Tier One

Tier One #1

by Brian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson

In a world violated by terror, the old lines have blurred. Meet the next generation of covert ops.

John Dempsey’s life—as an elite Tier One Navy SEAL named Jack Kemper—is over. A devastating terrorist action catapults him from a world of moral certainty and decisive orders into the shadowy realm of espionage, where ambiguity is the only rule. His new mission: hunt down those responsible for the greatest tragedy in the history of the US Special Ops and bring them to justice.

But how does a man torn between duty and revenge walk the line and preserve his soul?

As Dempsey struggles with the games of spies, the case propels him across the globe in a desperate effort to prevent a new, horrifying attack on American soil.

Once, John Dempsey followed orders blindly. Now he sees behind the curtain, and the security of the civilized world rests on one question: Can a Tier One Navy SEAL adapt and become the world’s most lethal spy?

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Military Fiction, Audiobook, Espionage, Action, Adventure

399 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2016

About the author

Brian is a US Navy veteran, nuclear engineer, and former submarine officer. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in psychology, holds a Master's in business from Cornell University, and is a Park Leadership Fellow. He is a principal contributor at Career Authors, a site dedicated to advancing the careers of aspiring and published writers: www.careerauthors.com.

He is half of Andrews & Wilson, the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, & #1 Amazon best-selling co-author team behind the TIER ONE series. New in 2025:

- DARK RISING: (APRIL)
- SONS OF VALOR 4: (7/22)
- THE ADVERSARY: Tier One #9 (11/4)
- EXECUTIVE POWER (11/25)

In addition to their novels, Andrews & Wilson have multiple projects under development for film and television with major motion picture studios including Tier One, Dark Intercept, 4 Minutes, Portal, Glitch, and The In Between.

Find Brian online at:

Web: www.andrews-wilson.com
Instagram: @andrewsandwilson
Twitter: @BAndrewsJWilson

Sign-up for his newsletter at www.andrews-wilson.com to stay informed about all his new releases or "Follow" his Amazon Author page!

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Who's targeting elite Special Forces, the Tier One SEALs?

A good counterterrorism - military action, unfortunately, I wasn't connecting with these characters. This debut was also slow to start. It did grab my attention after a third (ch. 14). Halfway in, I decided that I wouldn't continue with the rest, but the last two hours of the book was a BLAST and makes me reconsider reading some more.

Ray Porter is outstanding as always with the narration.

[Magdalena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Military thrillers aren't usually my kind of thriller. But, I was curious about this book and I'm glad that I agreed to read Tier One. My biggest concern was that it would be too much military lingo and that I would have a hard time keeping up with the plot. Sure there were a lot of acronyms, but it never made the story hard to get.

The best thing was that the story felt very much up-to-date, with all the terrorist acts in recent years. It didn't take me a long time to get into the story. I loved how well-developed the characters are in the book. John Dempsey was easy to like and I could really feel his rage and sorrow when the world he knew was destroyed. It was interesting to follow his journey from soldier to spy. Not easy when you have spent most of your life as SEAL.

The storyline was really good. Sure, there were perhaps not many great twists. But, it was enjoyable and engrossing to read and I came to like the characters very much. Especially Jarvis and Smith that Dempsey came to work with after his world imploded.

So, despite my concern that it would be hard to get into the book, or it would be too much "war" did I come to enjoy Tier One very much and I'm looking forward to one day reading the next book in the series.

I want to thank Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley!

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written with seldom a dull moment. 8 of 10 stars

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Tier One” is a military action novel. I have not read these two authors, Andrews and Wilson, before. Apparently, this is book one of a series. Guess I am lucky I started with the first book.

The protagonist is Jack Dempsey/Jack Kemper, a Navy Seal. Jack survived a massacre at a U.S. base in Africa. Afterword, he is assigned to take charge of Task Force Ember, a secret unit that receives orders straight from the White House. It is devoted to destroying terrorists.

The book is well written and is packed with action and more action. Andrews and Wilson are Navy veterans so the scenes are fairly realistic. The characters are interesting and likable. These is a lot of military acronyms so the readers without a military background may have a problem. I understand that the book format has a glossary at the back of the book. Be aware there is foul language used in the book.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is just over eleven and a half hours. Ray Porter does a good job narrating the book. Porter is an actor and an audiobook narrator. He has won multiple Earphone Awards and has also been nominated for an Audie. I have had the pleasure of listening to Porter many times over the years.

