What do you think?
Rate this book
White Ops #1
White Ops
The Pharmakoi rampaged across dozens of star systems, taking on the toughest races in the Galaxy in their campaign of conquest. But they are only the beginning.
Sean Patrick Ryan sees that another race is behind the Pharmakoi expansion ; a race that wants to test our galaxy for weakness, and who needs to be eliminated from within. To fight the enemy in the shadows, Sean will put together a strike team to light up the darkness— with nukes if necessary.
They will get the job done at any cost.
They will be White Ops.
Sean Patrick Ryan sees that another race is behind the Pharmakoi expansion ; a race that wants to test our galaxy for weakness, and who needs to be eliminated from within. To fight the enemy in the shadows, Sean will put together a strike team to light up the darkness— with nukes if necessary.
They will get the job done at any cost.
They will be White Ops.
411 pages, Hardcover
First published January 18, 2022
17 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Declan Finn
109 books746 followersDeclan Finn is the NYC based author of books ranging from thrillers to urban fantasy to SciFi, including the 2016 Dragon Award Nominated Novel for Best horror, Honor at Stake, 2017 for Live and Let Bite, and 2018 for Codename: Unsub in best Apocalypse. He is known for "his strong fight scenes and is romance novels are sexy without being dirty, providing enough sexual tension to curl toes."
He hosts the Catholic Geek Radio show, and can be found wherever someone is starting trouble. He also writes thrillers, video game reviews, and works for several blogs.
He is one of a legion of writers over at The Catholic Geeks blog (a legion, for we are many). Other books he has written includes the comedy-thriller It Was Only on Stun! where he blows up a sci-fi convention (no, not this one). He co-authored the science fiction espionage novel Codename: Winterborn. However, he is most proud of The Pius Trilogy – which includes “A Pius Man,” “A Pius Legacy,” “A Pius Stand,” and an anthology, “Pius Tales.”
He hosts the Catholic Geek Radio show, and can be found wherever someone is starting trouble. He also writes thrillers, video game reviews, and works for several blogs.
He is one of a legion of writers over at The Catholic Geeks blog (a legion, for we are many). Other books he has written includes the comedy-thriller It Was Only on Stun! where he blows up a sci-fi convention (no, not this one). He co-authored the science fiction espionage novel Codename: Winterborn. However, he is most proud of The Pius Trilogy – which includes “A Pius Man,” “A Pius Legacy,” “A Pius Stand,” and an anthology, “Pius Tales.”
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 13, 2022
This was the third novel I have read by Declan Finn; in nearly as many weeks. I have ready the first two in his Saint Tommy Series, Hell Spawn and Death Cult. I now understand why so many people rave about his works. Before reading book 1, I had also picked up White Ops Book 1, but got going on the Saint Tommy Series first. I have also previously picked up several anthologies that Finn has contributed to, that I have not got around to reading. They as well will be bumped up in my to be read pile.
The description of this story is:
“The Pharmakoi rampaged across dozens of star systems, taking on the toughest races in the Galaxy in their campaign of conquest. But they are only the beginning.
Sean Patrick Ryan sees that another race is behind the Pharmakoi expansion ; a race that wants to test our galaxy for weakness, and who needs to be eliminated from within. To fight the enemy in the shadows, Sean will put together a strike team to light up the darkness— with nukes if necessary.
They will get the job done at any cost.
They will be White Ops.”
The beginning of this story up to about half way felt like a fix-up story. Their seemed to be several story lines set in the same universe with overlap here and there. During that first half of the book it felt like a rewrite of J.F. Powers Morte d'Urban set in space. Which in and of itself would not have been a bad thing. But then as things started coming together, it felt more like a rewrite of Tom Clancy’s Clear and Present Danger with so many subplots that when they all started coming together the complexity of the story revealed a masterpiece. That is what I felt as reading the second half, a story masterfully written. Many different angles and pieces pulling together it was awesome. It definitely has a Babylon 5 feel about it, and like B5 has many throwbacks and callout to fans of science fiction and movies alike. A few that got a chuckle were:
“One hundred percent of his estate went to support the Andrew Greeley Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of Chicago... after an untimely explosion erased whatever objections Soron had in the matter.”
““They have yet to make a Bond film that can come close to the first fifty.””
And this passage:
“Ryan shook his head. “No. You see, the Renar could circumvent all of our scanners back then. They made a covert approach to who they thought was the leader of the planet Earth.”
