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Jack Ryan, Jr. #3
Locked On
Jack Ryan Jr.—along with the covert warriors of the Campus—continues to uphold his legendary father’s legacy of courage and honor in this thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Tom Clancy.
Privately training with special forces, he’s honing his combat skills to continue his work within the Campus, hunting down and eliminating terrorists wherever he can—even as Jack Ryan Sr. campaigns to become President of the United States again.
But what neither father nor son knows is that the political and personal have just become equally dangerous. A devout enemy of Jack Sr. launches a privately-funded vendetta to discredit him and connect him to a mysterious killing in his longtime ally John Clark’s past. All they have to do is catch him.
With Clark on the run, it’s up to Jack Jr. to stop a growing threat emerging in the Middle East, where a corrupt Pakistani general has entered into a deadly pact with a fanatical terrorist to procure four nuclear warheads they can use to blackmail any world power into submission—or face annihilation.
Privately training with special forces, he’s honing his combat skills to continue his work within the Campus, hunting down and eliminating terrorists wherever he can—even as Jack Ryan Sr. campaigns to become President of the United States again.
But what neither father nor son knows is that the political and personal have just become equally dangerous. A devout enemy of Jack Sr. launches a privately-funded vendetta to discredit him and connect him to a mysterious killing in his longtime ally John Clark’s past. All they have to do is catch him.
With Clark on the run, it’s up to Jack Jr. to stop a growing threat emerging in the Middle East, where a corrupt Pakistani general has entered into a deadly pact with a fanatical terrorist to procure four nuclear warheads they can use to blackmail any world power into submission—or face annihilation.
584 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 13, 2011
1928 people are currently reading
7638 people want to read
About the author
Tom Clancy
977 books9,065 followersThomas Leo Clancy Jr. was an American novelist and military-political thriller pioneer. Raised in a middle-class Irish-American family, he developed an early fascination with military history. Despite initially studying physics at Loyola College, he switched to English literature, graduating in 1969 with a modest GPA. His aspirations of serving in the military were dashed due to severe myopia, leading him instead to a career in the insurance business.
While working at a small insurance agency, Clancy spent his spare time writing what would become The Hunt for Red October (1984). Published by the Naval Institute Press for an advance of $5,000, the book received an unexpected boost when President Ronald Reagan praised it as “the best yarn.” This propelled Clancy to national fame, selling millions of copies and establishing his reputation for technical accuracy in military and intelligence matters. His meticulous research and storytelling ability granted him access to high-ranking U.S. military officials, further enriching his novels.
Clancy’s works often featured heroic protagonists such as Jack Ryan and John Clark, emphasizing themes of patriotism, military expertise, and political intrigue. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, he became one of the best-selling authors in America, with titles like Red Storm Rising (1986), Patriot Games (1987), Clear and Present Danger (1989), and The Sum of All Fears (1991) dominating bestseller lists. Several of these were adapted into commercially successful films.
In addition to novels, Clancy co-authored nonfiction works on military topics and lent his name to numerous book series and video game franchises, including Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. His influence extended beyond literature, as he became a part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team and was involved in various business ventures, including a failed attempt to purchase the Minnesota Vikings.
Politically, Clancy was a staunch conservative, often weaving his views into his books and publicly criticizing left-leaning policies. He gained further attention after the September 11 attacks, discussing intelligence failures and counterterrorism strategies on news platforms.
Clancy’s financial success was immense. By the late 1990s, his publishing deals were worth tens of millions of dollars. He lived on an expansive Maryland estate featuring a World War II Sherman tank and later purchased a luxury penthouse in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
He was married twice, first to Wanda Thomas King, with whom he had four children, and later to journalist Alexandra Marie Llewellyn, with whom he had one daughter.
Tom Clancy passed away on October 1, 2013, at the age of 66 due to heart failure. His legacy endures through his novels, their adaptations, and the continuation of the Jack Ryan series by other writers.
While working at a small insurance agency, Clancy spent his spare time writing what would become The Hunt for Red October (1984). Published by the Naval Institute Press for an advance of $5,000, the book received an unexpected boost when President Ronald Reagan praised it as “the best yarn.” This propelled Clancy to national fame, selling millions of copies and establishing his reputation for technical accuracy in military and intelligence matters. His meticulous research and storytelling ability granted him access to high-ranking U.S. military officials, further enriching his novels.
Clancy’s works often featured heroic protagonists such as Jack Ryan and John Clark, emphasizing themes of patriotism, military expertise, and political intrigue. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, he became one of the best-selling authors in America, with titles like Red Storm Rising (1986), Patriot Games (1987), Clear and Present Danger (1989), and The Sum of All Fears (1991) dominating bestseller lists. Several of these were adapted into commercially successful films.
In addition to novels, Clancy co-authored nonfiction works on military topics and lent his name to numerous book series and video game franchises, including Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. His influence extended beyond literature, as he became a part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team and was involved in various business ventures, including a failed attempt to purchase the Minnesota Vikings.
Politically, Clancy was a staunch conservative, often weaving his views into his books and publicly criticizing left-leaning policies. He gained further attention after the September 11 attacks, discussing intelligence failures and counterterrorism strategies on news platforms.
Clancy’s financial success was immense. By the late 1990s, his publishing deals were worth tens of millions of dollars. He lived on an expansive Maryland estate featuring a World War II Sherman tank and later purchased a luxury penthouse in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
He was married twice, first to Wanda Thomas King, with whom he had four children, and later to journalist Alexandra Marie Llewellyn, with whom he had one daughter.
Tom Clancy passed away on October 1, 2013, at the age of 66 due to heart failure. His legacy endures through his novels, their adaptations, and the continuation of the Jack Ryan series by other writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 821 reviews
December 27, 2011
It is really important to put this book into perspective along with the recent “Clancy” works and understand it is a book written in the style of Tom Clancy and the direction of the publishers.
Clancy’s last good book was Executive Orders (average US Amazon score of 4 stars), he dipped slightly with Rainbow Six (Average of 3.5) before turning out the turgid Bear And The Dragon (average of 2.5 stars) and then the final book written by him, the very weak Red Rabbit (average of 2 stars). Then the outsourcing began with Teeth Of The Tiger (2 stars) and Dead or Alive (2.5 star average).
It is really important to understand that Tom Clancy ‘lost it’ some time ago and those that claim this new book is a poor shadow of Clancy actually are referring to the golden days of Clancy because this is a lot better than the last three books Clancy actually wrote and certainly a vast improvement on the previous outsourcing.
Mark Greaney makes a good job of this, slightly ham-strung by the Clancy suits insisting (we presume) on the use of The Campus and young Jack Ryan as an all action hero. Mr Greaney presents a story where Ryan senior is trying to get back into the White House and the incumbent President is willing to resort to dirty tricks to smear him, including using ex Rainbow Six leader John Clark as a sacrifice. While Clark goes on the run, The Campus and Ryan Junior are on the trail of a rogue Pakistani intelligence chief who is orchestrating a deadly plan….