[Robert Williscroft · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a book for the faint-hearted. It is violent, forceful, gut-wrenching, and paints a picture of a world virtually nobody knows. My own personal military world crossed paths with the world described in Tier One. This gives me some insight into the character and make-up of the heroes who populate this world. This story is not just about heroism, however. It also tells the true story of Militant Islam and the role Iran (Persia) is even now playing behind the scenes. More than anything, Tier One is a wake-up call to our leaders that if we don’t take appropriate action now, we may forever lose the chance to do so.

Tier One is a no-holds-barred, no-pulled-punches look at the best of America’s Special Operations Forces. It is very well written, giving the reader insight into the minds and thoughts of not only bad-ass field operators, but also the men calling the shots from the TOCs. Pick a weekend to read it, because you will not want to stop reading!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the first one I've read by this author and it falls into the thriller & war genres. I liked the MC in this one. The other characters were also well placed and purposeful. The MC is a navy seal and he has an ax to grind once his whole team is 'taken out' while on a mission which was really a trap. So he joins a new team and seeks for revenge.

This book was in constant motion with action and the dialogue was well written. I liked too that there didn't seem to be the cliche romance in this one. The story line gripped me from the beginning.

I did have questions that weren't answered by the end, but I've heard the second one in this series takes care of them.

[Abibliofob · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have heard a lot about this series so I thought I would try it. It wasn't the best I have read but not the worst. It took quite some time to get into the story but two thirds into it it took off. The last third was good enough so I will try more. Hopefully the authors will stop putting the words Tier One on every page like they did in this.

[Charles van Buren · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining but irritating read

Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Tier One (Tier One Thrillers Book 1) (Kindle Edition)

Despite minor irritants, this book is a mostly well written, fast moving read. Some will not care for the abundance of acronyms used in the text even though there is a glossary at the back of the book. The
accurate details, including those of the weaponry, enhanced my enjoyment of the story, but may be too much detail for some. My main complaint is with some small problems in the plot and narrative. For
instance, during the bombing of the TOC in Djibouti, the text almost reads as if Kemper is closer to the suicide bomber than is the TOC building which would make little sense considering the outcome of the action. Another section relates that much less than a month passed between the death of Modiri's son and the attack on the Tier One troops. That is not much time to put together such a complex operation. Another plot problem is that the team did not make very good use of their advance knowledge of and inside information concerning the U.N. attack. Particularly galling is the lack of a plan to deal with the three snipers. Another minor irritant is that these authors, like many I have noticed recently, do not seem to know the definition of or the proper use of the word smirk.

For authors who can't be bothered to use a dictionary:
Oxford Dictionaries:
smirk
[sm'rk]
VERB
smile in an irritatingly smug, conceited, or silly way:
"he smirked in triumph"
synonyms: smile smugly · simper · snicker · snigger · fleet

From The Free Dictionary by Farlex:
smirk
Also found in: Thesaurus, Acronyms, Idioms, Wikipedia.
smirk (sm''k)
n
a smile expressing scorn, smugness, etc, rather than pleasure
vb
1. (intr) to give such a smile
2. (tr) to express with such a smile
[Old English smearcian; related to smer derision, Old High German bismer contempt, bismer'n to scorn]
'smirker n
'smirking adj
'smirkingly adv
Collins English Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
smirk (sm'rk)

v.i.
1. to smile in an affected, smug, or offensively familiar way.
n.
2. the facial expression of a person who smirks.
[before 900; Middle English smirken (v.), Old English sme(a)rcian]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

[Matt Persson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! I have found a great new series thanks to The Real Book Spy and have already ordered the next book!! Andrews and Wilson make a great team and bring their collective thoughts and experiences to make a fast paced action packed thriller!! The character development, drama, action, set pieces were all great!! Cant wait until the next book arrives!!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Kemper has been having a very bad day.

So enter John Dempsey and therein begins the story of how a spec ops group saves the world one terrorist at a time. I really like the way Andrews and Wilson set this up. We get a good snapshot of Dempsey in terms of his emotional turmoil and unflagging loyalty to his job - which includes his compatriots and the country and generally all things good with the world.

At first, I found myself constantly comparing John Dempsey with Joe Ledger from Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger/Rogue One series. Fortunately as the story began to play out, I got much more invested in Jack. Quite honestly, I put off reading this series for some time because I was afraid it wouldn't be as good.

