Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Actually read this twice as it was quite enjoyable. If you like modern military fiction then this is for you.

Sons of Valor #SonsofValor #NetGalley I received an ARC of Sons of Valor in exchange for my review. Thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and the authors Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson for the ARC.
Sons of Valor is about a new Tier One team headed up by “Chunk” Redman. The story begins by relating the forming of the team and its inclusion of new team-dedicated intelligence personnel (one of whom is a key figure to the tale). The novel is about a new terrorist group that has acquired a drone and missiles allowing the terrorists to strike at Americans operating in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The existence of the drone is itself hard to detect as it is assumed that only the Americans are operating drones so there was never cause to worry about this situation.
The new Tier One team intelligence analyst detects the terrorists use of the drone. The team is now on the prowl to destroy the drone and capture or kill the terrorists operating it.
This was a very enjoyable read describing the struggles of the team and its’ members as they cycle through the missions to achieve the end goal. The technical and intellectual ability of the Americans to analyze and combat the terrorists is laudable. The terrorist leader has a level of sophistication that is frightening. I highly recommend this book.

This is the first book I’ve read by these authors. I loved it. This book starts an offshoot series from a prior Tier One series. I am looking forward to going back and reading the prior series and am glad to know “Chunk” will play a part there too.

Chunk (Keith Redman) has just been tasked to lead the new Tier One Elite Navy Seals special ops unit. He’s funny and fearless. He is the man you want around when things fall apart. Whitney Watts is a former CIA analyst who joins up with Chunk and the team to provide analysis and support. She sees things that others don’t. While her hunches may seem unorthodox, they are rarely wrong. I enjoyed watching Whitney join the team. It’s a different world from what she’s used to. I appreciated her vulnerable, real emotions about all that was happening. I look forward to reading more about these two.

This book is full of action and imminent danger from beginning to end. It shows the making of a terrorist. It does a good job of portraying that things are not always as clear cut as we’d like. I enjoyed learning more about drones. I had no idea that they could be so big. It was fascinating.

I love reading this type of military special ops fiction but don’t do it often as it can be full of crude language and tons of swearing. While this book did have swearing, it wasn’t over-the-top. I appreciated that. It was a great read.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. I would highly recommend it to lovers of military fiction. My opinions are my own.

Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson absolutely knocked this new series beginning out of the park. This book has such amazing military detail and action sequences just like their Tier One Series. The action does not stop and I cannot wait until the next one! An amazing beginning to a new series from two talented authors! 5 out of 5 stars!!!!

Wow. I had read these authors previously and enjoyed the nonstop action and realistic plots and hoped it would continue with Sons of Valor. It most certainly did. The plot focuses on a new group in the Middle East who plans on taking the fight to the US while using their own weapons of superiority against them. It kept me hooked the entire book and I wish the next book in the series was out no now so I could continue the series. A must read for anyone who likes US Seal thrillers. I hope this author pair sticks together and pushes out more amazing books in the near future.
Thank you Netgalley, Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC for my honest review.

I'm a big fan of Andrews & Wilson. These guys are good authors! The Tier One series with John Dempsey is one of the best series in the military thriller genre. Hence, I was stoked to receive an autographed paperback ARC and then a digital ARC from NetGalley of Sons of Valor, the first book in a new series in the Tier One universe. A totally separate series from the John Dempsey Tier One stories; Sons of Valor focuses on a different protagonist in Navy SEAL Keith “Chunk” Redman and his team. They aren’t just another tip of the spear in this Tier One series spinoff, but they’re the best counterterrorism defense crew against a devastating threat to global stability in this separate but familiar storyline. Andrews and Wilson have consistently written rock-solid military/espionage books in the Tier One series and this one is no different…it was an absolute ‘awesome’ read! Although Sons of Valor is not being release until early June of 2021, I’m kicking myself (self-loathing headshake) for taking so long to advance read and review. The book starts out with a bang with a drone strike and doesn’t slow down until the very end. Please note, this book is not about ‘the killing business’ as some may think, but instead, it’s about ‘the intervention business’, which Andrews & Wilson do an incredible job in expressing throughout the storyline. The pace is unrelenting, the characters are very appealing and believable, and the plot is realistic and all consuming. I enjoyed this book so much; I have pre-ordered the Audible audiobook narrated by Ray Porter for when it is released in June. Audiobook narrator Ray Porter is phenomenal in all the other Tier One audiobooks. He seamlessly switches between accents, character voices and genders. And with a cast of characters as large as the Tier One series, it’s quite an achievement that he has distinguished himself as the Tier One series narrator. He also maintains the same voice for each character across all the books, you can listen to them back-to-back and it’s like Porter recorded them in a continuous stream. I was forced to switch to listening to the audiobooks in the series after my two military children – Navy and Coast Guard – borrowed my Tier One books while being deployed and never returned them. It’s okay though, because now I can listen to Ray Porter narrate and I can’t wait to hear him read Sons of Valor. The book was great in me reading it myself, but I can only imagine how awesome it’s going to be with Ray Porter narrating this remarkable story. Sons of Valor is another ‘five-star’ read by Andrews & Wilson. A blockbuster, Summer hit! Thank you Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson, NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the Advance Reader Copy (ARC) in exchange for this honest and unbiased review. #SonsofValor #NetGalley #BlackstonePublishing

