cover image Sons of Valor

Sons of Valor

Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson. Blackstone, $18.99 trade paper (450p) ISBN 978-1-0940-9356-7

This solid series launch from Andrews and Wilson (the Tier One series) introduces Lt. Cmdr. Keith “Chunk” Redman, a U.S. Navy SEAL. In 2016, Qasim Nadar is attending the wedding of his sister, Saida, to his oldest friend, Eshan Dawar, in Afghanistan when an American drone strike kills Saida and Qasim’s father. Five years later, Qasim is in London working as an aeronautical engineer specializing in combat drones when Eshan, now an investment banker, shows up and persuades Qasim to attend his upcoming wedding in Pakistan, where Qasim gets ensnared into operating a Chinese drone and working with the Taliban. Meanwhile, after a successful mission in the Arabian Sea, Chunk becomes the leader of a new Tier One SEAL Team, which includes brainy intelligence analyst Whitney Watts, who provides some romantic heat. Chunk and his team are soon on a collision course with Qasim and company. Scorching action scenes and authentic technical detail make up for the fairly predictable plot. Military thriller fans will be pleased to have a new team to root for. Agent: Gina Panettieri, Talcott Notch Literary. (June)