Kami straightened a little. She furrowed her brow, and frowned thoughtfully. She tilted her head, staring off right behind Ryan. “No... I can’t even begin to imagine it. Who did they talk to?”
“Hint: It was a person who ruled near the center of the map, in a really large white palace, who had diplomatic contacts and relations with every single country and person on the planet, with representatives at every level, from government to the street level. He also wore white robes, which, as you may have noticed, the Renar viewed as something of a status symbol.”
Kami’s green eyes widened slightly, and she tilted her head. “You’re kidding. They thought the leader of the planet was the Pope?””
And who cannot but love the idea of the Holy Order of Saint Patrick. And what about this bit on our main character:
““Warriors are one thing. A soldier must play well with others. Between the Holy Order of Saint Patrick, and the SCA, I’ve gotten around. I’m creative. Sometimes, I just need to look at things long enough, and I can figure it out. For example, the war we all just went through.””
The action is excellent, the story entertaining. Reading this was like jumping back nearly 40 years to when I read Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat Series and Pier’s Anthony’s Bio Of a Space Tyrant series. But this series has a great message and underlying faith. An excellent read in what looks like it will be an amazing series. An easy 5/5 stars!
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan!
The description of this story is:
“The Pharmakoi rampaged across dozens of star systems, taking on the toughest races in the Galaxy in their campaign of conquest. But they are only the beginning.
Sean Patrick Ryan sees that another race is behind the Pharmakoi expansion ; a race that wants to test our galaxy for weakness, and who needs to be eliminated from within. To fight the enemy in the shadows, Sean will put together a strike team to light up the darkness— with nukes if necessary.
They will get the job done at any cost.
They will be White Ops.”
The beginning of this story up to about half way felt like a fix-up story. Their seemed to be several story lines set in the same universe with overlap here and there. During that first half of the book it felt like a rewrite of J.F. Powers Morte d'Urban set in space. Which in and of itself would not have been a bad thing. But then as things started coming together, it felt more like a rewrite of Tom Clancy’s Clear and Present Danger with so many subplots that when they all started coming together the complexity of the story revealed a masterpiece. That is what I felt as reading the second half, a story masterfully written. Many different angles and pieces pulling together it was awesome. It definitely has a Babylon 5 feel about it, and like B5 has many throwbacks and callout to fans of science fiction and movies alike. A few that got a chuckle were:
“One hundred percent of his estate went to support the Andrew Greeley Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of Chicago... after an untimely explosion erased whatever objections Soron had in the matter.”
““They have yet to make a Bond film that can come close to the first fifty.””
And this passage:
“Ryan shook his head. “No. You see, the Renar could circumvent all of our scanners back then. They made a covert approach to who they thought was the leader of the planet Earth.”
Kami straightened a little. She furrowed her brow, and frowned thoughtfully. She tilted her head, staring off right behind Ryan. “No... I can’t even begin to imagine it. Who did they talk to?”
“Hint: It was a person who ruled near the center of the map, in a really large white palace, who had diplomatic contacts and relations with every single country and person on the planet, with representatives at every level, from government to the street level. He also wore white robes, which, as you may have noticed, the Renar viewed as something of a status symbol.”
Kami’s green eyes widened slightly, and she tilted her head. “You’re kidding. They thought the leader of the planet was the Pope?””
And who cannot but love the idea of the Holy Order of Saint Patrick. And what about this bit on our main character:
““Warriors are one thing. A soldier must play well with others. Between the Holy Order of Saint Patrick, and the SCA, I’ve gotten around. I’m creative. Sometimes, I just need to look at things long enough, and I can figure it out. For example, the war we all just went through.””
The action is excellent, the story entertaining. Reading this was like jumping back nearly 40 years to when I read Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat Series and Pier’s Anthony’s Bio Of a Space Tyrant series. But this series has a great message and underlying faith. An excellent read in what looks like it will be an amazing series. An easy 5/5 stars!
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan!
January 18, 2022
The Review
I can only describe this book as the ultimate sci-fi opera meets space western meets sci-fi military action-adventure all blended into one epic sci-fi tale. Simple, right? For such a lengthy read, the author did such an incredible job of writing in a way that allowed the action and mythos that the author created for this universe to flow smoothly and keep the reader on the edge of their seat, eager to jump into the next chapter of this story.