What can I say? This book is the first of a series that is an offshoot of the Tier One series and it doesn’t disappoint. The authors do such a good job of making you care about the characters and telling an immersive story experience. The only complaint is that now I have to wait for the next one in the series! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller.

Sons of Valor is the first spin-off from the terrific Tier One series. Keith "Chunk" Redman is a Navy SEAL introduced in that series, but you don't have to read it to get all you need to know about Chunk.

The authors take time to set up all the characters - heroes and villains. This is a military ops thriller, firmly on the pro-USA side, but the authors take care to walk through why someone would choose to take terrorist action. They are not one-dimensional crazies here. They are men who have suffered real loss and view themselves as warriors in a fight for their land and their loved ones.

The military and OGA staff (if you don't know what OGA stands for, there is an acronym glossary at the end of the book) use jargon that is not necessarily explained, such as Head Shed and white side SEAL. Most can be picked up from context, but you may have to google a few terms. What that jargon does is drop the reader right in the middle of the action. And there is plenty of action here - a particularly good sequence at a hotel will leave your palms sweating. Because of character setup, the beginning of the book moves a little slower than the rest, though there is action sprinkled in there too. But the rest of the book flies at a furious pace. My only quibble is a couple of instances where the authors lay it on a little too thick regarding the SEALs being heroes. Don't get me wrong - I 100% believe they are heroes. But the book gives plenty of evidence for that. No need to state the obvious.

This is not a family friendly book due to language and violence. But if you enjoy military ops, you're going to love this one.

The name Andrews and Wilson in the military thriller world has a certain gravitas to it. This dynamic writing team has made a name for themselves in the highly popular Tier One novel series with the stalwart John Dempsey at the helm.
Within that series, we are introduced to Lieutenant Keith “Chunk” Redman. Chunk endeared himself to the Tier One universe to such a degree that Andrews and Wilson created an off-shoot series revolving solely around this colorful character. In Sons of Valor Chunk is now a Lieutenant Commander on the verge of the biggest mission of his career.
Chunk has been tasked to lead a new Tier One team, smaller and leaner than its predecessor. Taking lessons from the first Tier One novel, Chunk will head this new “tip of the spear” through this next vital mission that will put America in the crosshairs.
With him, Whitney Watts—a brilliant ex-CIA intelligence analyst who can parse mission-critical details within a sea of information. While familiarizing herself with past mission data, Whitney stumbles across an earthshattering discovery that could tip the scale on the War on Terror. A new breed of terrorist—sophisticated and tech-savvy—is bent on inflicting mass damage. Can Whitney match her intellect against this new class of terrorists before it’s too late?
Readers have come to expect blistering action sequences and meticulous storytelling from the Andrews and Wilson team. Sons of Valor delivered. I highly enjoyed this novel because the threat the characters faced was one I have yet to come across in military thrillers. We delve into a very technical discipline throughout the novel, and I was able to keep up and visualize what was happening the entire time.
The pairing of Chunk and Watts is highly entertaining. Each character is strong individually, but together they produce delightful dialogue and a treat for fans of military action. If you are an established Andrews and Wilson fan you will enjoy Sons of Valor. If you are new to this author team (or looking for that next binge-worthy read) Sons of Valor is the way to go.

Originally posted for Mystery and Suspense Magazine

The two words that best describe this book are Imagination and realism. We are very fortunate to have such fine authors whose imagination can produce a book like this one. The realism is magnificent,and deserves extra points,bringing my rating to a total of more than five stars. Masterful development of characterization, and subject matter.This book is every bit as good as their other books, and they were fantastic.I will look forward to their next book.