But not to worry - if you liked Joe, you'll like John. John's honest, can be funny with his bros, and is a true hero. He's not cocky like Joe, so he's not as much fun. But he deals a lot more honestly with his emotions and overall the series feels a lot more realistic. I think Andrews and Wilson have really endeavored to bring a true feeling of what it takes to keep Americans safe in the 21st century. The blood and gore is kept at a nominal level, which I appreciate. And the heroes generally operate within the confines of what's humanly possibly rather than all kinds of fictional super-strength, super-knowledge, and James Bond-style gadgets. Jack Kemper gets pretty banged up and has to deal with some debilitating pain and physical challenges. He didn't just magically get all better.

I doubt I'd like this nearly so much if Ray Porter didn't narrate it. He is truly amazing.

I expect this series will just get better and better. I'm in. Let's go, Ember.

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you like terrorism thrillers with a good main character Kemper/Dempsey, you'll read and find out why he has two names. this book is for you. The book also has good secondary characters. Definitely will keep reading the series.

[Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tier One is synonymous with elite. We perceive the elite as indestructible, invincible, and unable to be defeated. When America has a crisis our Tier One military elite teams are called upon to right the wrongs of the world. But what happens when they are defeated?
Andrews and Wilson introduces us to the sole survivor of the greatest massacre and ambush of our elite Tier One teams. Jack Kemper barely survived the multi facet attack that killed his closest friends, co workers, and his way of life. A meeting with a former SEAL commander presents Kemper with the opportunity to avenge the deaths of his friends and reinvent his life as John Dempsey.
As a member of a secret and elite counter terrorism group, Jack Kemper's long held beliefs are challenged, forced into a new team, and chasing an enemy that is intent on killing everyone who does not submit to their beliefs. For mission success Kemper must embrace his new opportunity at life as John Dempsey. Dempsey and his new team will crisscross the world chasing an evil intent on killing the West.
Tier One has laid the foundation to embrace a new literary hero who will hide in the shadows and ensure the American way of life is preserved.

[Theresa Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book is exciting. The authors definitely know what they are talking about, and the pain that the protagonist feels from being shot is visceral—you feel it yourself as a reader.

The authors use a ridiculous amount of acronyms, and because I was reading this via ebook, I didn’t realize there was a glossary of terms at the end. The use of jargon made things sound authentic, but it communicated nothing to me, a civilian.

The book is 98 percent action and 2 percent character. If you’re just looking for an action book, this is well written for that genre. However, because there was almost no character development, I didn’t really care about whether the characters succeeded in their goal—even if they were trying to save American lives. For that reason, this is a forgettable book that’s frankly not even that enjoyable to read.

[Stuart Ashenbrenner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love thrillers, but this one falls short.

The plot of this story is based on a premise that seems way too far-fetched to me. It doesn't seem believable. Something else that I don't care for, that I've noticed a lot of authors do, they have foreign characters use American metaphors, and they preface it as well. For example, one Arab character might say, "He is, as the American's like to say, burnt to a crisp." Doing that seems so devoid of creativity. There were also many cheesy lines, like, "You are the only man for the job."

I did like the qualities added to the characters to make them dynamic, but the dialogue was lackluster.

I didn't care for this book much at all. That being said, I have heard many good things about their follow up books to the series, and I will check them out and give it another chance.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book in the series. Terrorists are all gathering into one spot. Perfect for a troop of SEALs to wipe out at once. It seems too good to be true, and it is. It's a trap that wipes out all of the Tier One team.

Time for a new team. A super secret group is formed, and goes up against VEVAK, Iranian intelligence.

Pretty good, but you can definitely tell it's the first in the series.

[Mike Calkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whelp. Wilson and Andrews just kick that much ass apparently. Because, like Sons of Valor, this was a compulsive read. Well drawn characters, effective drama, and fantastically staged action. Dempsey is so damn interesting, and I really like the interplay with him, Smith, and Grimes in particular. Definitely plan on diving into the series further!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning Series Debut!!

This was an awesome start to a series in the Terrorism and war genre. As a veteran myself, I found the idea behind this story utterly believable. I will DEFINITELY be reading the rest of this series !!!

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Co-authors Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson's Tier One (Thomas & Mercer 2016) is a heart-stopping, action-packed military thriller told through the eyes of an American Special Forces operator, an Iranian Muslim jihadist, and the man responsible for pitting the two against each other to see who wins.

Dempsey is a top-level SEAL, so seriously injured in a mission-gone-bad that he must leave his SEAL Team and join a covert group of hand-picked operators who use HUMINT, SIGINT, and other intel-type of resources to wage their battles. Their first task: Find out who sabotaged the last mission that destroyed Dempsey's team. As the story progresses, we root for Dempsey to make the transition from warrior SEAL to intel-based operator as he struggles to come to terms with the changes required to fight enemies with this new approach. Sometimes we think he won't make it, despite his unusual traits (like a knack for remembering inconsequential trivia), maybe because of the demons that drive his behavior. We aren't privy to these in this book, but they leave lots to be unfolded in future books.