In the true style of Clancy, this is a blend of politics and action with a few familiar faces amongst the newer characters. The pace really picks up at the point Clark goes on the run and the book became increasingly hard to put down. I think Greaney has sort of rescued the franchise and you feel the influence of Clancy’s publishers has held it back rather than pushed it forward. The portrayal of Ryan junior as an action hero, and a swing to the right wing just don’t feel right. There is also a scene where Ryan junior speaks to his Dad before going off on a dangerous mission…his message “Dad, when you get in the White House, please get the CIA back to where it belongs”. It made me shudder,
But for the minor faults (that I suspect were imposed on the author) Locked On is a page turning thriller, I enjoyed it and would be delighted to see Mark Greaney have another go at being Tom Clancy.
Clancy’s last good book was Executive Orders (average US Amazon score of 4 stars), he dipped slightly with Rainbow Six (Average of 3.5) before turning out the turgid Bear And The Dragon (average of 2.5 stars) and then the final book written by him, the very weak Red Rabbit (average of 2 stars). Then the outsourcing began with Teeth Of The Tiger (2 stars) and Dead or Alive (2.5 star average).
It is really important to understand that Tom Clancy ‘lost it’ some time ago and those that claim this new book is a poor shadow of Clancy actually are referring to the golden days of Clancy because this is a lot better than the last three books Clancy actually wrote and certainly a vast improvement on the previous outsourcing.
Mark Greaney makes a good job of this, slightly ham-strung by the Clancy suits insisting (we presume) on the use of The Campus and young Jack Ryan as an all action hero. Mr Greaney presents a story where Ryan senior is trying to get back into the White House and the incumbent President is willing to resort to dirty tricks to smear him, including using ex Rainbow Six leader John Clark as a sacrifice. While Clark goes on the run, The Campus and Ryan Junior are on the trail of a rogue Pakistani intelligence chief who is orchestrating a deadly plan….
In the true style of Clancy, this is a blend of politics and action with a few familiar faces amongst the newer characters. The pace really picks up at the point Clark goes on the run and the book became increasingly hard to put down. I think Greaney has sort of rescued the franchise and you feel the influence of Clancy’s publishers has held it back rather than pushed it forward. The portrayal of Ryan junior as an action hero, and a swing to the right wing just don’t feel right. There is also a scene where Ryan junior speaks to his Dad before going off on a dangerous mission…his message “Dad, when you get in the White House, please get the CIA back to where it belongs”. It made me shudder,
But for the minor faults (that I suspect were imposed on the author) Locked On is a page turning thriller, I enjoyed it and would be delighted to see Mark Greaney have another go at being Tom Clancy.
January 2, 2013
I went through a phase years ago when I read nearly every Tom Clancy book in quick succession. I found them fascinating and (of course) exciting. (If you haven’t read his books, you may have seen films based on them: The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of All Fears, etc.)
So, having read some of his best work, this book completely fell flat for me. It hurts my soul to say this, but this book is so below-average that I finished it and actually said, “Terrible,” and threw it on the bed beside me.
If you’ve read “classic” Tom Clancy, you’ll recognize immediately when the fine print “co-author” Mark Greaney has penned sections. It’s painfully apparent when Clancy looked at a page, inserted a few lines and let Greaney fill in the blanks. Ugh. Awful.
Besides all this, the plot is a little convoluted—which, being Clancy, is not that unusual since he’s known for using intricate plotlines and lots of government/military details. But, if you haven’t read any of his books before, I can imagine you’d be entirely confused by the characters since there is absolutely no character development whatsoever. None. Although I get frustrated with authors that see the need to recap who characters are with every subsequent book in a series (Charlaine Harris, for one), there has to be some catch-up in order to appeal to someone who maybe doesn’t want to read 15 500+ page novels in order to figure out who Jack Ryan is or what Rainbow Six members do.
The last quarter of the book was exciting and fast-paced, but it felt increasingly forced as it sped toward the finish and I was almost insulted by Clancy including Jack Ryan in the book, only to mention him enough to call this a “Jack Ryan Tom Clancy book.” UGH.
Oh, one last thing! It’s also terribly political and right-leaning and takes place in the middle of an election year and, umm, I see what you tried to do there Clancy, but stick to submarines and Jack Ryan and stop this conservative agenda nonsense. It added nothing to the story and made an amateur book look even more so.
In short, don’t bother.
So, having read some of his best work, this book completely fell flat for me. It hurts my soul to say this, but this book is so below-average that I finished it and actually said, “Terrible,” and threw it on the bed beside me.
If you’ve read “classic” Tom Clancy, you’ll recognize immediately when the fine print “co-author” Mark Greaney has penned sections. It’s painfully apparent when Clancy looked at a page, inserted a few lines and let Greaney fill in the blanks. Ugh. Awful.
Besides all this, the plot is a little convoluted—which, being Clancy, is not that unusual since he’s known for using intricate plotlines and lots of government/military details. But, if you haven’t read any of his books before, I can imagine you’d be entirely confused by the characters since there is absolutely no character development whatsoever. None. Although I get frustrated with authors that see the need to recap who characters are with every subsequent book in a series (Charlaine Harris, for one), there has to be some catch-up in order to appeal to someone who maybe doesn’t want to read 15 500+ page novels in order to figure out who Jack Ryan is or what Rainbow Six members do.
The last quarter of the book was exciting and fast-paced, but it felt increasingly forced as it sped toward the finish and I was almost insulted by Clancy including Jack Ryan in the book, only to mention him enough to call this a “Jack Ryan Tom Clancy book.” UGH.
Oh, one last thing! It’s also terribly political and right-leaning and takes place in the middle of an election year and, umm, I see what you tried to do there Clancy, but stick to submarines and Jack Ryan and stop this conservative agenda nonsense. It added nothing to the story and made an amateur book look even more so.
In short, don’t bother.
February 20, 2015
I liked a lot of what Clancy has written over time.
I read and reread everything that he wrote up to Rainbow Six.
There are several reasons that I think this book is far inferior to his old work(other than being probably ghost written).
Clancy has always written with a politically conservative slant. That isn't a problem to me. What is a problem to me is that I think that in this book, the political tangents take me out of the story. It's not the political aspect that bothers me, but it is sloppily incorporated and adds nothing to the story.
The biggest problem with this book is that nearly every character in this book acts exactly the same. The biggest appeal to the Ryan books was that we actually got to know the characters. This book made everyone 1 dimensional.
The last problem that I will talk about is that Clancy is stretching the bounds of plausibility to find a villain. He started this trend in Rainbow Six, and while it got slightly better with Teeth of the Tiger as the threat wasn't a global threat, he's back at trying to find a new Soviet Union to cause a threat of global catastrophe.