Andrews and Wilson have been delivering amazing Tier One work for the last few years, It revolves around the creation of Jack Kemper turned John Dempsey after the tragic destruction of the Tier One SEAL community. You see amazing interaction with a number of characters that could have plenty of stories written on each. LCDR Keith 'Chunk' Redman has been one of those characters that have supported Team EMBER and Dempsey throughout the series, but now it's his turn to shine.

Chunk finds himself in the spotlight in this new off shoot of the Tier One universe. A highly trained special operations warrior destined for greatness, LCDR 'Chunk' Redman is likeable, a leader and lethal. This story leads us on a trip with a scenario that's extremely believable, high speed, and full of action.

There also happen to be a strong female character that is introduced to the crew the Chunk leads who goes by the nickname 'Heels' and she is a force to be reckoned with. She's determined, unorthodox at times, and the kind of character that we've come to expect from two of the best authors in the thriller genre. One that stakes claim to the pages that she's on and drives the story. I was extremely pleased with this one and was relieved to find that the Tier One universe is in great hands as Andrews and Wilson are constantly upping their game!

If Sons of Valor is any indication, Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson are going to hit it out of the park with this series. The pace is unrelenting. The characters are totally engaging and credible. The plot is realistic and all consuming. I was a fan before, but SoV moves Andrews and Wilson into my favorite author list. Make sure you have a few hours free when you crack this one open; you are going to need them.

Sons of Valor, by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson, is the first book in a new series that branches off of their Tier One series. Keith "Chunk" Redman is a Navy Seal who is tasked with forming and leading a new team of Tier One operators who will be the tip of the spear. Chunk, who has made numerous appearances in the previous Tier One books, usually comes in when the situation is less than ideal. In those appearances, it was evident Chunk was a badass as well as an extremely likable character. So, it was no surprise Andrews and Wilson wanted to give Chunk his due. Teamed with Chunk are some characters from previous books as well as a few new characters who will become fan favorites. Many spin-offs feel forced and needless but Sons of Valor works in everyway. The fact Andrews and Wilson are able to write in one voice while switching chapters will never cease to amaze me. I cannot praise, or recommend, Sons of Valor enough.

When you think of the best all-time dynamic duos, your mind probably goes right to Batman & Robin, Holmes & Watson, Bert & Ernie, Han Solo & Chewbacca or even Thelma & Louise. But when it comes to military thrillers, Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson are the gold standard. They have been churning out hit after hit with their Tier One novels, a series you need to be reading if you call yourself a fan of the genre. Now after six books featuring John Dempsey, Andrews & Wilson have expanded the Tier One universe with Sons of Valor featuring Keith “Chunk” Redman. Chunk is familiar to Tier One fans as the leader of a SEAL Team who have provided door kicking support to John Dempsey and Team Ember in the past. But now Chunk is the featured character and I’m happy to report he is more than capable of carrying a book/series on his own. In fact, Sons of Valor blew me away and exceeded my incredibly high expectations. This book is incredible!

The storyline of Sons of Valor follows Chunk as he’s tapped to rebuild the Tier One element from scratch after they had been previously ambushed and wiped out. This is the dream opportunity he’s been waiting for and he jumps in with both feet, bringing along familiar SEAL Team Four members along with other accomplished operators and a highly recommended National Counterterrorism Center analyst named Whitney Watts. This team will have the autonomy to develop their own intelligence and select their own missions, circumnavigating the “bang your head against the wall” government bureaucracy that left them frustrated and unfulfilled. As the team passes their operational tests and is given the approval to proceed, Whitney unilaterally uncovers a terrorist plot that sends the new Tier One team to Afghanistan and Pakistan on an urgent mission to stop an Al-Qaeda splinter group from using Chinese drone technology to target US military forces. Finding themselves in a modern-day shell game with deadly implications, Chunk, Whitney and the team must rapidly unravel the knots and take out the terrorists before more damage is done.

Sons of Valor has the amazing military action sequences, weaponry and terminology you expect from an Andrews & Wilson novel. But for me the greatness of the book goes beyond that by exhibiting what good leadership looks like. Chunk might be an apex predator/elite operator with a gruff exterior, but he has heart and demonstrates his ability to modulate leadership styles from coaching others, to showing tough love, to admitting when he is wrong. Chunk is not perfect, but he cares deeply for his team and strives for continuous improvement. He understands what will make the team great and takes intentional actions to bring people along, helping them to be greater than they previously thought possible. Building a great, highly functioning team takes hard work and Andrews & Wilson do a fantastic job highlighting this through Chunk vs. taking the easy path of having everything automatically and magically come together. For me, this approach makes Chunk incredibly likeable and you root for him to successfully navigate the adversity he and the team face throughout the book.