The balance the author found between the humorous dialogue and observations in the narrative with the rich sci-fi mythos and fully-developed character arcs of several characters made this story so brilliant. The exploration of not just a single moment but several years of this growing war effort and the infusion of both politics and action allowed readers to feel connected to the setting and the narrative’s atmosphere overall, creating a very cinematic quality that readers will fall in love with.
The Verdict
An entertaining, adrenaline-fueled, and breathtaking sci-fi epic, author Declan Finn’s “White Ops” is the perfect opening chapter of a new sci-fi saga. With a memorable cast of characters, a developing shadowy evil threatening the universe still, and a cliffhanger of an ending, readers are going to be eager to learn more about the book’s sequel ASAP.
I can only describe this book as the ultimate sci-fi opera meets space western meets sci-fi military action-adventure all blended into one epic sci-fi tale. Simple, right? For such a lengthy read, the author did such an incredible job of writing in a way that allowed the action and mythos that the author created for this universe to flow smoothly and keep the reader on the edge of their seat, eager to jump into the next chapter of this story.
The balance the author found between the humorous dialogue and observations in the narrative with the rich sci-fi mythos and fully-developed character arcs of several characters made this story so brilliant. The exploration of not just a single moment but several years of this growing war effort and the infusion of both politics and action allowed readers to feel connected to the setting and the narrative’s atmosphere overall, creating a very cinematic quality that readers will fall in love with.
The Verdict
An entertaining, adrenaline-fueled, and breathtaking sci-fi epic, author Declan Finn’s “White Ops” is the perfect opening chapter of a new sci-fi saga. With a memorable cast of characters, a developing shadowy evil threatening the universe still, and a cliffhanger of an ending, readers are going to be eager to learn more about the book’s sequel ASAP.
January 20, 2022
Sean Patrick Ryan is known to many as the biggest badass in the galaxy. To paraphrase another character known for getting into more than his fair share of fights, “he doesn’t say that, that’s what people tell him.” With a reputation like that, trouble seems to follow him, which is how he learns that a little known race called the Pharmakoi are breaking out of their star system in a bid for galactic domination. That's just beginning of our hero's problems.
If you are already a fan of Finn's work, you'll definitely love the fast-paced action and the take no prisoners and punch the bad guy with a smile on your face attitude of the protagonists. If not, this is a great place to get acquainted because this is the beginning of a series rather than the fourth or fifth book in one.
If you are already a fan of Finn's work, you'll definitely love the fast-paced action and the take no prisoners and punch the bad guy with a smile on your face attitude of the protagonists. If not, this is a great place to get acquainted because this is the beginning of a series rather than the fourth or fifth book in one.
January 18, 2022
Finn himself has stated that this was the first novel he wrote. That does make sense because I can see a lot of the enthusiasm of the newbie in his writing here. That much having been said, I’m glad he waited to publish it because I don’t think he could have told the story this well as a newbie. This one took some panache to pull off. I’m guessing he’s edited this thing approximately 0876876897689768768769876986897689698768769869868967 times. As quickly as he writes, it’s not like it took him that long to get it on paper. It all works and it makes too much sense to be something that was written by someone their first time out. He definitely rocked it out here.
August 10, 2025
Declan Finn, I don’t know what you’ve been drinking while writing White Ops, but please keep drinking it. Sean Patrick Ryan is the kind of hero who makes you want to sign up for intergalactic combat training… right after you stop laughing at his snark.
The pace? Relentless. The action? Explosive (literally, I think I counted enough nukes to light up half the galaxy). The humor? Sharper than a plasma blade. And the team? I’d trust them to save the universe, though I’d probably hide behind something sturdy while they do it.
This isn’t just military sci-fi, it’s a space opera joyride with just enough shadowy conspiracy to keep you guessing, and just enough “blow it up first, ask questions later” to keep you grinning.
In short: Declan, you’ve got the goods. Now let’s get more people to realize it.
The pace? Relentless. The action? Explosive (literally, I think I counted enough nukes to light up half the galaxy). The humor? Sharper than a plasma blade. And the team? I’d trust them to save the universe, though I’d probably hide behind something sturdy while they do it.
This isn’t just military sci-fi, it’s a space opera joyride with just enough shadowy conspiracy to keep you guessing, and just enough “blow it up first, ask questions later” to keep you grinning.
