Sons of Valor
military thriller
Series · military thriller
Tier One
The Tier One series by Brian Andrews has 11 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Tier One (2016).
- Books
- 10 novels + 1 novella
- First published
- 2016
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Tier One (2016) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Tier One
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Tier One - Book 2:
War Shadows
Alternative text for cover: Cover of War Shadows - Book 3:
Crusader One
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Crusader One - Book 4:
American Operator
Alternative text for cover: Cover of American Operator - Book 5:
Red Specter
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Red Specter - Book 6:
Scars
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Scars - Book 7:
Collateral
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Collateral - Book 8:
Dempsey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dempsey - Book 9:
Ember
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Ember - Book 10:
The Adversary
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Adversary - Book 11:
Insurgent
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Insurgent
About the Tier One series
John Dempsey is a Navy SEAL and covert operative for Task Force Ember, a black-budget unit built for missions too sensitive for regular channels. Writing team Brian Andrews (a former US Navy officer and nuclear engineer) and Jeffrey Wilson (a former Green Beret medic turned trauma surgeon) built the series on the same insider technical authority that has made them go-to continuation authors for the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan franchise. Tier One (2016) introduces Dempsey and Task Force Ember as they hunt a wave of coordinated terror attacks; the series has run continuously since, escalating through international conspiracies, bioweapons, and great-power confrontations across ten novels and a companion origins novella.
The writing duo favors dense, procedurally accurate special-operations detail — breaching tactics, intelligence tradecraft, and battlefield medicine rendered with real expertise — wrapped around an ensemble cast that expands as the series progresses. SCARS (2020), a short novella, jumps back to Dempsey's early career as a young SEAL for an origin story explaining his signature scar.
How to read this series
Read in publication order starting with Tier One (2016) — the series builds a continuing cast, ongoing antagonists, and character arcs (especially Dempsey's) across all ten novels. The novella SCARS is a flashback to Dempsey's past and can be read at any point, though it's best appreciated after a few main-series entries once you know the character.
Frequently asked questions
How many Tier One books are there?
Ten novels as of Insurgent (2026) — Tier One, War Shadows, Crusader One, American Operator, Red Specter, Collateral, Dempsey, Ember, The Adversary and Insurgent — plus the short companion novella SCARS (2020).
What order should I read the Tier One books in?
Publication order, starting with Tier One (2016). The series follows a continuing cast and storyline across all entries.
Who writes the Tier One series?
Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson, writing together as a team; they also co-write Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan continuation novels and several other series.
What is SCARS?
A short 'Tier One Origins' novella (2020) that flashes back to protagonist John Dempsey's early career as a young Navy SEAL, explaining the origin of his signature scar.
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Reading order last verified .