The Next War byAmir Tsarfati and Steve Young
Series: Book 1 of the Nir Tavor Tribulation Series
Publisher: Ten Peaks Press
Publication Date: May 5, 2026
Review by Mae Clair
Having read the entire Nir Tavor Mossad Thriller Series, I couldn’t wait to start this new series, featuring characters I’ve grown to love. For clarification, Mossad is Israel’s national intelligence agency, responsible for covert operations and counterterrorism. Book three of the Mossad series ended with the Rapture, now called “The Disappearance.” As The Next War starts, much has changed, including the collapse of the United States as a world power.
From an ops mission into dangerous territory in the U.S., then later Turkey, to strategy discussions at Mossad headquarters in Tel Aviv, the plot threads across the globe and shifts between adrenalin-filled action, political intrigue, quirky character interaction (Nir’s team of analysts), family drama, and Biblical teaching.
I’m drawn to these books because of the depth of character development, something I never expected to find in a military thriller. Weapons details sometimes fly over my head, but the action always keeps me on the edge of my seat. My favorite moments are when Nir and his ops team, plus his group of brilliant but eccentric analysts gather to discuss strategy. It’s hard not to love a group of people who buy silly hats for a life-size replica of Chewbacca, or tag their bosses with names like “chunk” (for a slightly overweight director) and “mrsunshine” (for Nir, their boss) on text exchanges.
From the start of the Mossad series, Nir has been struggling with his religious beliefs and his relationship with God. That’s especially true now since the woman he loved—a Christian who tried to tell him about Jesus and the coming Tribulation—has been taken in the rapture. He begins to see things she told him would happen unfold in real time, including nations aligning to eliminate Israel.
The last half of the book is particularly engrossing as the Jewish nation tries to decide if they should stand and fight against an allied army primed to bring genocide or pray and trust God to deliver them. I guarantee nail-biting—especially as Nir interacts with his family members, each with strong opinions on how to approach what could well be total annihilation. The “Ezekial War” of chapters 38-39 of the prophet Ezekial factor heavily into this part of the book.
While I enjoyed the heart-pumping action of early chapters, it’s really the last half of the book—strongly character driven—which resonated with me. As in this example showcasing interaction between Nir and his father:
Nir’s abba took two steps back toward him. “You’re exactly right, boy! We can’t afford to waste food in this household. Maybe if you started earning a real living working with your two hands instead of jet-setting all over the world, you’d learn to appreciate the value of a shekel.”
Dropping the potato and the knife in the bowel, Nir held out his arms straight out with his palms up. “Abba, you can’t even begin to imagine what I’ve done with these two hands.” The men held eyes, until his abba turned away. Nir watched the one man whose approval he so desperately wanted stomp down the hall to his bedroom, then slam the door behind him.
The Next War by Amir Tsarfati and Steve Yohn
This is the launch of a brand new series, and while it helps to be familiar with the characters and events from the earlier Mossad series, it’s not necessary to enjoy the book.
If you like pulse-pounding action coupled with strong character drama and faith-based teachings grounded in scripture, I highly recommend this engrossing book.
Five fantastic fish!
I purchased the Kindle version and a paperback copy of The Next War
The Well Read Fish 
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