"Some people call it instinct. Others call it a sixth sense. I call it situational awareness."

The antagonist is an Iranian jihadist intent on paying back America for killing his son by doing his part to destroy it. Unlike some faceless terrorists, in this story, we get to know Mamoud, understand his motivations, meet his family, and see that in a different culture, with a different upbringing, this man would be considered a friend.

"Martyrdom is essential to jihad, he told himself. The plan cannot succeed without sacrifice."

One more fascinating character is the boss of the team--Jarvis. He's a synesthete, almost sociopathic in his lack of emotion for events and his practiced approach to dealing with people.

"The chemical formula of polystyrene (C8H8)n, popped into Jarvis’s head, accompanied by a mental image of an expanded hydrocarbon chain of hexagonal phenyl groups."

"Everything in life was an equation, and unbalanced equations set off chain reactions and became chaos."

Jarvis reminded me of L.J. Sellers' sociopathic FBI agent in Point of Control (see my review).

Overall, the authors have a wonderful way of presenting the story pieces and evidence in a way that brings readers along. The only problem I had with the book: The lead up to the climax I found somewhat annoying. I can't tell you why without spoiling the story. If you read it, what to you think? By the ending--all was forgiven; it was satisfying, well-done, and set up these characters for an ongoing series. Which I will be reading.

I've read one other book by these authors--Beijing Red (see my review) so expected a tight story with lots of twists and turns--and that's exactly what I got. This author is highly recommended, as is this series.

--This was received free of charge from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Sinisa Mikasinovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing experience. When I thought about how to best describe it, first thing that came to my mind was "A novel by Tom Clancy."

To fans of Clancy this will be enough to grab the book. For others, I have a question.

Do you like the world of espionage, covert operations and realistic shooter action in the modern time? Then look no further - this is the book for you. You are welcome :-)

Jack Kemper is the senior Tier One operator. He and his team of Navy SEAL brothers fight terror on a daily basis. Unhindered by bureaucracy, political red tapes and private agendas, Tier One is the efficient first-response team to any new threat.

But one day, things will be different.
One day, what they do will not be enough.
And on that day, the bad guys will win.

Jack Kemper's life will take a mad turn in a single day. Perfectly developed terrorist mind game and well executed attack will put an end to his and many of his brothers' lives. He will survive, but Jack Kemper has to die. From the smoldering wreck that once was Tier One, John Dempsey will rise. And he wants blood.

Sounds like the cheesy intro of every 80's cliche action movie, right? :)

Worry not, this book will grab you like the Ludlum's golden child The Bourne Identity. Less solo action and double-play, more team planning and conspiracy. Perfect food for a not-so-easily-pleased mind.

If you're not in for a suspense-packed cloak-and-dagger thriller, look elsewhere. This is not your average lazy afternoon read-and-leave book you'll finish in 7 months, and the only reason you did pick it up is because that hot girl from the book club calls it her favorite. If that's how you choose your books, I suggest you pick up Twilight and have a blast.

Of course, I listened to audiobook version again. Narrated by #SupremeLeader Ray Porter this purchase was a no-brainer. Grab it from Audible (US / UK) for $10 or 1 credit.

5*

And I can't wait for book #2 in ~20 days: War Shadows.

[Kronos Ananthsimha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tier One is a military thriller epic on the scale of old Tom Clancy masterpieces. This origin book of the series explores the inciting tragedy, a targeted attack that devastates the Tier One Seal Team and leads to the birth of the fictional Taskforce EMBER - a black ops unit that is dangerously fun, smart, and awesome.
The authors, Andrews & Wilson, pull off an emotionally charged, large-scale narrative that's on par with the old-fashioned long-form military thriller epics. Their genius is in their characters who are emotionally and psychologically complex and likable despite all their humanely damaged flaws. The protagonist, Jack Kemper, whose life gets ruined further and pushes him into becoming formidable and shadowy covert operator John Dempsey, has amazing character development in the story and is one of the best badass action heroes in the genre. All the supporting characters, including the evil villains, have a complete character arc, flaws, and strengths, on a memorable level. My favorites were Kelso Jarvis with his synesthesia condition, who's an amazingly brilliant and awesome spymaster aptly described as Nicollo Machiavelli with a license to kill by my next favorite character of the series, Elizabeth Grimes - a dangerous and smart female operator on Ember.
The tactical details, techno-jargon, action sequences, logistics, intel, locations, comedy, drama, and gruesome brutality blend together perfectly in this epic military thriller to form a classically heroic action-packed fun time.

