Use of Force was published by Atria Books in 2017. A key ISIS operative disappears during a shipwreck in the Mediterranean — one of the many vessels carrying refugees from North Africa to Europe. Harvath must determine whether the operative survived, where he went, and what operation he is planning. The search takes him through the chaos of the Libyan coast, the criminal smuggling networks that profit from migration, and the European cities where returning jihadists hide among refugee communities.
The novel engages directly with the European migration crisis and the security challenges it presents — specifically, the documented exploitation of refugee flows by terrorist organizations to move operatives into Europe undetected.
The Migration Crisis
Thor’s depiction of the Mediterranean migration crisis — the overcrowded boats, the drownings, the criminal smuggling networks, the overwhelmed European reception systems — is drawn from contemporary reporting. The novel does not take a position on migration per se but focuses specifically on the security exploitation of humanitarian catastrophe.
Collecting Use of Force
First edition (Atria Books, New York, 2017): Boards with dust jacket.
Approximate market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $15–$25
- Signed first edition: $30–$80
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest appreciation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did ISIS really exploit refugee routes? Yes. European security services documented multiple cases of ISIS operatives entering Europe via Mediterranean refugee routes between 2014 and 2017, including some of the perpetrators of the November 2015 Paris attacks.