This book is a poor echo of the original Ryan books. It has the same characters, but most of the life has been sucked out of them.
I read and reread everything that he wrote up to Rainbow Six.
There are several reasons that I think this book is far inferior to his old work(other than being probably ghost written).
Clancy has always written with a politically conservative slant. That isn't a problem to me. What is a problem to me is that I think that in this book, the political tangents take me out of the story. It's not the political aspect that bothers me, but it is sloppily incorporated and adds nothing to the story.
The biggest problem with this book is that nearly every character in this book acts exactly the same. The biggest appeal to the Ryan books was that we actually got to know the characters. This book made everyone 1 dimensional.
The last problem that I will talk about is that Clancy is stretching the bounds of plausibility to find a villain. He started this trend in Rainbow Six, and while it got slightly better with Teeth of the Tiger as the threat wasn't a global threat, he's back at trying to find a new Soviet Union to cause a threat of global catastrophe.
This book is a poor echo of the original Ryan books. It has the same characters, but most of the life has been sucked out of them.
February 21, 2012
By far the best Clancy novel since Rainbow Six. Against All Enemies was difficult to muddle through in parts, but this was a gripping, can't put it down Clancy original. I am really enjoying seeing Jack Ryan, Jr. develop as a character. For long time readers of Clancy like myself, it's hard to imagine Jack Jr all grown up! He's becoming quite the bad ass in his own right! The twisting plot leaves you in many different places at once, but it all ties together nicely in the end. If you are a liberal, beware. Clancy and Ryan are clearly no longer fans of the Obama er... Kealty administration.
There were certainly a few plot issues with the story. John Clark operating in Russia with no one to call? This is John Clark that we are talking about! Also, only one year out of heading up Rainbow and he acts like Clark no longer has any contacts. He was head of Rainbow just a year ago! Regardless, the few minor issues that I have with the plot don't distract away from this great read. As always, I love Ding! Him and Clark make such a great team.
Oh, and the last couple of pages will put you on the edge of your seat waiting on the next one! And make you want to slap someone...
There were certainly a few plot issues with the story. John Clark operating in Russia with no one to call? This is John Clark that we are talking about! Also, only one year out of heading up Rainbow and he acts like Clark no longer has any contacts. He was head of Rainbow just a year ago! Regardless, the few minor issues that I have with the plot don't distract away from this great read. As always, I love Ding! Him and Clark make such a great team.
Oh, and the last couple of pages will put you on the edge of your seat waiting on the next one! And make you want to slap someone...
March 29, 2012
Despite my steadfast loyalty to Mr. Clancy, (I will always buy his books) I must admit this book disappointed me. I recognize the best days of the Ryan Franchise are probably past, but I was hopeful for more. I agree the political diatribes were too much (sometimes felt as if I had turned on Fox News halfway through one chapter), and could have been utilized in a more succinct manner (I agree with his position, but to beat down the opposition accomplished little in the book, except to bore me for 20 minutes or so). The chasing of John Clark could have been its own book (perhaps it should have been). It was energetic, required constant attention and provided such sharp detail! Yet, it's end was far too quick and a bit unrealistic. And the ending...for Tom Clancy it was so pedestrian. One of his best attributes is leaving you to believe the bad guys will succeed, even if only to be punished severely (ala Executive Orders). But this ending... it could have been so much more. And this new trend of using the last few pages to set up the next book? What has Mr. Clancy become? A hollywood screenwriter who has run out of ideas?
That being said, its Tom Clancy. Its Jack Ryan. Its John Clark. You have to buy it and read it. Its better than most of the material out there today. Mr. Clancy at 25% is still better than most writers at 100%.
That being said, its Tom Clancy. Its Jack Ryan. Its John Clark. You have to buy it and read it. Its better than most of the material out there today. Mr. Clancy at 25% is still better than most writers at 100%.
February 1, 2014
I've read a great many of Tom Clancy's books and liked most of them. I do have to say that the last few weren't quite as good (in my opinion of course) as his earlier books. When I read The Bear and the Dragon it occurred to me that possibly Mr. Clancy's sales were so good that editors were doing less and less with the manuscript. I don't know. But it seemed to me that the book was just more...wordy...than they had been before. I think the theme continued through what I read after that one.
There's a little of that here, but not so much. If this book has a flaw it's that the plot/plots are a bit convoluted. As the terrorist plots spin there are also a couple of other underhanded situations growing and of course we're still keeping up with Jack Ryan (Sr.)'s bid for the presidency.
Still it's all handled well and comes together. This is also the first Clancy Jack Ryan book that ends in a more or less blatant cliff hanger.
Now all that said, I like this book. I've moved the rating up the 5 star column. I don't give many 5s and I was thinking of calling this one a "high 4" but on reflection I think it crosses the line to the highest rating I can give. maybe just by a bit, but then a wins a win. There is a lot that's satisfying about this one and a lot that rings true. It has a good deal of action that's handled well and folded well into the overall story. While the plot threads spread out a bit and had to be pulled back in it felt choppy or forced. I like it.
How much of this is due to the co-authorship of Mark Greaney I have no way of knowing. I've read his first two Gray Man books, The Gray Man and On Target by him. I liked them greatly and have the next one already. I'm just waiting till I can make room on my "currently reading list" to fit it in. I keep getting library books that have to read so I can turn them back in!
So a good action thriller with the coherent feel of a well crafted political thriller, maybe a little more of the "old Clancy" feel than we've had in a wile with the addition of a great new writer that I've already recommended for his own work.
Sounds pretty good huh?
Recommended.
There's a little of that here, but not so much. If this book has a flaw it's that the plot/plots are a bit convoluted. As the terrorist plots spin there are also a couple of other underhanded situations growing and of course we're still keeping up with Jack Ryan (Sr.)'s bid for the presidency.
Still it's all handled well and comes together. This is also the first Clancy Jack Ryan book that ends in a more or less blatant cliff hanger.
Now all that said, I like this book. I've moved the rating up the 5 star column. I don't give many 5s and I was thinking of calling this one a "high 4" but on reflection I think it crosses the line to the highest rating I can give. maybe just by a bit, but then a wins a win. There is a lot that's satisfying about this one and a lot that rings true. It has a good deal of action that's handled well and folded well into the overall story. While the plot threads spread out a bit and had to be pulled back in it felt choppy or forced. I like it.
How much of this is due to the co-authorship of Mark Greaney I have no way of knowing. I've read his first two Gray Man books, The Gray Man and On Target by him. I liked them greatly and have the next one already. I'm just waiting till I can make room on my "currently reading list" to fit it in. I keep getting library books that have to read so I can turn them back in!
So a good action thriller with the coherent feel of a well crafted political thriller, maybe a little more of the "old Clancy" feel than we've had in a wile with the addition of a great new writer that I've already recommended for his own work.
Sounds pretty good huh?
Recommended.
