by Chris Lynch
First published 2018
Danny Manion has spent his life fighting trouble with fists and words. When his latest scrape lands him before a judge, he faces a stark choice: prison or military service. The army places him with the Studies and Observation Group, a classified unit that pulls volunteers from Air Force Commandos, Army Green Berets, Navy SEALs, and CIA operatives. SOG specializes in covert operations and psychological warfare, guaranteeing Danny a deadly and unpredictable assignment. The same rebellious instincts that created problems at home transform him into an effective soldier in America's shadow conflicts. Danny fights battles that official records will never acknowledge, serving in a war most people don't know exists. His survival depends on skills the regular military never teaches.
Genres: military-fiction, adventure, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: America
Period: 21st-century
176 pages · Hardcover · Scholastic Press
Content warnings: violence