Tier One by Andrews and Wilson thrusts readers into the intense, high-stakes world of John Dempsey, an elite Navy SEAL who, after a devastating terrorist attack, finds himself catapulted from the black-and-white world of military operations into the murky, morally ambiguous realm of espionage. His new mission: track down the forces threatening global stability and bring them to justice.

Despite me being nearly a decade late to this series, the book still feels fresh and cutting-edge. The opening is gripping, throwing readers right into the action with a compelling protagonist, John Kemper, a Tier One operator and team leader. But the operation he’s on quickly goes sideways, and later it gets worse with the tragic loss of all his Tier One brothers in arms.

The plot takes a dramatic turn as Kemper—now known as John Dempsey—joins Ember, a shadowy black-ops organization tasked with handling the missions that traditional spec-ops can’t touch. And first up is avenging his fallen brothers.

One of the aspects I really enjoyed was the lingering uncertainty surrounding Dempsey’s new crew, Ember. The sense of mistrust keeps the reader on edge, wondering who can be trusted in this covert world. The characters are well-drawn, particularly the dynamic between Dempsey and Grimes, which is layered and multifaceted. While I couldn’t help but wonder if there was potential for romantic tension between them, Dempsey’s longing to reconnect with his family keeps that thread unresolved—adding a nice depth to his character.

The antagonists, particularly the Iranian brothers, are convincing and provide a formidable challenge for Dempsey. The action sequences are well-paced, culminating in a tense, climactic showdown at the UN, which is a highlight of the novel.

If I had one critique, it would be the lack of detail about Ember, who I wanted to find credible and get behind. The organization felt a bit vague at times, but given that it was hastily formed after a major intelligence failure, perhaps this elusiveness is intentional. I suspect we’ll get more background in the next books, or maybe Ember is meant to remain a bit mysterious, reflecting the nature of black-ops work.

Overall, Tier One delivers an exciting, fast-paced story with plenty of action, intrigue, and memorable characters. I’m eager to dive into the next seven books and see how the series evolves from here.