May 10, 2018
Another great addition to the Jack Ryan Saga, by the master of espionage, and one of my all-time favorite writers! And I also enjoyed the writing style of Clancy's co-author Mark Greaney.
Locked On picks up not long after the events in Dead Or Alive. Jack Ryan Sr. is once again running for President of the United States, being fed up with the bull**** from his successor Ed Kealty, and his running the Country into the ground, with Jack Jr. still honing his combat skills and being a field man for the top-secret Campus. But in the midst of events, Kealty will do whatever it takes to remain in office, and launches a private vendetta to disqualify Ryan as a Presidential Candidate, and connecting him with a killing that took place years ago by John Clark, dating back to Ryan's days in the CIA. Now Clark is on the run from a shadowy mercenary team that has been assigned to capture him.
And to make matters worse, with Clark's absence, there is a new threat emerging in the Middle East, a ruthless Pakistani General has made a pact with Terrorists to accessing nuclear warheads, which he tends to use to blackmail any world power into submission, even if it means nuclear war! Now it's up to Jack Ryan Jr. Dominic Caruso, Ding Chavez, and the rest of the Campus, to stop this Madman, where it's up to John Clark to battle the ghosts of his past and to clear Ryan's name.
Non-stop thrills and action throughout, many twists and turns, never a dull moment! Another winner by Mr. Clancy!!
Locked On picks up not long after the events in Dead Or Alive. Jack Ryan Sr. is once again running for President of the United States, being fed up with the bull**** from his successor Ed Kealty, and his running the Country into the ground, with Jack Jr. still honing his combat skills and being a field man for the top-secret Campus. But in the midst of events, Kealty will do whatever it takes to remain in office, and launches a private vendetta to disqualify Ryan as a Presidential Candidate, and connecting him with a killing that took place years ago by John Clark, dating back to Ryan's days in the CIA. Now Clark is on the run from a shadowy mercenary team that has been assigned to capture him.
And to make matters worse, with Clark's absence, there is a new threat emerging in the Middle East, a ruthless Pakistani General has made a pact with Terrorists to accessing nuclear warheads, which he tends to use to blackmail any world power into submission, even if it means nuclear war! Now it's up to Jack Ryan Jr. Dominic Caruso, Ding Chavez, and the rest of the Campus, to stop this Madman, where it's up to John Clark to battle the ghosts of his past and to clear Ryan's name.
Non-stop thrills and action throughout, many twists and turns, never a dull moment! Another winner by Mr. Clancy!!
November 4, 2013
Locked On
I personally did not like the book Locked On by Tom Clancy. I did not like it for a few reasons. One reason is that the book was a bit slow paced at times. I am a kind a of reader that likes books to be fast paced and on going. For example at the beginning of the book it was all about chasing terrorists, so I thought I was going to like it. Then as I got into the book a little more it started talking about the presidents kids. I thought that that this would tie into the terrorist situation seeing that it was talking about the president and his family, but as I kept reading the book just got into how the president and his wife did not like their sons job. The rest of the book was basically about the same thing. Who makes the conflict in the book parents not liking their kids job. Even though the son was a secret agent the author did not go into details about nerve racking missions.
Another reason I did not like the book was because some events that happened did not relate to the problem or conflict at all. Like I said at the beginning of the book the author talked about terrorists missions, but after that first paragraph the word terrorist was probably only mentioned about three more times. Throughout the whole book all I heard was “your mother and I are scared about your safety,” even though it was the president I did not really care about what the parents thought of their kids job. I wanted to hear more about how terrorist were captured. This book was very boring.
Another thing I do not like about this book is that the problem was resolved by just talking problems out. By the middle of the book I was bored with all the talking and all of the dullness. I mean the guy that wrote the book was a naval captain himself how can a guy with that type of experience not be able to write an action packed book? I do not think I would really recommend this book to anyone unless you like boring books, but come on now who really likes to read a boring book. Do not be deceived by this books cover I give credit to who ever drew it. The cover is nice to look at. The book though is bad therefore I would rate it a two out of ten.
I personally did not like the book Locked On by Tom Clancy. I did not like it for a few reasons. One reason is that the book was a bit slow paced at times. I am a kind a of reader that likes books to be fast paced and on going. For example at the beginning of the book it was all about chasing terrorists, so I thought I was going to like it. Then as I got into the book a little more it started talking about the presidents kids. I thought that that this would tie into the terrorist situation seeing that it was talking about the president and his family, but as I kept reading the book just got into how the president and his wife did not like their sons job. The rest of the book was basically about the same thing. Who makes the conflict in the book parents not liking their kids job. Even though the son was a secret agent the author did not go into details about nerve racking missions.
Another reason I did not like the book was because some events that happened did not relate to the problem or conflict at all. Like I said at the beginning of the book the author talked about terrorists missions, but after that first paragraph the word terrorist was probably only mentioned about three more times. Throughout the whole book all I heard was “your mother and I are scared about your safety,” even though it was the president I did not really care about what the parents thought of their kids job. I wanted to hear more about how terrorist were captured. This book was very boring.
Another thing I do not like about this book is that the problem was resolved by just talking problems out. By the middle of the book I was bored with all the talking and all of the dullness. I mean the guy that wrote the book was a naval captain himself how can a guy with that type of experience not be able to write an action packed book? I do not think I would really recommend this book to anyone unless you like boring books, but come on now who really likes to read a boring book. Do not be deceived by this books cover I give credit to who ever drew it. The cover is nice to look at. The book though is bad therefore I would rate it a two out of ten.
March 23, 2020
This is a superb Clancy novel, and one of my all time favorite thrillers overall. Re-reading it for the third time, I was just as enthralled as the first time. Mark Greaney is always an excellent writer, and here he is collaborating with Clancy himself, producing a novel of the size and scope of "Executive Orders" or "The Sum of All Fears" with the action and writing style of a modern thriller.
This book is massive. The story is wonderfully intricate and tightly plotted, featuring a huge cast of characters, with jack Ryan running for president once more while his son and The Campus unravel a global conspiracy that involves an assortment of spies, terrorists, politicians, and a rogue general. It is truly a global thriller, with threads stretching from the Cold War to the Global War on Terror, and a plot that moves from France, Germany, and Russia, to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, India, and the UAE.
This book also features Clark in a subplot that goes back to one of his first missions for the CIA behind the Iron Curtain, and the most intense Rainbow Six mission in the series so far. The Campus is also at its most interesting here, when it has to truly operate outside the normal Intelligence Community and stay below the radar of a hostile administration in the White House.
As expected with a Clancy book, this book is packed with an almost exhaustive amount of detail and information on just about everything, adding an air of real world authenticity to the story, even the parts that otherwise might seem highly improbable.
This book, and it's follow-up, "Threat Vector," definitely stand out as two of the high points of the entire Ryanverse.
