history.
Japanese: スコット マキューエン
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 24, 2025
—A Disappointing Sequel After a Promising Start!—
The second installment in the Camp Honor series: A new terrorist strikes, throwing all of America into fear. Wyatt and his team try to neutralize Encyte—but Wyatt’s top priority is finding Hallsy, the man who killed Dolly, and getting revenge. He’s willing to do anything for that, even abandon his friends.
Honestly, I found this book a bit disappointing. I loved the first part and was really looking forward to another action-packed sequel. But what I got felt like a waste of potential.
The writing style remains more or less the same, and while the chapters stay in the present timeline, they constantly switch between way too many characters. I got to read from almost everyone’s perspective—but I was only ever interested in Wyatt’s parts. One chapter might be from the Secretary of Defense’s point of view, the next from one of her aides, then we’d briefly cut to the attackers, then Camp Honor, then Wyatt or Jalen, and then even Darsie’s life. All of these fragments never came together to form a cohesive story.
Just when something started to get interesting (which wasn’t that often), the chapter would switch to another person in another location. For example, if a conversation spanned three chapters, it would go like this: chapter 1 – conversation, chapter 2 – unrelated character, chapter 3 – continuation of conversation, chapter 4 – attacker, chapter 5 – end of conversation. That structure made it impossible for any real suspense or action to build. It drained the fun out of reading and made the novel feel like it dragged on forever.
Also, the title implies that the mission takes place at Camp Honor and that Wyatt would be the main character leading a successful operation with his friends. Instead… the story has almost nothing to do with the camp. In the end, the camp sends a team into a shootout, but otherwise plays no role. Wyatt goes rogue with a new character, and somehow Jalen—who wasn’t even in the first book—gets all the attention and basically becomes the hero. The promised heroic team? Completely missing.
Wyatt is only involved because he wants revenge for Dolly, his girlfriend from the first book. That book ended with a shocking cliffhanger—a picture of the abused Dolly—and I thought this would be a major storyline. Instead, it’s briefly mentioned that Dolly is dead and Hallsy is her killer. That’s it. A major shock, brushed aside. Wyatt only helps because Darsie promises to give him Hallsy’s location if the mission succeeds. And even then, Wyatt’s revenge is barely shown—it’s crammed into the epilogue.
I’ve listed quite a few reasons why this sequel didn’t work for me. The one redeeming quality? The storyline itself. There were a lot of unnecessary details, but the plot was well thought out. In the end, everything came together logically and was portrayed in a somewhat realistic way.
I would definitely recommend the first book. But the second one? A letdown. So don’t expect too much if you decide to continue reading the series.
Of course, that’s just my opinion—others might have enjoyed the sequel more.
The second installment in the Camp Honor series: A new terrorist strikes, throwing all of America into fear. Wyatt and his team try to neutralize Encyte—but Wyatt’s top priority is finding Hallsy, the man who killed Dolly, and getting revenge. He’s willing to do anything for that, even abandon his friends.
Honestly, I found this book a bit disappointing. I loved the first part and was really looking forward to another action-packed sequel. But what I got felt like a waste of potential.
The writing style remains more or less the same, and while the chapters stay in the present timeline, they constantly switch between way too many characters. I got to read from almost everyone’s perspective—but I was only ever interested in Wyatt’s parts. One chapter might be from the Secretary of Defense’s point of view, the next from one of her aides, then we’d briefly cut to the attackers, then Camp Honor, then Wyatt or Jalen, and then even Darsie’s life. All of these fragments never came together to form a cohesive story.
Just when something started to get interesting (which wasn’t that often), the chapter would switch to another person in another location. For example, if a conversation spanned three chapters, it would go like this: chapter 1 – conversation, chapter 2 – unrelated character, chapter 3 – continuation of conversation, chapter 4 – attacker, chapter 5 – end of conversation. That structure made it impossible for any real suspense or action to build. It drained the fun out of reading and made the novel feel like it dragged on forever.
Also, the title implies that the mission takes place at Camp Honor and that Wyatt would be the main character leading a successful operation with his friends. Instead… the story has almost nothing to do with the camp. In the end, the camp sends a team into a shootout, but otherwise plays no role. Wyatt goes rogue with a new character, and somehow Jalen—who wasn’t even in the first book—gets all the attention and basically becomes the hero. The promised heroic team? Completely missing.
