Weapons Free
Published on 20. January 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
314 pages
978-1-64875-663-4 (ISBN)
Description
The Chinese Navy has unleashed a game-changing weapon that will tip the balance of power in the Pacific.
Harrison Kohl, newly appointed Director of the CIA’s Special Activities Center, faces an impossible assignment: acquire the plans for China’s new long-range, superfast torpedo.
As Commander Janet Everett, commanding officer of the USS Illinois, tracks the Chinese Navy from under the waves of the South China Sea, Kohl’s team makes a risky move to recruit an asset from the Chinese development team. They find only more bad news: the new weapon is far more advanced than they realized. The Chinese are preparing to test-fire the torpedo, proving its power to the world.
Amidst this devastating intelligence, Harrison sees an opportunity to execute one of the boldest covert actions in the history of the CIA. But an operation of this scale requires a massive diversion. The US Navy and Everett will have to challenge the powerful Chinese Navy in the contested waters of the South China Sea—without letting their power play spiral into World War Three.
David Bruns and J.R. Olson, authors of the acclaimed Command and Control series, unleash their trademark blend of action, intrigue, and military authenticity in Weapons Free, book one in The Third Option series. Perfect for fans of Tom Clancy and Brad Thor.
___________________________
Praise for the authors:
“…compares with the best of the timeless classics by Tom Clancy, Dale Brown, and Stephen Coonts.” —Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mission Critical
"With their background in the U.S. Navy, both Bruns and Olson have the right stuff to create a realistic military tale." -Booklist
“These two guys have lived it. Now they’re writing it.” —Don Keith, author of Only the Brave and Final Bearing
“…some of the best combat writing I’ve seen since Tom Clancy.” —Jason Kasper, USA Today bestselling author of The Enemies of My Country
Harrison Kohl, newly appointed Director of the CIA’s Special Activities Center, faces an impossible assignment: acquire the plans for China’s new long-range, superfast torpedo.
As Commander Janet Everett, commanding officer of the USS Illinois, tracks the Chinese Navy from under the waves of the South China Sea, Kohl’s team makes a risky move to recruit an asset from the Chinese development team. They find only more bad news: the new weapon is far more advanced than they realized. The Chinese are preparing to test-fire the torpedo, proving its power to the world.
Amidst this devastating intelligence, Harrison sees an opportunity to execute one of the boldest covert actions in the history of the CIA. But an operation of this scale requires a massive diversion. The US Navy and Everett will have to challenge the powerful Chinese Navy in the contested waters of the South China Sea—without letting their power play spiral into World War Three.
David Bruns and J.R. Olson, authors of the acclaimed Command and Control series, unleash their trademark blend of action, intrigue, and military authenticity in Weapons Free, book one in The Third Option series. Perfect for fans of Tom Clancy and Brad Thor.
___________________________
Praise for the authors:
“…compares with the best of the timeless classics by Tom Clancy, Dale Brown, and Stephen Coonts.” —Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mission Critical
"With their background in the U.S. Navy, both Bruns and Olson have the right stuff to create a realistic military tale." -Booklist
“These two guys have lived it. Now they’re writing it.” —Don Keith, author of Only the Brave and Final Bearing
“…some of the best combat writing I’ve seen since Tom Clancy.” —Jason Kasper, USA Today bestselling author of The Enemies of My Country
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
522 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-64875-663-4 (9781648756634)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
David Bruns earned a Bachelor of Science in Honors English from the United States Naval Academy. (That’s not a typo. He’s probably the only English major you’ll ever meet who took multiple semesters of calculus, physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, naval architecture, and weapons systems just so he could read some Shakespeare. It was totally worth it.) Following six years as a US Navy submarine officer, David spent twenty years in the high-tech private sector. A graduate of the prestigious Clarion West Writers Workshop, he is the author of over twenty novels and dozens of short stories. Today, he co-writes contemporary national security thrillers with retired naval intelligence officer, J.R. Olson.
J.R. Olson graduated from Annapolis in May of 1990 with a BS in History. He served as a naval intelligence officer, retiring in March of 2011 at the rank of commander. His assignments during his 21-year career included duty aboard aircraft carriers and large deck amphibious ships, participation in numerous operations around the world, to include Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia, and Afghanistan, and service in the U.S. Navy in strategic-level Human Intelligence (HUMINT) collection operations as a CIA-trained case officer. J.R. earned an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies at the U.S. Naval War College in 2004, and in August of 2018 he completed a Master of Public Affairs degree at the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota. Today, J.R. often serves as a visiting lecturer, teaching national security courses in Carleton College's Department of Political Science, and hosts his radio show, National Security This Week, on KYMN Radio in Northfield, Minnesota.
J.R. Olson graduated from Annapolis in May of 1990 with a BS in History. He served as a naval intelligence officer, retiring in March of 2011 at the rank of commander. His assignments during his 21-year career included duty aboard aircraft carriers and large deck amphibious ships, participation in numerous operations around the world, to include Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia, and Afghanistan, and service in the U.S. Navy in strategic-level Human Intelligence (HUMINT) collection operations as a CIA-trained case officer. J.R. earned an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies at the U.S. Naval War College in 2004, and in August of 2018 he completed a Master of Public Affairs degree at the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota. Today, J.R. often serves as a visiting lecturer, teaching national security courses in Carleton College's Department of Political Science, and hosts his radio show, National Security This Week, on KYMN Radio in Northfield, Minnesota.