This book is massive. The story is wonderfully intricate and tightly plotted, featuring a huge cast of characters, with jack Ryan running for president once more while his son and The Campus unravel a global conspiracy that involves an assortment of spies, terrorists, politicians, and a rogue general. It is truly a global thriller, with threads stretching from the Cold War to the Global War on Terror, and a plot that moves from France, Germany, and Russia, to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, India, and the UAE.
This book also features Clark in a subplot that goes back to one of his first missions for the CIA behind the Iron Curtain, and the most intense Rainbow Six mission in the series so far. The Campus is also at its most interesting here, when it has to truly operate outside the normal Intelligence Community and stay below the radar of a hostile administration in the White House.
As expected with a Clancy book, this book is packed with an almost exhaustive amount of detail and information on just about everything, adding an air of real world authenticity to the story, even the parts that otherwise might seem highly improbable.
This book, and it's follow-up, "Threat Vector," definitely stand out as two of the high points of the entire Ryanverse.
September 8, 2012
Unlike the other 2 Tom Clancy co-authored novels (and at 800ish pages each, and 3 of them in a 1 year period when most authors only put out 1 300 or so page novel, how much of this do you think is actually Clancy?) in the past year, this one seemed less interested in fetishizing pain, torture, interrogation, and up-close military action.
That was a major improvement.
Instead, you can clearly see that Clancy & co have clearly swallowed the kool aid, errr, tea, of the Tea Party. The conservatives just can't get a break from the media. The liberals are destroying our ability to function. Oh, and the liberals have also reduced the rights and dignity of our prisoners and the prison system.
Yeah. That last one was particularly hard-to-swallow. I'm not quite sure how promising to send a federal prisoner off to Gitmo qualifies as treating a prisoner better....
I really don't know what to do with the Clancy novels now. They were great summer reading for a long time. Then, he went away for a while and came back with multiple huge books that are chock-full-o-crazy. I'm going to be very very tempted to just leave the next one sitting on the shelf when I see it, or maybe go pick up as copy of Red Storm Rising instead to see if it is only good in memory.
That was a major improvement.
Instead, you can clearly see that Clancy & co have clearly swallowed the kool aid, errr, tea, of the Tea Party. The conservatives just can't get a break from the media. The liberals are destroying our ability to function. Oh, and the liberals have also reduced the rights and dignity of our prisoners and the prison system.
Yeah. That last one was particularly hard-to-swallow. I'm not quite sure how promising to send a federal prisoner off to Gitmo qualifies as treating a prisoner better....
I really don't know what to do with the Clancy novels now. They were great summer reading for a long time. Then, he went away for a while and came back with multiple huge books that are chock-full-o-crazy. I'm going to be very very tempted to just leave the next one sitting on the shelf when I see it, or maybe go pick up as copy of Red Storm Rising instead to see if it is only good in memory.
April 1, 2012
Another great book from Tom Clancy. I am glad he has some help now, I missed seeing a new huge novel every year or so. I always learn a lot when reading Clancy, here are some things I learned in this book:
The Russians have a really cool attack helicopter, the KA-50 Black Shark:
The Super Max prison in Florence, Colorado is Super Secure:
The tower in Dubai is really, really tall:
Although I know it already, it is always good to be reminded that the terrorists are not bumbling fools as they are often portrayed in the media. They are determined and often have a plan that we blind ourselves to. It is alarming how quiet things have been in general, I worry about what is coming down the pike.
Oh, also, you cannot trust anyone.
The Russians have a really cool attack helicopter, the KA-50 Black Shark:
The Super Max prison in Florence, Colorado is Super Secure:
The tower in Dubai is really, really tall:
Although I know it already, it is always good to be reminded that the terrorists are not bumbling fools as they are often portrayed in the media. They are determined and often have a plan that we blind ourselves to. It is alarming how quiet things have been in general, I worry about what is coming down the pike.
Oh, also, you cannot trust anyone.
August 10, 2020
My first Tom Clancy novel and I just loved it... here's why:
1) Pakistan has been shown as the epicenter of global terrorism (a bestselling American author writing the truth back in 2011)
2) An ISI General is the main antagonist (vllain) and ISI is shown to be generally a rogue agency
3) Lashkar-e-Taiba carries out many attacks in India, including one in Electronics City (where I have consulted on two projects) in Bangalore (where I live)
4) There are many other Islamic terrorist organisations
5) There is a lot of American politics in the book
6) CIA, NCTC & FBI are involved
THE ONLY NEGATIVES:
1) Novel is too long
2) There are too many characters, many of whom have similar names, so it is often confusing
3) Author uses first name and last name (or vice versa) of the same character in consecutive sentences very often
1) Pakistan has been shown as the epicenter of global terrorism (a bestselling American author writing the truth back in 2011)
2) An ISI General is the main antagonist (vllain) and ISI is shown to be generally a rogue agency
3) Lashkar-e-Taiba carries out many attacks in India, including one in Electronics City (where I have consulted on two projects) in Bangalore (where I live)
4) There are many other Islamic terrorist organisations
5) There is a lot of American politics in the book
6) CIA, NCTC & FBI are involved
THE ONLY NEGATIVES:
1) Novel is too long
2) There are too many characters, many of whom have similar names, so it is often confusing
3) Author uses first name and last name (or vice versa) of the same character in consecutive sentences very often
October 4, 2019
Another walk-the-dog audiobooks. Just like all Tom Clancy novels, the setup is detailed and well done. The good guys are same crew of usuals. The bad guys are really bad and get their just rewards in the end. Satisfying as long as you are not a bleeding heart liberal who thinks terrorist killers deserve a day in a US court. In this story, they end up dead or in Gitmo. Spoiler: Clark and Chavez reunite with Rainbow 6 and Jack Ryan Sr. gets re-elected replacing the weak-kneed wet noodle President Keilty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2025
Could not put the book down.
February 18, 2012
Locked On is the newest book in the "Ryanverse." For over 25 years Clancy has shared the history of Jack Ryan and company with us. In some ways this world is a parallel universe. Ryan experiences much of the same history, but he is there in ways that no true historical figure can be.
The book starts off a short time after Dead or Alive and continues the story from there. Jack Ryan, Jr. is now the lead character. Along with his cousin Dominick Caruso, and Ryan stalwarts John Clark and Ding Chavez he continues to track down terrorists as part of the clandestine "Campus." Jack Senior is running for President again against a leftist president more concerned with social engineering than truly defending the nation. Behind this president is a wealthy businessman from Eastern Europe who wants to bring socialism to full fruition in the USA. Of course none of these characters resemble any actual people living or dead!
In order to embarrass Ryan the president goes after John Clark, a man with a past. While Clark is on the run the rest of the Campus must track down a master terrorist and stop him before he carries out the most devastating terror plot ever launched.
If my liberal friends are still here I warned you, you will not like this. This book is full of the useful idiots, left wing politicians, left wing lawyers, left wing billionaires, et. al. who make up our society. It is just painful for some folks to look in the mirror.