[Evanne Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well crafted military thriller with a believable plot and appealing characters, especially Jack Kemper (aka John Dempsey, et al) . The action is fast and hard with little down time.

The major plot points were telepgraphed ahead of time, which diminished the punch factor. A minor flaw in an otherwise seamless read.

Looking forward to more Tier One adventures.

[PAUL CLEMENT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting, action and the best of both worlds of spies and S.E.A.L.s

Highest level operatives was irresistible, but I wasn't prepared for the tragedy and spy world combination.
I was ready to buy book 2 but it isn't written yet. I have read 19 Jack Reacher episodes and I am ready for 19 John Dempsey episodes.

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like a lot of what this series is shaping up to be. Some the characters and writing is lacking a bit, but this is a debut. I'll be continuing and see if it improves as I'm always looking for series I haven't read in this genre.

[Krista Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well written and gives you insight into the military world. Loved it!

[GERRY BRADY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging, can’t put it down, suspense intrigue, a good read

[Neil Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting

Exciting and extremely well written.
I couldn’t put this down from page 1, it kept me on the edge of my seat through to the last page.

[Tracy T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book and excellent narration by Ray Porter (audible review)

So, several months back I started this book and put it down since it wasn't catching my interest.

Since then I saw several reviews and decided to give it another shot. I am glad I did. I enjoyed the book and the characters. The story line is good and interesting and I like where the author went with the story.

As much as I enjoy this book and the characters, I will say the author is so very detailed and it takes up quite a few pages/hours.

By detailed I mean: "Kemper looked around the corner for assailants". but instead reads like this: "Kemper, takes three steps to reach the corner of the partition near the wall, then takes another three steps and reaches the corner, he peeks around the corner between the wall and the partition for possible assailants". (this was not an actual scene, just an example of every movement being detailed to the point it can get on your nerves)

Other that than that it was really a great book and I have already moved on to book two in the series.

As for the narration, its great, I love Ray Porter. He is a fantastic narrator.

Also, this is a free read free listen with KU. Excellent deal.

[Kashif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tier One is a top-notch action thriller with a strong emotional attachment. I was highly impressed with the characters, the action sequences, and the espionage laden story that unraveled throughout the book. The characters, especially the members of Tier One unit Dempsey comes to join in the book, are written as real life multi-dimensional characters as opposed to being treated as mere tools to advance the story. Jack Dempsey is already one of my all time favorite bad-asses, ranking up there with the best of the best in the genre such as Mitch Rapp, Scot Harvath, Logan West, Pike Logan, James Reece, and many more. Dempsey’s journey from a door kicking Teams guy to an operative working in the shadows with more brain than brawl was entertaining and enlightening to read. The bond that forms between the team instantly attracted me to the team itself, investing me emotionally into the team banter and some highly emotional moments. The action sequences were fantastic, written with sharp and accurate descriptions of weapon systems and tactical operational procedures, just the way I enjoy them. The villains are written in such a way that it makes the reader much more excited to see them go down viciously at the hands of Jack Dempsey and his Tier One unit. The witty team banter felt very natural to read between some serious heart pounding moments. The twists and turns did not stop till the very last page and the ending itself was a clear indication of the many more sequels that have already been published. I thoroughly enjoyed Tier One and I am officially a fan of the authors. Looking forward to reading the next books very soon. All in all, Tier One is a novel not to be missed by action thriller fans.

[Boostamonte Halvorsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm glad this was free.

Things weren't very good here. The only saving grace was that it wasn't boring. But man...I felt like I was working at UPS again.... Acronym! Acronym! Acronym! Love 'em! It was also very cliche in many ways. The characters have no depth...which might make sense, since they are a seal team..but still.

If you are a fan of this genre...don't read this. It will annoy the shit out of you.

If you casually read this genre, then read this when you are out of things to read in this genre and be ready to struggle through it.

If you don't ever read this genre, you'll probably really like it...because you don't know any better. It's okay--the rest of us will forgive you for that 5 star review.

[Kathi Defranc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Navy seal becomes a Spook...

This is an excellent action thriller,with fast-paced scenes and witty conversation. A military story of an elite covert team that captures what real life is like for these men and women. This book is along the lines of Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp, the plot very realistic and could be plucked from today's headlines. Definitely going to read the next from this author!!