Sean Drummond Books In Order

Publication Order of Sean Drummond Books

Brian Haig is a military analyst for Fox News, with quite an extensive military background and education. It is his twenty-two years of military training and background that makes his gritty Secret Sanction series believable. His specialties in military strategy, and his many military decorations, add to his resources to make Sean Drummond, a character introduced to the world in year 2001 in the title ‘Secret Saction’, a believable character. Haig’s military decorations include two Legions of Merit, the Ranger tab, Airborne wings, and the Distinguished Service Medal, and his educational assets include a Master’s in Public Administration, as well as a Master’s in Government. The use of this extensive knowledge base has won Haig his place on the national bestseller list, as well as the Washington Post bestsellers list.

Sean Drummond began his military career as an infantry officer, but later had no choice but to change careers due to an injury sustained during combat. Instead of leaving the military, however, he becomes a lawyer in the Judge Advocate General Corps, an elite team of lawyers that handle sensitive court martial cases that could endanger special operations if not handled with great care. Because of his military training and background, injury, and cases he’s seen and tried, he comes across as a rebel, more interested in honor, honesty and truth than covering up the wrong-doings of his country, despite his patriotism. He hides his abilities behind self-degradation and suspicion of everyone and everything. Once on a case, he shows a dogged determination to get to the bottom of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, no matter the cost. Drummond comes across as a cold, ruthless man who places honor above all else even loyalty to his country, and this causes some serious issues for Drummond throughout the six-novel series.

In Secret Sanction, Drummond finds that the cost may be a little too high. Assigned the case of an execution-style massacre of thirty-five Serbs, the JAG lawyer finds himself questioning everyone. The Green Berets who are accused of the massacre protest their innocence in an odd way, seemingly coached to Drummond’s mind. The book flows fast with plot twist after another, from moles in Drummond’s own team, past secrets being revealed by reporters, to even murder and mayhem that strike within frightening distance of what Drummond considers his safe zone. Within it all, he uncovers a dizzying loop of hidden agendas, and soon he realizes that sometimes, loyalty cannot be blind, because sometimes, patriotism and country clash in ways that can kill a man, body and soul.

Drummond returns in Mortal Allies, which takes place in Seoul, by being pulled away from a Bermuda beach to serve as a co-counsel in the case of the rape and murder of the military son of South Korea’s defense minister by an American soldier. The request for Drummond comes from Katherine Carlson, a brilliant legal LGBTQ activist, whom Drummond was rivals with during law school. Now, still on opposite sides of the fence, the case that they now share sets off a firestorm of mass media, propaganda, riots in Korea, a push to remove US troops from Korea and quite a bit more. Once again, Sean Drummond finds himself the most despised of the JAG lawyers, with even Carlson playing him. His life, and his client’s, is on the line in this race against time to provide the evidence needed. As standing in tradition, Drummond again delivers with his usual cynicism and self-degrading wit, all while dealing with the many sides of gay rights in the military. The division between North and South Korea, as well the culture of the two localities, play yet one more important role in the development of Mortal Allies. Drummond faces religious fanatics, homophobes, thinly veiled anti-American sentiments, contempt and scorn from the brass, all while attempting to solve the case, despite battling with his long-time nemesis, who seems intent on his legal, and possibly mortal, demise.

Throughout the Sean Drummond series by Brian Haig, we see evidence of his many military and political positions, such as an intern with the Joint Chief of Staffs during the Lebanon peacekeeping operations, working in the Current Operations Directorate. He was the global strategist in the Army, helping create warplans against Southwest Asia and the Soviet Union. He was the global issues advisor to the Army’s highest leadership. For three years, he also acted as Special Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief of the United Nations Command and Combined Forces Command, which was responsible for taking command of all American and Korean forces in Korea. During those three years, he was responsible for devising new military strategies, and drafting warplans. He also served as the Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the last four years of his active duty. During that time, he acted as advisor to the Chairman on global, Asian, and strategic issues, as well as preparing all speeches, briefings, public statements, and congressional testimonies.

All of Haig’s expertise is brought to play in the thrilling, fast-action series of Sean Drummond, who remains hard-nosed, continually hiding himself behind snide remarks, cutting wit, dry humor, and self-degrading statements and beliefs, and is despised by his own country for putting truth and honor above blind loyalty, despite the many times his own cynicism and thirst for justice brings death and destruction to him doorstep as he fights for truth in case after special forces, high security clearance case, throughout the eight novel series that landed in the bestsellers list not once, but twice.

Despite the gritty realities and controversies faced within the series, the books somehow manage to retain a feeling of lighthearted yet witty humor. This combination, plus the constant nail-biting loops of plot twists one after another, leaves the reader engrossed, and ready to skip past the cliff-hanger ending, and right into the next book of the series. Haig takes his experiences, and his views of the world, and makes them come alive, page after page, captivating the readers easily with this not-so-cliché military thriller.

One Response to “Sean Drummond”

1. John Zak: 2 years ago

   Disappointed that the Sean Drummond series seems to have come to an end with “Night Crew”.
   But have enjoyed all the others.

   Reply