The book starts off a short time after Dead or Alive and continues the story from there. Jack Ryan, Jr. is now the lead character. Along with his cousin Dominick Caruso, and Ryan stalwarts John Clark and Ding Chavez he continues to track down terrorists as part of the clandestine "Campus." Jack Senior is running for President again against a leftist president more concerned with social engineering than truly defending the nation. Behind this president is a wealthy businessman from Eastern Europe who wants to bring socialism to full fruition in the USA. Of course none of these characters resemble any actual people living or dead!
In order to embarrass Ryan the president goes after John Clark, a man with a past. While Clark is on the run the rest of the Campus must track down a master terrorist and stop him before he carries out the most devastating terror plot ever launched.
If my liberal friends are still here I warned you, you will not like this. This book is full of the useful idiots, left wing politicians, left wing lawyers, left wing billionaires, et. al. who make up our society. It is just painful for some folks to look in the mirror.
March 23, 2021
I couldn’t finish this book. It was that politically biased. Don’t get me wrong - I’m an Eisenhower conservative and Clancy has always skewed conservative, as most political/war thriller authors do. However, their style allowed people of different views to appreciate the story through proper crafting and character development. All this eventually lead to a justification for actions taken and the need for those actions. The choices might not be the ones the reader would like based on their views but they at least understand it. And all this happens almost in the background of the read, rarely right in your face.
This is written it such a blatantly biased and partisan way that it made me sick. The author demonizes Democrats/liberals as being lurking menaces who will do anything to hurt their country. He does this with multiple characters and events early in the book that I had to just put it down. I may not agree with policy choices with Dems, as at times I don’t with GOP (see the Tea Party and 2016-2020), but I don’t look at people with different policy views as anti-American or villains. This book paints that picture and does it with no tact or skill.
This book is perfect if you are ultra right wing and want to reinforce your preconceived notions that Liberals are evil villains.
It, however, is not for someone who doesn’t want to read about partisan garbage, appreciate Tom Clancy’s work, or like well written political thrillers. Do yourself a favor and skip this.
This is written it such a blatantly biased and partisan way that it made me sick. The author demonizes Democrats/liberals as being lurking menaces who will do anything to hurt their country. He does this with multiple characters and events early in the book that I had to just put it down. I may not agree with policy choices with Dems, as at times I don’t with GOP (see the Tea Party and 2016-2020), but I don’t look at people with different policy views as anti-American or villains. This book paints that picture and does it with no tact or skill.
This book is perfect if you are ultra right wing and want to reinforce your preconceived notions that Liberals are evil villains.
It, however, is not for someone who doesn’t want to read about partisan garbage, appreciate Tom Clancy’s work, or like well written political thrillers. Do yourself a favor and skip this.
August 13, 2012
In the past, I have been able to tolerate Clancy's racism and jingoism. His pacing and meticulous attention to detail have made his books an entertaining and readable. But has he ever been to Cairo? His descriptions of the characters in the Khan-el-Khalili souq bear absolutely no resemblance to reality. He describes the bazaar as infested with rabid, devout Muslims; nothing could be further from the truth. The average vendor that I have met in the souq is generally Christian or nonobservant, an adroit merchant, tolerant of foreigners, and rather blase about any interest other than making a profit. Clancy refers to veiled women, wearing something over their face in a language that bears no relation to the Arabic that I have been speaking for the past 20 years. If his research in this one detail; when so many readers have toured Cairo, and have visited this area, is so inauthentic, it casts doubt for this reader as to the veracity of any technical research that Clancy has claimed for so many years.
December 31, 2011
I gave it 200 pages, and then I put it aside for good. The story was okay -- typical spy action with lots of emphasis on the names of equipment and guns. But the writing was wooden and sloppy. And the political preaching became so very tiresome. I can read a book that has political viewpoints that I dislike, if it's a good book. But there's only so much naked reactionary, partisan propaganda that I can stomach.
People on amazon who gave the book one star said frequently, "I agree with most of the politics, and I still thought it was too much." That's really a better endorsement for my viewpoint than my own.
Fans of John Ringo will probably eat this up. As for me, I have had enough.
People on amazon who gave the book one star said frequently, "I agree with most of the politics, and I still thought it was too much." That's really a better endorsement for my viewpoint than my own.
Fans of John Ringo will probably eat this up. As for me, I have had enough.
February 5, 2013
A very long time ago, Clancy would write a good novel. Typical with his recent works, this story is too long with uninteresting and extremely predicable plots from the completely clueless ignorant gullible terrorist defense lawyer to the everyday murder and mayhem of the middle east. 3 of 10 stars
August 6, 2019
This book is probable the most difficult book to judge but here’s the outline of the story. This story is based on the run up to Jack Ryan Sr’s presidential bid to oust Kielty. The son, Jack Ryan Jr, is now beginning to be a real team player on The Campus team. Once he realises a member, John Clark, has a sudden past that needs fixing, John heads for his own past demons and Jack and the team head to the Middle East to stop almighty terror to the regions of Pakistan and India. In the midst of those, there is a woman who is catching Jack Jr’s eye for more than one reason and Jack Sr’s bid links to John Clark’s past.
The positives, I like the fast paced action and the clever themes and maps around it. There is some nice touches to the storyline and make it feel authentic. The negatives, maybe the story is a tad too long because of the pages of history. Love the fact that the element is in there but it did go on continuously. Also there were story elements that lack the drama. It’s a very, very solid read and it’s 3 and a half at most. It still gets me intrigued to see what the rest of the books are like.
The positives, I like the fast paced action and the clever themes and maps around it. There is some nice touches to the storyline and make it feel authentic. The negatives, maybe the story is a tad too long because of the pages of history. Love the fact that the element is in there but it did go on continuously. Also there were story elements that lack the drama. It’s a very, very solid read and it’s 3 and a half at most. It still gets me intrigued to see what the rest of the books are like.
December 5, 2019
Excellent entry into the Ryan-verse because it's mostly a John Clark book, which is always best. Jack Ryan Sr. shows up very sparingly and Jack Ryan Jr. takes steps toward the spotlight. Also, Ding has his greatest line toward the end of this book.
Clancy's greatest character, John Clark, gets top billing and that's what makes this one stand out. One of the best post-solo Clancy books to date.
Clancy's greatest character, John Clark, gets top billing and that's what makes this one stand out. One of the best post-solo Clancy books to date.
January 8, 2021
I can definitely tell that this was not a 100% written by Mr. Clancy. This was not one of my favourite books in the Ceres I just think that the potline took too many where twists and they spent just wait too much time making certain parts filler. I wish they would have put part of the whole presidential debate in the Jack Ryan senior books themselves.