As this series offshoot progresses, I believe two reasonable debates will occur. First, who’s the better character – John Dempsey or Keith “Chunk” Redman? And second, which series is better – Dempsey’s Tier One or Chunk’s Tier One? But here’s the great news…we win no matter the answer because Andrews & Wilson are spectacular authors who continue to churn out winner after winner for readers to enjoy.

Lastly, I want to share that when I read a great book, I always visualize the characters and locations. For Sons of Valor, I visualized the characters as the actors from CBS’s SEAL Team. Wasn’t intentional, it just happened. Maybe it’s because there were a lot of similar terms, maybe it’s because there’s a character named Spence (close to Spence), or maybe it’s because both the show and the book are awesome stories about SEALs. A mystery that might never be solved. Regardless, felt like sharing this revelation. Curious to hear from other readers how they visualize Chunk and team.

Sons of Valor is an excellent beginning of a new spectacular, action-packed, twists-filled, fast-paced, well thought-out series. I was on the search for a phenomenal action-heavy and smart read when I came across Sons of Valor. Knowing the excellent work of the authors on the Tier One series, I knew it would be WOW good. I just didn’t know it would be “WOW!!!” good.

Sons of Valor centers on Lieutenant Keith “Chunk” Redman, a fan favorite recurring badass in the Tier One series who assists Team Ember from time to time in their clandestine missions. Based on his stellar success record, Chunk is given command of the new Tier One element, rising from the ashes of Operation Crusader, in which the previous Tier One element was ambushed and murdered. Chunk picks a handful of his superb teammates from his SEAL team on this endeavor, enlisting intelligence assets to ensure there are no intelligence hiccups, like the one that led to Operation Crusader faux-pas. Chunk’s leadership skills are put to the test when a mysterious splinter group of Al Qaeda, known as Al Qadr, recruit a British Aero employee, whose family was killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan. With a sinister build up to the main threat of the group involving the use of a completely terrorist-controlled drone with the ability to be controlled by multiple pilots, the new Tier One operators have their hands full with their first mission.

While I enjoyed Chunk in the Tier One books, I was not sure he would be able to carry his own series. The dynamic duo of the authors proved me wrong in spectacular fashion. Chunk’s character is thoughtfully developed and displayed in a relatable manner that allowed me to immediately connect with him as the main protagonist of the story. There is a dark mystery to his persona that is hinted and saved for future stories to explore. Each character in the book feels like a personification of a real person, relatable in motivations and agendas. The kicker is that the authors brilliantly keep the genre fresh from falling into the cliches of simple good vs bad by writing multi layered characters, even the antagonists and the terrorists, who seem to have agendas rooted in reality born of hardships and bad luck that shape their paths.

An Andrews and Wilson book is not without groundbreaking action. Sons of Valor is no exception. This narrative is packed with realistic firefights that are complimented by authentic and detailed weaponry to help readers visualize the adrenaline pumping sequences in their full glory and terror. The action sequences are fast-paced and character oriented, fully immersing the readers in the action, with every weapon sight, caliber, trigger pull, recoil, working their way into the readers’ visualizations like a 4D experience. Top-notch action!
The plot was a major plus point in my eyes. While the plot features Islamist extremists as the bad guys as done so in majority of the action thrillers, this plot delves deeper into the psyche of war and perversion of nature based on horrible circumstances that start an ordinary decent man on the long but ultimately violent path of retribution. At the same time, we see the Tier One element as the necessary intervention to evil, using violence against a few as means to deter violence against thousands more. It’s a thought-provoking concept, in line with the intellectually stimulating narrative that plays on the gray moral edges of the brain instead of pure evil vs pure good.

Despite being a spin off of the Tier One series, Sons of Valor stands firm on its own. (Team-ups would be fantastic though) The chain of events felt smartly connected that further augmented the reading experience for me. Coincidence was taken over by brilliance on both, good and bad, sides of the equation. The characters were well-developed and relatable. The action sequences are excellent. Sons of Valor, so far, is the best action thriller I have read for 2021. The ending is not a simple killed-and-gone one, but rather a set-up for something bigger in the works, much like how Tier One’s story was not culminated in one book, but rather over multiple books. I look forward to more to come in this series, and Chunk is THE leader for the Tier One of a new era.