In short: Declan, you’ve got the goods. Now let’s get more people to realize it.
January 25, 2022
Start of a nine book series. Lots of heart, soul, humor, and violence.
The opening brawl-war sequence is brilliant. Engaging, funny, and noble.
Then the alien races and characters rapidly proliferate decades later and after the initial confusion we transition into a "game of thrones" type chaotic political novel.
Then at the end we have a brilliant sequence on the wonderfully imagined Alexandria station which returns us to the brawl-war theme.
So it's like a sonata, a-b-a.
I feel like the middle part wasn't a smooth transition for me and took some work to plough through. I'm glad I did.
For me, I'd prefer it if the middle agreed with the beginning and the end. But it's still a superb first SF novel. Looking forward to the second release.
The opening brawl-war sequence is brilliant. Engaging, funny, and noble.
Then the alien races and characters rapidly proliferate decades later and after the initial confusion we transition into a "game of thrones" type chaotic political novel.
Then at the end we have a brilliant sequence on the wonderfully imagined Alexandria station which returns us to the brawl-war theme.
So it's like a sonata, a-b-a.
I feel like the middle part wasn't a smooth transition for me and took some work to plough through. I'm glad I did.
For me, I'd prefer it if the middle agreed with the beginning and the end. But it's still a superb first SF novel. Looking forward to the second release.
September 5, 2024
This was my first book by Declan Finn and it was certainly worth the read. The main character, Sean Murphy, is practically a caricature of a hero: 6' 6" trained in martial arts since childhood, and a telepath to boot. But he's saved from being flat by also being an orphan, raised by monks, and being a devout Catholic. He also has outrageous taste in clothing.
He teams up with a super genius, who ends up being an ambassador to an alien race. That's all background set up.
There's also a great Admiral "Nuke'em" Newcomb, who helps defeat an alien race, after ten million deaths across the cosmos.
That's when the real antagonists, the real villains, of the book are revealed.
I think devotees of military scifi with a sense of humor will enjoy this book.
He teams up with a super genius, who ends up being an ambassador to an alien race. That's all background set up.
There's also a great Admiral "Nuke'em" Newcomb, who helps defeat an alien race, after ten million deaths across the cosmos.
That's when the real antagonists, the real villains, of the book are revealed.
I think devotees of military scifi with a sense of humor will enjoy this book.
June 9, 2024
Great read: fun space opera with cool world-building
The substack on Upstream Reviews recommended it as a fun space opera with cool world-building in a typical Declann Finn authorial voice. I like all those things so gave it a go.
I do not know if I am still blacklisted on Amazon. If you're reading this the customer service rep who helped me after I my account was harrassed w/a mass-flagging attack got it fixed..If not...
The substack on Upstream Reviews recommended it as a fun space opera with cool world-building in a typical Declann Finn authorial voice. I like all those things so gave it a go.
I do not know if I am still blacklisted on Amazon. If you're reading this the customer service rep who helped me after I my account was harrassed w/a mass-flagging attack got it fixed..If not...
November 10, 2025
White Ops hooked me from the first page. The Pharmakoi are tearing through star systems, but the real threat is something even bigger - and Sean Patrick Ryan is the kind of no-nonsense hero you want leading the charge. The story is packed with action, clever twists, and that classic military-sci-fi grit.
If you like stories with strong characters, smart strategy, and nonstop excitement, this one’s definitely worth picking up.
If you like stories with strong characters, smart strategy, and nonstop excitement, this one’s definitely worth picking up.
February 21, 2023
First book I've read by Declan, a little bit of Mission Impossible meets Star Trek.
January 11, 2022
‘The Pharmakoi are bad news. They’re really powerful’ – New characters, new space opera
New York City author Declan Finn is a prolific writer of stories published in anthologies and over thirty novels: his spectrum includes mysteries, thrillers urban fantasies and science fiction. His novels have earned significant awards. His new novel – WHITE OPS is a space opera and he steps to the forefront with this excellent entry into that genre. The note that this is Book One is promising that this will be a series.