April 26, 2022
Подхващам поредицата съвсем по средата, понеже слушам в Storytel. Определено обаче разширеният брой персонажи прави динамиката в книгата още по-любопитна (сравнявам с книгите за Джак Ричър, които наскоро поприключих). Е, със сигурност липсва дълбочината в изграждането на един ключов герой, но може да се окаже, че това е характеристика само на тази книга. Впечатления от поредицата?
July 8, 2020
I had a long pause but its thrill never vanished. Pumped with action. Hard to begin and get going, but once you begin reading it's hard to stop.
January 4, 2025
Well I’m glad I didn’t read the reviews to this book, before reading the book itself. This book was great, really really great. Typical Clancy detail where it wasn’t necessarily needed, but we wouldn’t read his books if we didn’t like his material.
Lots of action mixed in with plenty of political drama. I’m not the sort of person who can spot one author over another based solely on their prose, but I feel the collaboration with Mark Greaney have a really good impact on the outcome of the story. For one thing the chapters were not crazy long, and while it was a convoluted story (that’s not a negative or a put down) it was very easy to understand.
Again I’m glad I didn’t read any of the reviews, because o lot of them slated this book. For me, this was one of his best. I was sadly put off his work for a bit by ‘The Bear and The Dragon’ and especially ’Teeth of The Tiger’, (that has to be the worst of his work) so its really refreshing to have devoured this book, and enjoyed it so much that I’m looking forward to getting into the next one.
Lots of action mixed in with plenty of political drama. I’m not the sort of person who can spot one author over another based solely on their prose, but I feel the collaboration with Mark Greaney have a really good impact on the outcome of the story. For one thing the chapters were not crazy long, and while it was a convoluted story (that’s not a negative or a put down) it was very easy to understand.
Again I’m glad I didn’t read any of the reviews, because o lot of them slated this book. For me, this was one of his best. I was sadly put off his work for a bit by ‘The Bear and The Dragon’ and especially ’Teeth of The Tiger’, (that has to be the worst of his work) so its really refreshing to have devoured this book, and enjoyed it so much that I’m looking forward to getting into the next one.
July 8, 2020
Another fascinating book that juggles several plot lines and has some very realistic sections of espionage and terrorist. Sometimes the Jack Ryan Jr. world borders on unbelievable but the rest of the book is very captivating.
August 4, 2012
"Locked On" by Tom Clancy with Mark Greaney picks up where "Dead Or Alive" left off and continues the tale featuring all of Clancy's popular characters, including Jack Ryan Sr., Jack Ryan Jr., John Clark, "Ding" Chavez, and Dominic Caruso. Some of the other regulars are also back in minor roles, as well as the new operator to the campus team, Sam Driscoll.
I enjoyed the book. It was a engaging action yarn with characters I liked reading about again. Just as I enjoyed "Dead Or Alive." There have been many criticisms of the last three Clancy novels that have been written with co-writers. I agree they are not the same as some of the earlier Clancy novels, which I thoroughly enjoyed, especially those that focused on John Clark. However, I've also had fun reading these newer books. (I think "Against All Enemies" was the weakest of the lot, and I enjoyed these two that came after it much more, but that is also because of the characters.)
In a nutshell, this book continues with Jack Ryan's quest for a second term as President of the United States, something that seems a shoe-in before some history of his relationship with John Clark threatens to derail the campaign. While Jack Sr. is occupied with his campaign, Jack Jr. and other campus members are working hard to, what else, save the world. Absent veteran leader of the team, John Clark, who is dealing with his own past and circumstances that he must correct not only to live, but to save Ryan's Presidential run.
There is a lot going on in this book, and at just over 850 pages, it is what you expect from a Clancy novel. The action jumps between these main plots with descriptions of what the bad guys are doing mixed throughout. (Sometimes I wanted to get through these "bad guy" chapters faster so I could be back with the main characters I like.)
It's a fun action tale, but does contain more of Clancy's political views than some of his earlier works seemed to. (This is sort of a trend in some action thrillers these days.) I didn't mind this, and it didn't take away from the story for me, but I could see how some readers would object and would not like the book because of this.
The book does set up another book in the series. I'm not too sure I like how it was set up and where some of the story may be going, but because I like these characters, I'm looking forward to reading the next chapter in their tale and seeing what unfolds.
I enjoyed the book. It was a engaging action yarn with characters I liked reading about again. Just as I enjoyed "Dead Or Alive." There have been many criticisms of the last three Clancy novels that have been written with co-writers. I agree they are not the same as some of the earlier Clancy novels, which I thoroughly enjoyed, especially those that focused on John Clark. However, I've also had fun reading these newer books. (I think "Against All Enemies" was the weakest of the lot, and I enjoyed these two that came after it much more, but that is also because of the characters.)
In a nutshell, this book continues with Jack Ryan's quest for a second term as President of the United States, something that seems a shoe-in before some history of his relationship with John Clark threatens to derail the campaign. While Jack Sr. is occupied with his campaign, Jack Jr. and other campus members are working hard to, what else, save the world. Absent veteran leader of the team, John Clark, who is dealing with his own past and circumstances that he must correct not only to live, but to save Ryan's Presidential run.
There is a lot going on in this book, and at just over 850 pages, it is what you expect from a Clancy novel. The action jumps between these main plots with descriptions of what the bad guys are doing mixed throughout. (Sometimes I wanted to get through these "bad guy" chapters faster so I could be back with the main characters I like.)
It's a fun action tale, but does contain more of Clancy's political views than some of his earlier works seemed to. (This is sort of a trend in some action thrillers these days.) I didn't mind this, and it didn't take away from the story for me, but I could see how some readers would object and would not like the book because of this.
The book does set up another book in the series. I'm not too sure I like how it was set up and where some of the story may be going, but because I like these characters, I'm looking forward to reading the next chapter in their tale and seeing what unfolds.
February 8, 2013
I've always thought that with the transition from Jack Ryan himself (okay, what good can you do after he got president? That's definitely not a hands-on job and so most of the elements that made a good "jack Ryan" novel were no longer possible to include) to his son and the duo Clark/Chavez as main protagonists the novel series has seriously declined in its appeal.
This book is no exemption from that sad rule, while it still is enjoyable and has a lot of action over the 850 pages, there is a lot missing from the old successful formula as the son is not half as charismatic, rough and savvy as his old man was once upon a time. AND he's working as a kind of illegal vigilante for a not government sponsored covered intelligence agency which leads to a lot of moral dilemmas which never find themselves sufficiently handled and thematized inside the books. He's somewhere between the Punisher and Deadpool just without the fancyful costumes and with one hand always in the cookie jars of CIA, NSA and all the other three letter salad type agencies they can steal information from. And everything under the premise that AMERICA has to be defended even when american policy and the court of public opinion do not want to defend it with methods like poisoned injections killing enemy targets on open streets or kidnapping foreign terrorists regardless if they are in the USA or on foreign soil without any governmental mandate...
