Get ready, because on May 21, 2024, two of the hottest names in fiction—authors Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson—will officially take over Tom Clancy’s iconic Jack Ryan franchise when Tom Clancy Act of Defiance hits bookstores everywhere.
It was previously announced that Andrews & Wilson, best known for their Tier One series, would be taking over the Jack Ryan Sr. books for Marc Cameron, who years back replaced Mark Greaney before writing seven novels in the Ryanverse, including this year’s Tom Clancy Command and Control.
Andrews & Wilson, hot off the release of their latest thriller, The Sandbox (2023), are the perfect writers to step into Clancy’s beloved world and continue Jack Ryan’s legacy. Not only do they bring experience writing for an estate, having written W.B.B Griffin Rogue Asset (2021), but as the duo told The Real Book Spy back in May, it’s a “full-circle” moment for “two dudes who both read the Hunt For Red October and were inspired to join the Navy.”
See the cover art and plot details below.
When a Russian superweapon is let loose under the waves, it’s up to President Jack Ryan to find a countermove in the latest entry in this #1 New York Times bestselling series.
US intelligence says there’s something going on in Russia. While their land forces have been decimated by corruption and incompetence, the Navy seems to be pouring money into some secret project.
Analysts are stumped, until the knot is untangled by one particularly bright young woman at the Office of Naval Intelligence–Katie Ryan, the youngest daughter of President Jack Ryan. Like her father, she sees patterns where other don’t, and she’s determined that the Russians are about to launch a super missile sibmarine, the Belgorod.
Now the race is on to determine where the sub is and whether it poses a threat to the continental US.
Thirty-five years ago, Tom Clancy was a Maryland insurance broker with a passion for naval history. Years before, he had been an English major at Baltimore’s Loyola College and had always dreamed of writing a novel. His first effort, The Hunt for Red October, sold briskly as a result of rave reviews, then catapulted onto the New York Times bestseller list after President Reagan pronounced it “the perfect yarn.” From that day forward, Clancy established himself as an undisputed master at blending exceptional realism and authenticity, intricate plotting, and razor-sharp suspense. He passed away in October 2013.
Brian Andrews is a U.S. Navy veteran, Park Leadership Fellow, and former submarine officer with a psychology degree from Vanderbilt and a masters in business from Cornell University. Jeffrey Wilson has worked as an actor, firefighter, paramedic, jet pilot, and diving instructor, as well as a vascular and trauma surgeon. He served in the U.S. Navy for fourteen years and made multiple deployments as a combat surgeon with an East Coast-based SEAL Team. He and his wife, Wendy, live in Southwest Florida with their four children
Eagle-eyed readers may notice a few things about the striking cover art. For starters, the submerged submarine appears to be a Virginia Class fast attack sub, which, along with the grid pattern on the North Atlantic Ocean, could be a hint at something within the story. Moreover, the blue and gold color scheme represents the U.S. Navy and is in contrast to the original cover for Hunt For Red October (1984), which is notable given the forthcoming 40th anniversary of that book, which is arguably Clancy’s most iconic thriller. Finally, the tilted background is thematically reminiscent of Andrews and Wilson’s Tier One covers, which feature a similar type of design.
Altogether, the blending of old-school Clancy with the newer, clean “tilt design” Andrews & Wilson are known for makes for an awesome cover that—along with the exciting plot details—will no doubt have fans running to pre-order Tom Clancy Act of Defiance well ahead of it’s May 2024 release. Readers eager to do so can now pre-order here or anywhere else books are sold. In the meantime, check out Andrews & Wilson’s other books, and make sure you’re following them on X (formally known as Twitter), Facebook, and their official website for more details.
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and is building a growing community on Twitch. His debut thriller, FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” is now available. His second novel, LETHAL RANGE, comes out on August 8th. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. And to take part in free, exclusive BOOK CLUBS each month, join The Real Book Spy on Discord.