Wyatt is only involved because he wants revenge for Dolly, his girlfriend from the first book. That book ended with a shocking cliffhanger—a picture of the abused Dolly—and I thought this would be a major storyline. Instead, it’s briefly mentioned that Dolly is dead and Hallsy is her killer. That’s it. A major shock, brushed aside. Wyatt only helps because Darsie promises to give him Hallsy’s location if the mission succeeds. And even then, Wyatt’s revenge is barely shown—it’s crammed into the epilogue.
I’ve listed quite a few reasons why this sequel didn’t work for me. The one redeeming quality? The storyline itself. There were a lot of unnecessary details, but the plot was well thought out. In the end, everything came together logically and was portrayed in a somewhat realistic way.
I would definitely recommend the first book. But the second one? A letdown. So don’t expect too much if you decide to continue reading the series.
Of course, that’s just my opinion—others might have enjoyed the sequel more.
June 22, 2021
Jalen takes center stage in this Valor book; however, Wyatt, ever the cool, young action hero, remains in the picture. This is a straight-forward action story. If you're looking for frilly prose, this isn't your book, although there are a few good similes. I like that McEwen specifies the types of weapons his characters use. The specific terms--the details, in general--make the story feel authentic. And they show effort on the author's part. I also appreciate that the book's older characters tackle the proverbial elephant in the room: social discourse over guns. Through dialogue, they depict both sides of battle without coming across as preachy (well, maybe just a little). They encourage discussion over discourse without interrupting the flow of the story.
I read this book for three reasons: (1) It was the only comp, other than the first Valor book, that I could find for my own action story--the all-American action story is tough to find on the shelves of Barnes and Noble. In fact, I had to go to customer service and ask for such a book. The Trigger Mechanism showed up on their search, so I ordered it. (2) I wanted to support McEwen's work because I appreciate his patriotism--just read the book's dedication! I love it. (3) I read the first Valor story, so I wanted to follow through and read this one. I'm old, but I'm a YA fan.
I can see my twelve-year-old nephew enjoying this book, if only he could pull himself away from his X-Box. (McEwen hits that aspect of the story out of the ballpark!) As well, a young person who's interested in the military or the Scouts might enjoy this story. With that said, the grammar and consistency issues distracted me. At one point, I grabbed a red pencil and started editing. I wonder if the book was rushed to print.
I read this book for three reasons: (1) It was the only comp, other than the first Valor book, that I could find for my own action story--the all-American action story is tough to find on the shelves of Barnes and Noble. In fact, I had to go to customer service and ask for such a book. The Trigger Mechanism showed up on their search, so I ordered it. (2) I wanted to support McEwen's work because I appreciate his patriotism--just read the book's dedication! I love it. (3) I read the first Valor story, so I wanted to follow through and read this one. I'm old, but I'm a YA fan.
I can see my twelve-year-old nephew enjoying this book, if only he could pull himself away from his X-Box. (McEwen hits that aspect of the story out of the ballpark!) As well, a young person who's interested in the military or the Scouts might enjoy this story. With that said, the grammar and consistency issues distracted me. At one point, I grabbed a red pencil and started editing. I wonder if the book was rushed to print.
September 9, 2020
Wyatt is back at Camp Valor, but this time his formerly missing father is now in charge of the camp and his brother, Cody has come back with him to train. Wyatt burns with the need for revenge against Hallsy who killed his friend Dolly and The Old Man in the aftermath of destruction of the Glowworm Gaming Network, but he must put those desires aside as a cyberterrorist named Encyte has found a way to use technology to trick people into performing acts of terrorism. Once such victim is Jalen who unknowingly kills hundreds of people while he believes he is playing a video game. Wyatt finds a way to get Jalen into Camp Valor so that he can use his skills to make up for what he has done. All of this will depend on the new Secretary of Defense who may decide that Camp Valor is too dangerous to remain in operation.
The ending of The Trigger Mechanism is fairly predictable and suffers from too many conflicts and relationships to be satisfactorily addressed in one book. Several intriguing issues are raised and solved, but without delving into the emotional impact that they have on the main characters. Overall, The Trigger Mechanism is an action packed story that ties up the loose ends left at the end of Camp Valor.