Setting the time frame in the 2360s, Finn demonstrates his ability to created the scenery and props and players well – on Space Colony Invidia I, ‘The first step to an interstellar war that threatened to darken the stars themselves had begun in a grubby little bar, on a backwater planet that no-one had even bothered to terraform. No one knew exactly what it would lead to, especially not the two characters who wandered into the bar. They skipped the Zari at the front door who sold tickets – the alien had just let them pass. Peter Sierra always worried when a bar stopped patrons at the door to buy tickets to enter – he worried even more when everyone had to pay except him, usually meaning that he was the floorshow. However, on this occasion, Peter was worried because he was currently traveling with the most dangerous human in the known universe, Sean Patrick Ryan…Ryan and Peter were fiends from college, and occasional partners in crime. Technically, what they did bordered on illegality, but there was reason they called Ryan a mercenary. Peter wandered the stars, and they occasionally reconnected by accident. Today, that same place was the bar The Scoundrel’s Refuge. It was a seedy little bar in a seedier-still little domed colony.’ Welcome to Invidia and the curtain raises heartily!
Finn’s lengthy book reads quickly with prose that is peppered with wit and near visual action. The plot has been condensed as follows: ‘The Pharmakoi rampaged across dozens of star systems, taking on the toughest races in the Galaxy in their campaign of conquest. But they are only the beginning. Sean Patrick Ryan sees that another race is behind the Pharmakoi expansion; a race that wants to test our galaxy for weakness, and who needs to be eliminated from within. To fight the enemy in the shadows, Sean will put together a strike team to light up the darkness— with nukes if necessary. They will get the job done at any cost. They will be White Ops.’
While some writers of science fiction neglect humor, Declan Finn embraces it: ‘Of all the elements of the universe – hydrogen, oxygen, light – the most common of these is not found in asteroids, or stars, or even quantifiable by science. It is, sadly enough, stupidity.’ And that is but one of the many reasons his imaginative novels are so successful! Recommended
New York City author Declan Finn is a prolific writer of stories published in anthologies and over thirty novels: his spectrum includes mysteries, thrillers urban fantasies and science fiction. His novels have earned significant awards. His new novel – WHITE OPS is a space opera and he steps to the forefront with this excellent entry into that genre. The note that this is Book One is promising that this will be a series.
Setting the time frame in the 2360s, Finn demonstrates his ability to created the scenery and props and players well – on Space Colony Invidia I, ‘The first step to an interstellar war that threatened to darken the stars themselves had begun in a grubby little bar, on a backwater planet that no-one had even bothered to terraform. No one knew exactly what it would lead to, especially not the two characters who wandered into the bar. They skipped the Zari at the front door who sold tickets – the alien had just let them pass. Peter Sierra always worried when a bar stopped patrons at the door to buy tickets to enter – he worried even more when everyone had to pay except him, usually meaning that he was the floorshow. However, on this occasion, Peter was worried because he was currently traveling with the most dangerous human in the known universe, Sean Patrick Ryan…Ryan and Peter were fiends from college, and occasional partners in crime. Technically, what they did bordered on illegality, but there was reason they called Ryan a mercenary. Peter wandered the stars, and they occasionally reconnected by accident. Today, that same place was the bar The Scoundrel’s Refuge. It was a seedy little bar in a seedier-still little domed colony.’ Welcome to Invidia and the curtain raises heartily!
Finn’s lengthy book reads quickly with prose that is peppered with wit and near visual action. The plot has been condensed as follows: ‘The Pharmakoi rampaged across dozens of star systems, taking on the toughest races in the Galaxy in their campaign of conquest. But they are only the beginning. Sean Patrick Ryan sees that another race is behind the Pharmakoi expansion; a race that wants to test our galaxy for weakness, and who needs to be eliminated from within. To fight the enemy in the shadows, Sean will put together a strike team to light up the darkness— with nukes if necessary. They will get the job done at any cost. They will be White Ops.’
While some writers of science fiction neglect humor, Declan Finn embraces it: ‘Of all the elements of the universe – hydrogen, oxygen, light – the most common of these is not found in asteroids, or stars, or even quantifiable by science. It is, sadly enough, stupidity.’ And that is but one of the many reasons his imaginative novels are so successful! Recommended
January 19, 2022
Sean Patrick Ryan is a true son and spiritual descendent of Sean Aloysius Patrick Ryan, victor of the Battle of the Vatican. Take Sean AP Ryan's devil-may-care attitude, charitable helpfulness and bloody-minded refusal to turn the other cheek into space and we have what would be an otherwise normal alien invasion scenario turned on its figurative head. What gets my imagination working overtime is the fact that the signature Ryan zanyness has not happened yet. I need to see what is going to happen next!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews