“Canada never saw it coming.”

In a single, coordinated stroke, the United States executes a covert assault so precise and so devastating that Canada’s entire political leadership is wiped out overnight.
No warning.
No negotiation.
No chance to respond.

And the reason behind this hostile takeover isn’t ideology or power — it’s water.
Pure, clean, life-sustaining Canadian freshwater — the most valuable resource on Earth.

What unfolds from there is both chilling and captivating.

This could be a true story… but thank goodness it isn’t! This is startlingly plausible fiction that is exciting, brilliant, unsettling and packed with thought-provoking “what if?” moments.

I have to confess that this latest book of Neil’s, The 51st State, (written under his pen name, Nathaniel Theos) is a genre I would never have considered reading…

But since I was asked to edit the manuscript, I had to read it! And I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! The story is high-stakes and gripping, yet surprisingly educational. The depth of research behind this book is astounding — from intelligence operations, to cyber-warfare tactics, to the inner workings of Canada’s elite JTF2 unit. The book is full of incredible and impressive detail that make the story feel uncomfortably real. I didn’t want to put it down because I needed to know what happened next.

The loyalty, courage, and brilliance of the characters — ordinary people and covert operatives alike — highlight what it means to stand up for your country without ever firing a single shot. Cyber-war, espionage, betrayal, intelligence strategy… it’s all there, building toward a powerful reclaiming of our nation’s sovereignty.

If you’ve enjoyed any of Neil’s previous books, you’ll find this one completely different — and yet, his signature themes are still present: purpose, values, love of humanity, and the reminder that we are capable of extraordinary things.

This book surprised me in the best way.
It made me think.
It made me proud to be Canadian.
And it kept me up late flipping pages.

The 51st State launches on Amazon on November 26th.
I invite you to check it out. You’ll be glad you did!