The ending of The Trigger Mechanism is fairly predictable and suffers from too many conflicts and relationships to be satisfactorily addressed in one book. Several intriguing issues are raised and solved, but without delving into the emotional impact that they have on the main characters. Overall, The Trigger Mechanism is an action packed story that ties up the loose ends left at the end of Camp Valor.
February 2, 2021
Disclosure: Free ARC copy. Aside from some typos and storyline consistency errors that could be corrected in final editing, I'd give it 3 stars as a young adult book, but only 2 overall for readers with a broader (i.e. more discerning palate).
Overall, a decently written YA action adventure story. The praise ends there.
It's also a mishmash of decent plot premises, action sequence opportunities, and character potential - all of which a) fail to be properly developed, b) don't connect well, or sometimes at all, and c) are rooted in the absurd premise of a government funded, secret camp where troublesome young teens receive elite military, special ops and espionage training and are called upon to carry out assignments too difficult for the actual special forces.
But there was also a book about a guy who could talk to animals, and a nanny who flew by umbrella, so . . . um . . . sure, whatever.
Sadly this swing and a miss book is 400 pages of set up, 35 pages of textbook MacGuffin too-fast, too-easy climax, and then 5 epilogue pages of nonsense.
Sorry guys, take a pass on this one. It's off to the used bookstore for The Trigger Mechanism.
Overall, a decently written YA action adventure story. The praise ends there.
It's also a mishmash of decent plot premises, action sequence opportunities, and character potential - all of which a) fail to be properly developed, b) don't connect well, or sometimes at all, and c) are rooted in the absurd premise of a government funded, secret camp where troublesome young teens receive elite military, special ops and espionage training and are called upon to carry out assignments too difficult for the actual special forces.
But there was also a book about a guy who could talk to animals, and a nanny who flew by umbrella, so . . . um . . . sure, whatever.
Sadly this swing and a miss book is 400 pages of set up, 35 pages of textbook MacGuffin too-fast, too-easy climax, and then 5 epilogue pages of nonsense.
Sorry guys, take a pass on this one. It's off to the used bookstore for The Trigger Mechanism.
January 7, 2021
Full Disclosure: Goodreads Giveaway Winner
A young man is playing a video game where points are earned based upon destruction - the goal is to kill as many people as possible.... except unknown to him, it's not a game. A terrorist manipulates people to acts they otherwise would never consider.
Jalen is appalled when he realizes what he has done, and sees no way out, until Wyatt appears and tells him of a place where teens in trouble, but redeemable can make up for their prior bad acts - Camp Valor, a well kept secret. At Camp Valor children as young as middle school train to be agents for good in support of the US.
The newest Secretary of Defense is appalled when informed of Camp Valor's existence and purpose and determines to shut it down.
Will the campers, led by Wyatt be able to identify the terrorist, or will the Camp disappear forever?
This is the second book in a series, and although reading the first would have given me Wyatt's backstory, having not read it was not a hinderance.
A young man is playing a video game where points are earned based upon destruction - the goal is to kill as many people as possible.... except unknown to him, it's not a game. A terrorist manipulates people to acts they otherwise would never consider.
Jalen is appalled when he realizes what he has done, and sees no way out, until Wyatt appears and tells him of a place where teens in trouble, but redeemable can make up for their prior bad acts - Camp Valor, a well kept secret. At Camp Valor children as young as middle school train to be agents for good in support of the US.
The newest Secretary of Defense is appalled when informed of Camp Valor's existence and purpose and determines to shut it down.
Will the campers, led by Wyatt be able to identify the terrorist, or will the Camp disappear forever?
This is the second book in a series, and although reading the first would have given me Wyatt's backstory, having not read it was not a hinderance.
September 22, 2020
The sequel to Camp Valor was amazing! I really believe that it was better than the first book. This is definitely a book Mission Impossible vibes. I enjoyed the characters, which all of them were unique. So much action in this book! I will say this; I wish the writers spent more time with Sgt. H's character. They killed him off too quickly. I was kinda hoping this would spin off to perhaps a third book, where he is considered a supervillain with a new group of supervillains. Its cool that the books have set up these characters to be almost like they are characters in a legit video game. I also love the video game references and similarities. One the writers is definitely a Street Fighter fan for sure! Great book for young men in high school. I also love that we get a chance to see a young black male character who is a superhero and not a victim to police violence or brutality. Looking forward to book 3!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2020
Agent Wyatt and his dad return.