I've probably run out of superlatives for ANDREWS & WILSON in my previous reviews, but I'll try and find some new ones.

SONS OF VALOR is the first of this offshoot series and the latest addition to the Tier One universe. Featuring Navy SEAL Keith ''Chunk'' Redman as he leads the reconstituted Tier One team.

With a new streamlined structure that partners the door kicking operators with highly nimble, team specific intel analysts, the new Tier One team finds itself pitted against an advanced and evolved upstart terror cell. After decades of fighting against the Americans and learning from the successes and failures of ISIS and Al-Qaeda, the new group seeks to level the battlefield after acquiring a piece of weaponry previously thought impossible.

With Former CIA analyst Whitney Watts on board the new Tier One team, she identifies a possible new threat and must overcome her own personal reservations to push the theory up the chain of command. With an astute mind and ability to see patterns where others do not, Watts adds another dimension to the team that had been previously lacking.

SONS OF VALOR brings all the intensity, action, and necessary emotion to suck you into the story with an unyielding grip and propel you to the end like you were strapped to a Hellfire missile. The pacing is light speed, the tension palpable, and the danger close. You'll find yourself flipping pages faster than Chunk can fall out of the sky in a Russian made helicopter.

If you have not previously read the Tier One series featuring fan favorite John Dempsey and are unfamiliar with Chunk, I highly recommend checking that out as well. That being said, SONS OF VALOR stands on it's own and is sure to have it's own dedicated fanbase.

BLUF: SONS OF VALOR IS AN ACTION-PACKED THRILLER THAT WILL KEEP YOU TURNING THE PAGES AND LEAVE YOU WANTING MORE. AS A CONTINUATION OF THE TIER ONE FRANCHISE, FANS WILL FEEL RIGHT AT HOME ACCOMPANYING CHUNK ON HIGH-STAKES OPERATIONS. BUT AS THE BIRTH OF A NEW SERIES, HEELS STEALS THE SHOW AS THE BRAINS BEHIND THE NEW COVERT SEAL UNIT.

If you’re a fan of Andrews & Wilson, Navy SEAL Keith “Chunk” Redman needs no introduction. Tapped to help John Dempsey in the Tier One series, Chunk earned his role as a fan favorite worthy of his own books in the new Tier One Shared-World series. Sons of Valor is billed as the coming of age for Chunk from white-side SEAL to elite tier one operator, and it does not disappoint.

After raiding a cargo ship in the Arabian Sea that pits Chunk and his Team Four SEALs against Chinese mercenaries, he is invited to help resurrect the covert SEAL unit decimated in Tier One. Built from the ground up, the new unit includes a cadre of seasoned NSW warriors and enablers and an inexperienced analyst from the National Counterterrorism Center. But what Whitney “Heels” Watts lacks in experience, she makes up for in tenacity. And, boy, is she tenacious!

With an insatiable curiosity, Heels pulls on the threads surrounding an attack on a US military convoy in Afghanistan and uncovers a dangerous link to illicit Chinese arms sales in the region. Operating on a hunch and relying on her intuition, Heels convinces leadership that a new breed of terrorists have gained control of a combat drone intent on bringing its deadly power to bear against allied forces – tipping the scales in the never-ending war on terror.

At the controls is Qasim Nadar, an Afghan who fled his childhood home to escape the memories of his father and sister killed in an American drone strike. While battling his demons abroad, his best friend draws him home and pulls him into the war he tried to flee.

What follows is some of the best writing by the duo made up of Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson. The breakneck pacing of action surrounding Chunk and his merry band of elite SEALs will keep you turning the pages in between the even more rewarding stories on opposing sides of the war in Afghanistan. Delving into the human element of war, Andrews & Wilson make the compelling argument for Qasim to choose jihad as his destiny; and for Heels to stop him. While writers often ignore the motivation of those who serve in the military and intelligence community, Andrews & Wilson place it front and center and raise the stakes for their success. What’s more, they succeed where others have failed in developing the enemy in a way that leaves you feeling sympathetic at times, despite the dichotomy between Navy SEAL and terrorist.

Sons of Valor is a must-read fast-paced thriller that honors the courage and sacrifices of the special operations community while shining a spotlight on the often overlooked human element of a war that is far from over.