This all is dangerously close on the old patriotic bonmot of "My country right or wrong" and this never bodes well for the legality, morality and feasability of any method thought out under this premise... but of course it sells well in this hyper patriotic post 9/11 world, a shame that Clancy seems to have decided to only cater for this audience anymore and left his more neutral and defendable stances behind with Rainbow Six.
This book is no exemption from that sad rule, while it still is enjoyable and has a lot of action over the 850 pages, there is a lot missing from the old successful formula as the son is not half as charismatic, rough and savvy as his old man was once upon a time. AND he's working as a kind of illegal vigilante for a not government sponsored covered intelligence agency which leads to a lot of moral dilemmas which never find themselves sufficiently handled and thematized inside the books. He's somewhere between the Punisher and Deadpool just without the fancyful costumes and with one hand always in the cookie jars of CIA, NSA and all the other three letter salad type agencies they can steal information from. And everything under the premise that AMERICA has to be defended even when american policy and the court of public opinion do not want to defend it with methods like poisoned injections killing enemy targets on open streets or kidnapping foreign terrorists regardless if they are in the USA or on foreign soil without any governmental mandate...
This all is dangerously close on the old patriotic bonmot of "My country right or wrong" and this never bodes well for the legality, morality and feasability of any method thought out under this premise... but of course it sells well in this hyper patriotic post 9/11 world, a shame that Clancy seems to have decided to only cater for this audience anymore and left his more neutral and defendable stances behind with Rainbow Six.
April 1, 2013
I used to be an avid reader of Tom Clancy's books.
Back when they were good that is. Then the quality dipped down seriously 12 years ago or so and I stopped reading them.
Recently I started reading thrillers again and I wondered to my self 'what's happened to my buddy Tom Clancy?' I checked online and it turned out not much. He kept writing books that were worse and worse, then he got a ghost to write for him that wasn't much good either and then finally came Mark Greaney. And it turned out that this Mark guy wasn't so bad, he was actually good enough that the reviews started getting better again and I trusted them and decided to delve back into Tom Clancy's universe with the first book co-written by Mark Greaney.
Anyway on to this book. The main protagonist are our ole buddy Jack Ryan, trying to get reelected to the White House, and his son Jack Ryan jr who works as a spook in the Campus, a secret CIA-like organization that was created by Jack Ryan during his first term as a president. There's a bunch of bad people too, but fear not, in the end the Ryan family will prevail ! ( as if there was any doubt).
The action in the book is fast paced and the book itself is a page turner, with one caveat, it feels to me that 80% of the book is a build up for the conclusion and all the issues get resolved way too quick there...
Now for the content. I understand Tom Clancy is a far right leaning GOP. But enough is enough! During the whole book the american medias are described as in bed with the democrats. And the democrats as very despicable people. Seriously, Tom, ever heard of Faux News ? Seriously ? Maybe you should watch it before depicting pros liberal media...
All in all a 3 stars if you focus solely on the book and it's page turner plot, much lower if you think for a second on the ideas Tom Clancy is trying to vehiculate.
Back when they were good that is. Then the quality dipped down seriously 12 years ago or so and I stopped reading them.
Recently I started reading thrillers again and I wondered to my self 'what's happened to my buddy Tom Clancy?' I checked online and it turned out not much. He kept writing books that were worse and worse, then he got a ghost to write for him that wasn't much good either and then finally came Mark Greaney. And it turned out that this Mark guy wasn't so bad, he was actually good enough that the reviews started getting better again and I trusted them and decided to delve back into Tom Clancy's universe with the first book co-written by Mark Greaney.
Anyway on to this book. The main protagonist are our ole buddy Jack Ryan, trying to get reelected to the White House, and his son Jack Ryan jr who works as a spook in the Campus, a secret CIA-like organization that was created by Jack Ryan during his first term as a president. There's a bunch of bad people too, but fear not, in the end the Ryan family will prevail ! ( as if there was any doubt).
The action in the book is fast paced and the book itself is a page turner, with one caveat, it feels to me that 80% of the book is a build up for the conclusion and all the issues get resolved way too quick there...
Now for the content. I understand Tom Clancy is a far right leaning GOP. But enough is enough! During the whole book the american medias are described as in bed with the democrats. And the democrats as very despicable people. Seriously, Tom, ever heard of Faux News ? Seriously ? Maybe you should watch it before depicting pros liberal media...
All in all a 3 stars if you focus solely on the book and it's page turner plot, much lower if you think for a second on the ideas Tom Clancy is trying to vehiculate.
July 23, 2012
Don't waste your hard earned money buying this book. If you are an obsessive compulsive fan of Tom Clancy, borrow it from the library, but it is not worth $28.95. This has to be the slowest so-called thriller I ever wasted time on. Somewhere around page 390, I said to my spouse, "There hasn't been any story yet, just lots of wordy set-up." Well, the story began to gain pace and deliver some activity round about page 700. Unfortunately, I was fast asleep by then. I polished off page 854 sleep reading, a skill I learned at my university in 1969. Let's just say this one is inaction packed.
The story line seemed promising from the blurb. Jack Ryan,Sr. is running for president. Jack Jr. is working at the super-secret private espionage agency of the last book. Bad Islamic terrorists are hijacking nukes to start a war between India and Pakistan. Jack Sr.'s opponent is a spineless nitwit supported by a fabulously wealthy Czech who hates the Ryans and plans to bring them down by smearing their old ally, Mr. Clark with a killing in Berlin during the height of the Cold War. Mr. Clark is on the run in Europe, trying to find out who is behind the plot to ruin Jack Sr. It all should have been fantastic and it just wasn't.
I remember reading The Hunt for Red October when I was a bookmobile librarian fresh out of college. I darn near sprained my fingers turning the pages to find out what would happen next. It was a rip-roaring, rampaging yarn that grabbed you and whirled you into the plot and didn't let go until the good guys won. It just about breaks my heart to say that Clancy has stopped being fascinating and has become formulaic.
The story line seemed promising from the blurb. Jack Ryan,Sr. is running for president. Jack Jr. is working at the super-secret private espionage agency of the last book. Bad Islamic terrorists are hijacking nukes to start a war between India and Pakistan. Jack Sr.'s opponent is a spineless nitwit supported by a fabulously wealthy Czech who hates the Ryans and plans to bring them down by smearing their old ally, Mr. Clark with a killing in Berlin during the height of the Cold War. Mr. Clark is on the run in Europe, trying to find out who is behind the plot to ruin Jack Sr. It all should have been fantastic and it just wasn't.
I remember reading The Hunt for Red October when I was a bookmobile librarian fresh out of college. I darn near sprained my fingers turning the pages to find out what would happen next. It was a rip-roaring, rampaging yarn that grabbed you and whirled you into the plot and didn't let go until the good guys won. It just about breaks my heart to say that Clancy has stopped being fascinating and has become formulaic.
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