I really enjoyed Camp Valor. I thought it was a cool idea and I loved finding a book where the action didn't feel completely divorced from the laws of reality. This book held onto the stuff I enjoyed and brought in some fun new characters. The emphasis on digital threats and gaming continues in this book and the possibilities for terrorism that they explore and very much real and imminently plausible. Honestly it read like a teenage Tom Clancy adventure. Just not as long winded.
Also, the first chapter is worth a read even if you don't think you'd like the book. I was shocked in a 'makes you think' kind of way and from there on it wasn't a question of if I'd finish it, just when. Overall a fun follow-up to the first book. A bit less training and more adventure.
I really enjoyed Camp Valor. I thought it was a cool idea and I loved finding a book where the action didn't feel completely divorced from the laws of reality. This book held onto the stuff I enjoyed and brought in some fun new characters. The emphasis on digital threats and gaming continues in this book and the possibilities for terrorism that they explore and very much real and imminently plausible. Honestly it read like a teenage Tom Clancy adventure. Just not as long winded.
Also, the first chapter is worth a read even if you don't think you'd like the book. I was shocked in a 'makes you think' kind of way and from there on it wasn't a question of if I'd finish it, just when. Overall a fun follow-up to the first book. A bit less training and more adventure.
May 25, 2023
The story “The Trigger Mechanism” is a book about a military camp that kids who have gone to juvenile detention go to, if someone thinks they should go. The main character is a 15 year old boy named Wyatt, who was blamed for a crime that he didn’t do. The main setting in the book is on an island in the ocean. The island has a shooting range, a helipad for all the helicopters, and it has cabins as well.
I really liked this book because it is very entertaining, and it is very engaging. The whole time I was reading this book, I didn’t want to put it down. It is very action packed if you like those types of books. Something else that I liked about this book is that it makes you imagine that you are actually at the camp, and you feel like you are standing there, with the other characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is into action packed books.
I really liked this book because it is very entertaining, and it is very engaging. The whole time I was reading this book, I didn’t want to put it down. It is very action packed if you like those types of books. Something else that I liked about this book is that it makes you imagine that you are actually at the camp, and you feel like you are standing there, with the other characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is into action packed books.
March 16, 2020
The Trigger Mechanism is a great follow-up to the events of Camp Valor. Wyatt, who is still affected by the events at the end of the previous book, is wanting to track down Hallsy, who left a devastating path of destruction, but he may have to table his need for revenge, when a new threat appears. This new threat is using computers to cause horrific situations, which brings Jalen, a young teen, who didn't know he was being used by this new threat. Full of action and character moments, The Trigger Mechanism hits the ground running, and takes the reader on a journey of teenagers trying to stop a threat to all. I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway, and am providing an honest review.
June 5, 2020
I believe that Camp Valor “The trigger mechanism” was a great follow up to the first book and explained most of what was left off in the first book. It brings back people from the first book which turn out to be major characters and ties up the story very well while also Answering a lot of other mysterious questions we had from the 1st book. Wyatt grows as a character a lot throughout the book while also showing off what he learned through so much practice that took up most of the first book. I stand with my ranting I gave the book and suggest anybody skeptical to read this book to give it a try
September 2, 2020
This one wasn’t as food as the first but it was still interesting. By the way the first one ended I expected a completely different story line and started wondering if I had missed something. I just knew they were going to go after Dolly while still going on another mission.
I have to admit that when Morgan entered the story it felt like it would obviously be him. He’s a newer, shady, tech genius so you immediately think he is in on it. I still thought Hi Kyoto would be a part of it but I’m glad she wasn’t. She was too likable but maybe that would’ve been an interesting spin.
I am intrigued if there is going to be a third book. I would be interested in continuing on with the story.
I have to admit that when Morgan entered the story it felt like it would obviously be him. He’s a newer, shady, tech genius so you immediately think he is in on it. I still thought Hi Kyoto would be a part of it but I’m glad she wasn’t. She was too likable but maybe that would’ve been an interesting spin.
I am intrigued if there is going to be a third book. I would be interested in continuing on with the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 8, 2021This book is just as interesting as the first grabbing your attention from the start as the Valor students learn how to fight with their heads and not their minds. A terrorist named Encyte is gradually killing people using his Virtual power and humans to carry out his plans. Wyatt will learn the true hardships of being a leader is along with the depths of revenge as he searches for the betrayer Halsey.
September 1, 2025
If an author expects readers to believe children can perform as well as adult special operation teams, he should become more detailed oriented. For example on page 268 the word ordinance is used in reference to a bomb squad rather than the proper spelling ordnance. Also anyone that has watched a tv documentary on explosive detector dogs would know they use a passive alert. The dogs do not howl. Luckily I borrowed this book from my library so I did not waste any money on it.
January 30, 2020
4.5 stars. I don't usually like this type of book, nor do I like reading a book in a series without reading the one(s) before it. This was excellent. While it is book 2 in a series, it can stand alone. I will be going back for the first one. It's meant to be YA, but I really enjoyed it. It was fast paced and well written. I look forward to more!
March 11, 2020
I won this here on goodreads. Great story! Not believable, because we would never send kids on dangerous missions. The beginning where a kid is playing - what he thought was - a video game and ends up killing real people - now that seems horrifically within the realm of reason. Great story. I wish I could be the one to do a final edit on this Advance Reader Copy.
February 6, 2020
It's a good thriller, engrossing and entertaining, with an interesting and gripping plot.
I liked the cast of characters and the plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I liked the cast of characters and the plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
October 4, 2019
Great Book 2!
November 18, 2019
Excellent book!!
March 1, 2020
Most Excellent book!
Mr. McEwen hits another one out of the park! I love this Camp Valor series. I can't wait for the next book to come out. High praise for McEwen and Camp Valor!
Mr. McEwen hits another one out of the park! I love this Camp Valor series. I can't wait for the next book to come out. High praise for McEwen and Camp Valor!
March 3, 2020
Great story.
November 12, 2021
I really enjoy everything by Mcewen… BUT… no one WINS the MoH, and Glock pistols don’t have a manual safety.
May 11, 2022
Literally so pissed that Dolly died. It tarnished the book, I had no interest in it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2024
Camp Valor book 2
Very gripping and a typical can't see put down book.
The only negative is, at a few occasions the characters were switched, marking it a bit confusing 😕
Very gripping and a typical can't see put down book.
The only negative is, at a few occasions the characters were switched, marking it a bit confusing 😕
July 13, 2024
i mean… this book mostly lacks the stupid aspects of the first one. i guess the payoff for that is a decrease in writing prowess/quality though.
October 19, 2024
Great book with a lot of action. I read it for an ELA assignment and loved it. The only problem was there was too many characters
February 13, 2021
1.5 maybe 2 Stars
Not gonna say much, but I felt like this one highlighted the problems I had with the first one. Maybe I am a little too old for this, even though I normally enjoy Spy/Special Forces books for teenagers (e.g. Top Ten).
This just really felt like the main characters, who I sometimes considered to be jerks, were always right and soo badass and you got it stuffed in your face every damn time. Like Wyatt can just disrespect the higher ups and be like:" No, you're wrong. I am smarter and better than all of you so let's do it my way" Then they go like:"No this is not how it works" and after Wyatt repeating himself two more times they are just like:Yup, you can do the super dangerous/dumb thing now.
I also found it kind of predictable who the villain was, because it just was kind of obvious when you got to know him. That didn't bother me much though. What probably was a little worse was that Wyatt and Jalen felt kind of the same (because Jalen was literally a watered down version of Wyatt) but whatever.
Not gonna say much, but I felt like this one highlighted the problems I had with the first one. Maybe I am a little too old for this, even though I normally enjoy Spy/Special Forces books for teenagers (e.g. Top Ten).
This just really felt like the main characters, who I sometimes considered to be jerks, were always right and soo badass and you got it stuffed in your face every damn time. Like Wyatt can just disrespect the higher ups and be like:" No, you're wrong. I am smarter and better than all of you so let's do it my way" Then they go like:"No this is not how it works" and after Wyatt repeating himself two more times they are just like:Yup, you can do the super dangerous/dumb thing now.
I also found it kind of predictable who the villain was, because it just was kind of obvious when you got to know him. That didn't bother me much though. What probably was a little worse was that Wyatt and Jalen felt kind of the same (because Jalen was literally a watered down version of Wyatt) but whatever.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews