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Mitch Rapp #12
[Pursuit of Honor] [By: Flynn, Vince] [August, 2010]
Pursuit of Honor by Flynn, Vince. Published by Pocket Books,2010, Mass Market Paperback Reprint Edition
Paperback
First published October 13, 2009
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About the author
Vince Flynn
42 books6,961 followersThe fifth of seven children, Vince Flynn was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1966. He graduated from the St. Thomas Academy in 1984, and the University of St. Thomas with a degree in economics in 1988.
After college he went to work for Kraft General Foods where he was an account and sales marketing specialist. In 1990 he left Kraft to accept an aviation candidate slot with the United States Marine Corps. One week before leaving for Officers Candidate School, he was medically disqualified from the Marine Aviation Program, due to several concussions and convulsive seizures he suffered growing up. While trying to obtain a medical waiver for his condition, he started thinking about writing a book. This was a very unusual choice for Flynn since he had been diagnosed with dyslexia in grade school and had struggled with reading and writing all his life.
Having been stymied by the Marine Corps, Flynn returned to the nine-to-five grind and took a job with United Properties, a commercial real estate company in the Twin Cities. During his spare time he worked on an idea he had for a book. After two years with United Properties he decided to take a big gamble. He quit his job, moved to Colorado, and began working full time on what would eventually become Term Limits.
Like many struggling artists before him, he bartended at night and wrote during the day. Five years and more than sixty rejection letters later he took the unusual step of self-publishing his first novel. The book went to number one in the Twin Cities, and within a week had a new agent and two-book deal with Pocket Books, a Simon & Schuster imprint.
Vince Flynn passed away on June 19, 2013 after a three year battle with prostate cancer.
After college he went to work for Kraft General Foods where he was an account and sales marketing specialist. In 1990 he left Kraft to accept an aviation candidate slot with the United States Marine Corps. One week before leaving for Officers Candidate School, he was medically disqualified from the Marine Aviation Program, due to several concussions and convulsive seizures he suffered growing up. While trying to obtain a medical waiver for his condition, he started thinking about writing a book. This was a very unusual choice for Flynn since he had been diagnosed with dyslexia in grade school and had struggled with reading and writing all his life.
Having been stymied by the Marine Corps, Flynn returned to the nine-to-five grind and took a job with United Properties, a commercial real estate company in the Twin Cities. During his spare time he worked on an idea he had for a book. After two years with United Properties he decided to take a big gamble. He quit his job, moved to Colorado, and began working full time on what would eventually become Term Limits.
Like many struggling artists before him, he bartended at night and wrote during the day. Five years and more than sixty rejection letters later he took the unusual step of self-publishing his first novel. The book went to number one in the Twin Cities, and within a week had a new agent and two-book deal with Pocket Books, a Simon & Schuster imprint.
Vince Flynn passed away on June 19, 2013 after a three year battle with prostate cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,215 reviews
October 12, 2019
Vince Flynn is a GOP loving, Glenn Beck ball licking, Fox News hounding, ULTRA-Conservative asshole of the highest degree & yet, I love his thrillers. Flynn's character, CIA counter-terrorist agent, Mitch Rapp, makes Jack Bauer look like a girl scout. He makes Brad Thor's counter-terrorist agent, Scot Harvath, look like a cub scout. Rapp's method is brute force--politics & red tape be damned!--kill 'em all because anything un-American deserves to be taking a dirt nap. It's so laughable it makes you want to cry. Why? Because it's obvious Flynn believes in his character--he believes the right-wing nutcase prose he writes as fiction.
& it's scary.
Flynn preaches through his character, Mitch Rapp, that torture works & abortion is murder all in the same paragraph of dialogue. He preaches that the ULTRA-conservative faction of the U.S.A. is the answer to saving the country from itself. He believes it is the liberals who are allowing the terrorists to win--no--they WANT the terrorists to win!
PURSUIT OF HONOR starts with Rapp trying to decide if he should turn in a CIA dept. mgr. for being a traitor (something he's judged entirely on his own), saving the taxpayers' money by putting a bullet in the man's head without due process or blackmailing him into into being his snitch for the rest of his life. All this after killing a butt-load of terrorists from the previous novel in the Rapp series (book #11)--he's a busy man. But now he has bigger fish to fry because 3 of the wanted terrorists from the previous novel escaped & are at large in the the heart of america & Mitch Rapp can't allow this to continue--they must DIE! Bullets fly, innocent NRA loving Americans are murdered (& must be avenged!), CIA operatives become turncoats, torture gains important intelligence, democratic senators become villains who are no match for Rapp's ideology & Muslim terrorists get sent to Allah via Mitch Rapp's gun! Does our hero ever get wounded? Hell no. Awesome.
You don't have to read the novel before this one & if you like counter terrorism/espionage/CIA thrillers, then you should give him a try. As I've said (especially about Brad Thor's thrillers), if the card carrying GOP nut jobs are good at anything, they write good thrillers & pile the action on. Lots of good action & if you're a liberal, good for laughs. I intend to read more of Flynn's novels because they are great fun.
& it's scary.
Flynn preaches through his character, Mitch Rapp, that torture works & abortion is murder all in the same paragraph of dialogue. He preaches that the ULTRA-conservative faction of the U.S.A. is the answer to saving the country from itself. He believes it is the liberals who are allowing the terrorists to win--no--they WANT the terrorists to win!
PURSUIT OF HONOR starts with Rapp trying to decide if he should turn in a CIA dept. mgr. for being a traitor (something he's judged entirely on his own), saving the taxpayers' money by putting a bullet in the man's head without due process or blackmailing him into into being his snitch for the rest of his life. All this after killing a butt-load of terrorists from the previous novel in the Rapp series (book #11)--he's a busy man. But now he has bigger fish to fry because 3 of the wanted terrorists from the previous novel escaped & are at large in the the heart of america & Mitch Rapp can't allow this to continue--they must DIE! Bullets fly, innocent NRA loving Americans are murdered (& must be avenged!), CIA operatives become turncoats, torture gains important intelligence, democratic senators become villains who are no match for Rapp's ideology & Muslim terrorists get sent to Allah via Mitch Rapp's gun! Does our hero ever get wounded? Hell no. Awesome.
You don't have to read the novel before this one & if you like counter terrorism/espionage/CIA thrillers, then you should give him a try. As I've said (especially about Brad Thor's thrillers), if the card carrying GOP nut jobs are good at anything, they write good thrillers & pile the action on. Lots of good action & if you're a liberal, good for laughs. I intend to read more of Flynn's novels because they are great fun.
February 9, 2022
Book 12 in the Mitch Rapp series published 2009
A resounding 4 star read.
I’ve really enjoyed this series with Mitch Rapp as the CIA’s number one counter terrorist agent.
This book continues that trend.
This is really a continuation of the previous book (Extreme Measures) where a bunch of radical Islamic terrorist do a great deal of damage to the heart of America’s Counter Terrorist Organisation.
In that chapter most of the terrorists get killed but three escape capture.
Rapp vows, if it’s the last thing he does, he will bring these psychopaths to justice. Justice being a quick exit to paradise. In this chapter of the story we join the hunt.
As before Mitch not only has the terrorists to worry about also an army of miss guided politicians who want Mitch Rapp put out to pasture, with malice if need be.
So Mitch finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place. The American people want these terrorists caught. This, in of itself, will be no easy matter but with one hand tied behind his back it might prove to be impossible.
This is high tension stuff with no let up. The chase and its ultimate confrontation will have you turning pages late into the night.
Recommended reading for all thriller lovers.
A resounding 4 star read.
I’ve really enjoyed this series with Mitch Rapp as the CIA’s number one counter terrorist agent.
This book continues that trend.
This is really a continuation of the previous book (Extreme Measures) where a bunch of radical Islamic terrorist do a great deal of damage to the heart of America’s Counter Terrorist Organisation.
In that chapter most of the terrorists get killed but three escape capture.
Rapp vows, if it’s the last thing he does, he will bring these psychopaths to justice. Justice being a quick exit to paradise. In this chapter of the story we join the hunt.
As before Mitch not only has the terrorists to worry about also an army of miss guided politicians who want Mitch Rapp put out to pasture, with malice if need be.
So Mitch finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place. The American people want these terrorists caught. This, in of itself, will be no easy matter but with one hand tied behind his back it might prove to be impossible.
This is high tension stuff with no let up. The chase and its ultimate confrontation will have you turning pages late into the night.
Recommended reading for all thriller lovers.
September 6, 2019
Vince Flynn used to write interesting, exciting novels. That time passed. If you’ve read the first several interesting ones, you’ve read them all...minus the Interest. 1 of 10 stars
October 16, 2024
In 2013, I was a smoker. Hated smoke inside the house, so I would smoke on my porch and read. I was mostly reading David Baldacci then, and I was looking for a new writer because I was almost done with his books. My neighbor recommended Vince Flynn, and I read all of his books in a summer. Mitch Rapp was one of my favorite characters.
I was so saddened to learn when he died. I have no idea who has been keeping up his series after he passed away. Not sure I'd want to continue them. Kind of like Steig Larsson's series, I suspect it will fall short of the author's original vision.
Because I read all these books in 2013, I'll be copying/pasting this review into all of the 13 Mitch Rapp books I read.
I was so saddened to learn when he died. I have no idea who has been keeping up his series after he passed away. Not sure I'd want to continue them. Kind of like Steig Larsson's series, I suspect it will fall short of the author's original vision.
Because I read all these books in 2013, I'll be copying/pasting this review into all of the 13 Mitch Rapp books I read.
March 12, 2013
Another great dose of testosterone ;-) And I wanted to clap many times at the tongue lashing Mitch Rapp gave to a clueless member of congress (fictional, but pretty obvious who she is meant to correspond with in real life). He also borrowed that wonderful Q&A from real life when Barbara Boxer, sorry I better say Senator Barbara Boxer, was questioning Brigadier General Michael Walsh...I'll just cut and paste from the transcript (source NPR):
"Senator BARBARA BOXER (Democrat, California): Well, why has it been delayed?
Brigadier General MICHAEL WALSH (U.S. Army): Ma'am, at the LACPR...
Sen. BOXER: You know, do me a favor. Could you say senator instead of ma'am?
Brig. Gen. WALSH: Yes.
Sen. BOXER: It's just a thing. I worked so hard to get that title. So I'd appreciate it. Yes, thank you.
Brig. Gen. WALSH: Yes, Senator."
Hilarious considering she was talking to a general like he was her lackey. LOL!
"Senator BARBARA BOXER (Democrat, California): Well, why has it been delayed?
Brigadier General MICHAEL WALSH (U.S. Army): Ma'am, at the LACPR...
Sen. BOXER: You know, do me a favor. Could you say senator instead of ma'am?
Brig. Gen. WALSH: Yes.
Sen. BOXER: It's just a thing. I worked so hard to get that title. So I'd appreciate it. Yes, thank you.
Brig. Gen. WALSH: Yes, Senator."
Hilarious considering she was talking to a general like he was her lackey. LOL!
February 21, 2014
Wow. Vince Flynn really brings it in this high octane thriller! Pursuit of Honor is a direct sequel to Flynn's last book, Extreme Measures, which in my opinion didn't live up to the standard he set for himself with his previous offerings. If Extreme Measures was his low point, Vince Flynn proves he's back on top with Pursuit of Honor.
My biggest grip with Extreme Measures is that Flynn introduced a new character, Mike Nash, who seemed to overshadow Mitch Rapp. Rapp, Flynn's longtime main protagonist and center of all his previous novels (except one, Term Limits), seemed to get less screen time to the newer Nash. With all do respect to Mr. Nash, people read Vince Flynn's books to follow CIA terrorist-hunter Mitch Rapp!
Where Extreme Measures didn't follow Mitch Rapp as much as his readers had grown used to, Flynn came back by continuing the story and letting Rapp be the main star this time around. In fact, as if just to prove that Rapp is still "the man" compared to Nash, Flynn treats readers to a moment were Rapp claims his dominance with one well placed palm strike. You'll love it, and find yourself smiling and you cheer Rapp on every step of the way!
The story follows Rapp as he hunts down the terrorists responsible for a series of bombs that went off in Washington D.C. that killed hundreds of innocent people, including a few dozen members of congress. I'm not going to ruin anything, or give away the fabulous ending, so please just do yourself a favor and pick this book up to read on your own.
Just in case there was any doubt to his greatness Vince Flynn turned in Pursuit of Honor, and in doing so, reclaimed his spot as the best in the business as writing thrillers for this genre.
My biggest grip with Extreme Measures is that Flynn introduced a new character, Mike Nash, who seemed to overshadow Mitch Rapp. Rapp, Flynn's longtime main protagonist and center of all his previous novels (except one, Term Limits), seemed to get less screen time to the newer Nash. With all do respect to Mr. Nash, people read Vince Flynn's books to follow CIA terrorist-hunter Mitch Rapp!
Where Extreme Measures didn't follow Mitch Rapp as much as his readers had grown used to, Flynn came back by continuing the story and letting Rapp be the main star this time around. In fact, as if just to prove that Rapp is still "the man" compared to Nash, Flynn treats readers to a moment were Rapp claims his dominance with one well placed palm strike. You'll love it, and find yourself smiling and you cheer Rapp on every step of the way!
The story follows Rapp as he hunts down the terrorists responsible for a series of bombs that went off in Washington D.C. that killed hundreds of innocent people, including a few dozen members of congress. I'm not going to ruin anything, or give away the fabulous ending, so please just do yourself a favor and pick this book up to read on your own.
Just in case there was any doubt to his greatness Vince Flynn turned in Pursuit of Honor, and in doing so, reclaimed his spot as the best in the business as writing thrillers for this genre.
April 16, 2020
I really like this one. I saw mixed reviews but I listened to an Abridged version and really enjoyed it. In Pursuit of Honor, Mitch deals with Saudi Jihadis in the US.
June 12, 2018
A genre between historical fiction and factual current events. i.e. I recognize the arrogant liberal Senator from SF as the former US Senator Barbara Boxer D-Ca.
I miss you Vince Flynn. You gave us a way to look at this war without putting our heads in the sand.
I miss you Vince Flynn. You gave us a way to look at this war without putting our heads in the sand.
August 16, 2017
Vince Flynn used to write interesting, exciting novels. That time has passed. If you’ve read the first several interesting ones, you’ve read them all...minus the Interest. 1 of 10 stars
February 25, 2020
STORY
Continuing smoothly from Extreme Measures, Pursuit of Honor is a high-stake novel full of action, intrigue, and a lot of great characters. The story finished some plot points outstandingly and started a few more balls rolling. This series keeps you on your toes and I love it. I enjoyed the story line with Karim and Hakim, the bombings, and the Senate drama. It's hard to wrap up without spoilers, but this novel is one of my favorites out of the series because it is a perfect mix of well-driven characters and their arcs that tie in so well with a fast moving plot. The combination is fantastic.
This story pulled me in and I'm eager to see it continue. I did call some of the plot twists with this one, and while I do it for almost every Rapp novel, I always enjoy figuring *some* things out before they happen.
THEMES
Vince Flynn had a talent. The Rapp novels each hold similar themes, traits, and morals. Whether it be the moral of the story, the end justifying the means, or the well-portrayed world of brotherhood and comrades... These books hit deep because they never shy away from hard topics. But there's always hope. There is always a reason to keep fighting. And this novel was one of the best examples of hope I've seen in the series thus far. So many bad things happened, so many bad things had to be done, or will have to be done... But there are still reasons to fight. When you forget those reasons or stop living, you stop fighting.
Vince also had a skill of telling multiple themes between different characters. Even our antagonists have a lot to bring to the table. I am intrigued by antagonist's point of views because I want to understand people and motives. The Rapp novels show antagonists as a variety of things--and in this novel, we saw some bad men actually do some right things. While I'm not sure if the theme of redemption will be tapped into again (redemption was addressed in Consent to Kill), I'd be interested to see if continue on with Hakim and Ahmed. I'm also afraid to get my hopes up, but, alas.
And I want to point out an argument Rapp brought forth to the Senate people... They were nailing him for "harming" a terrorist and his methods of torture to protect the US... Rapp brought up the fact that people vote pro-choice. He addressed how full-term babies get their brains sucked out, and that's women's reproductive rights, but if Rapp tortures criminals to defend his nation, he's a barbarian. I was absolutely blown away by this scene and it was so well done. In today's world, I'm often sickened to see how criminals are "let off", while innocent babies are slaughtered... and to see this matter addressed was insane.
Anyway, the themes in this book were absolutely moving. Huge props.
CHARACTERS
RAPP OUTDID HIMSELF IN THIS NOVEL, HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL. He messed up, but he pulled through. He made mistakes, but he made sure his comrade didn't make the same ones. Rapp is a great character but I most enjoy seeing him do the hard things for the people he loves. I love him.
The Nash family is absolutely adorable, fantastic, oh my gosh, protect them at all costs.
STAN WAS BACK and as fantastic and terrible as ever. I really enjoyed him in this novel. (The scene with him and Adams was WOW WOW WOW) And LEWIS WAS BACK TOO OH MY WORD! MY FAVORITE SHRINK!
Coleman and Wicker had their appearances and rocked, as always. (THE ENDING SCENE! MY BOYS!)
Hakim and Ahmed... where do I start? Two Muslims who eventually helped the Good Side. We don't yet know what becomes of them, though Rapp points out he sees no point in killing them, so I hope they have a redemption arc of sorts. But I really, really enjoyed their POVs!
CONTENT
R. Heavy swearing. Descriptions of violence, torture, blood, etc. PTSD and mental health descriptions. Sensual content about PG-13 rating.
OVERALL
I loved this book, oh, gosh!
Continuing smoothly from Extreme Measures, Pursuit of Honor is a high-stake novel full of action, intrigue, and a lot of great characters. The story finished some plot points outstandingly and started a few more balls rolling. This series keeps you on your toes and I love it. I enjoyed the story line with Karim and Hakim, the bombings, and the Senate drama. It's hard to wrap up without spoilers, but this novel is one of my favorites out of the series because it is a perfect mix of well-driven characters and their arcs that tie in so well with a fast moving plot. The combination is fantastic.
This story pulled me in and I'm eager to see it continue. I did call some of the plot twists with this one, and while I do it for almost every Rapp novel, I always enjoy figuring *some* things out before they happen.
THEMES
Vince Flynn had a talent. The Rapp novels each hold similar themes, traits, and morals. Whether it be the moral of the story, the end justifying the means, or the well-portrayed world of brotherhood and comrades... These books hit deep because they never shy away from hard topics. But there's always hope. There is always a reason to keep fighting. And this novel was one of the best examples of hope I've seen in the series thus far. So many bad things happened, so many bad things had to be done, or will have to be done... But there are still reasons to fight. When you forget those reasons or stop living, you stop fighting.
Vince also had a skill of telling multiple themes between different characters. Even our antagonists have a lot to bring to the table. I am intrigued by antagonist's point of views because I want to understand people and motives. The Rapp novels show antagonists as a variety of things--and in this novel, we saw some bad men actually do some right things. While I'm not sure if the theme of redemption will be tapped into again (redemption was addressed in Consent to Kill), I'd be interested to see if continue on with Hakim and Ahmed. I'm also afraid to get my hopes up, but, alas.
And I want to point out an argument Rapp brought forth to the Senate people... They were nailing him for "harming" a terrorist and his methods of torture to protect the US... Rapp brought up the fact that people vote pro-choice. He addressed how full-term babies get their brains sucked out, and that's women's reproductive rights, but if Rapp tortures criminals to defend his nation, he's a barbarian. I was absolutely blown away by this scene and it was so well done. In today's world, I'm often sickened to see how criminals are "let off", while innocent babies are slaughtered... and to see this matter addressed was insane.
Anyway, the themes in this book were absolutely moving. Huge props.
CHARACTERS
RAPP OUTDID HIMSELF IN THIS NOVEL, HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL. He messed up, but he pulled through. He made mistakes, but he made sure his comrade didn't make the same ones. Rapp is a great character but I most enjoy seeing him do the hard things for the people he loves. I love him.
The Nash family is absolutely adorable, fantastic, oh my gosh, protect them at all costs.
STAN WAS BACK and as fantastic and terrible as ever. I really enjoyed him in this novel. (The scene with him and Adams was WOW WOW WOW) And LEWIS WAS BACK TOO OH MY WORD! MY FAVORITE SHRINK!
Coleman and Wicker had their appearances and rocked, as always. (THE ENDING SCENE! MY BOYS!)
Hakim and Ahmed... where do I start? Two Muslims who eventually helped the Good Side. We don't yet know what becomes of them, though Rapp points out he sees no point in killing them, so I hope they have a redemption arc of sorts. But I really, really enjoyed their POVs!
CONTENT
R. Heavy swearing. Descriptions of violence, torture, blood, etc. PTSD and mental health descriptions. Sensual content about PG-13 rating.
OVERALL
I loved this book, oh, gosh!
October 19, 2009
Another fantastic Vince Flynn book! This is the 10th book in the Mitch Rapp series. In this one, Rapp is focused on finding the terrorists that planned and executed the attacks from book 9. At the same time, has has to deal with a few lose strings on the home front as well.
One of the things that I love about Vince Flynn is how he will jump from Mitch's perspective to the perspective of the terrorists. It's interesting to see how he believes their minds work! There wasn't as much action in this book as most of the previous ones. But there was a great view of the psychology of living the type of life that Mitch does. In the last books, Mike Nash was shown just as much as Mitch. And while I loved seeing how someone doing the job that they do handles going home to a wife and kids, I was worried that the series was going to vear too much towards Nash. He's a great character, but nobody can compare to Rapp for me! Luckily, after this book, I don't think that's going to be the case any more. While we definetly saw Nash in this book, he wasn't really the main focus this time.
I did find myself laughing several times (especially towards the end) as Rapp did things to other people that he personally would never tolerate! He is a bit of a hypocrite at times. Without giving anything away, I'll just say that towards the end of the book one of the characters was put into a situation that was very similar to a situation that Rapp was in during an earlier book. When Mitch was in that situation, he flat out refused to step back and let anyone call the shots but him. This time, he refused to let the other character take the lead, and again flat out refused to let anyone else call the shots! I guess that attitude is probably one of the things that I love about Rapp!
Great book! As a side note, the audio book was fantastic. This series is one of my favorites to listen to!
One of the things that I love about Vince Flynn is how he will jump from Mitch's perspective to the perspective of the terrorists. It's interesting to see how he believes their minds work! There wasn't as much action in this book as most of the previous ones. But there was a great view of the psychology of living the type of life that Mitch does. In the last books, Mike Nash was shown just as much as Mitch. And while I loved seeing how someone doing the job that they do handles going home to a wife and kids, I was worried that the series was going to vear too much towards Nash. He's a great character, but nobody can compare to Rapp for me! Luckily, after this book, I don't think that's going to be the case any more. While we definetly saw Nash in this book, he wasn't really the main focus this time.
I did find myself laughing several times (especially towards the end) as Rapp did things to other people that he personally would never tolerate! He is a bit of a hypocrite at times. Without giving anything away, I'll just say that towards the end of the book one of the characters was put into a situation that was very similar to a situation that Rapp was in during an earlier book. When Mitch was in that situation, he flat out refused to step back and let anyone call the shots but him. This time, he refused to let the other character take the lead, and again flat out refused to let anyone else call the shots! I guess that attitude is probably one of the things that I love about Rapp!
Great book! As a side note, the audio book was fantastic. This series is one of my favorites to listen to!
December 7, 2012
Just finished my first thriller and you know what? I didn't hate it. In fact, I kinda liked it. I think I could read a couple more Jack Bauer Mitch Rapp books.
January 25, 2011
This would be one of Flynn's best, except...
I first began this one in the mistaken belief that it preceded "Extreme Measures", and I was rather impressed at the leap in Flynn's jump in narrative maturity. Coming to it cold, you feel like you dropped right in the middle of a complicated story, and have to piece some things together as you go along, which was fun.
Then I looked again at the copyright date, set this one aside, and read the preceding book first before continuing.
Still, while this book follows on about a week after the climax of "Extreme Measures", and continues the story threads that remained open, it DOES add some new elements that you have to work a little to figure out how they affected the previous book. (And it's not ret-conning, it was clearly intended in both books.) So while it's not so much of a "here you are in the middle of events, work it out for yourself" scenario as I first thought, it remained satisfying.
Except.
Flynn makes use of one scene to make an anti-abortion statement. To be fair, he clearly does not think that is what he is doing. Flynn's hero, Mitch Rapp, is confronted by a California senator over the morality of torture, and calls her out for hypocrisy since she supports late-term abortion. Since Rapp is (obviously) pro-torture, and since he explicitly has no opinion on abortion, he is "just pointing out the hypocrisy" of the senator. And, for Rapp the character, I can accept that.
But author Flynn clearly has an agenda. He sets up the confrontation to ensure that the reader is in great anticipation. He fails to treat the pro-choice side with any seriousness at all. The senator makes no attempt to explain that her position proceeds from the right of a woman to her own body (or if she does, it's so weak as to come off as forgettable sophistry). As far as Flynn is concerned, she is for killing innocent babies, and there can be no other way of looking at it.
I have no problem reading books from authors who hold opinions contrary to my own (as this opinion clearly is), but it leaves a bad taste when said author justifies his side with the thinnest of straw men.
It's only one scene (and a very brief moment earlier in the story). It doesn't ruin the book. But it does bring it down a notch, because it's such a false note. And an unnecessary one. If he had just dealt with the conflict of different ideas (and the premises from which they proceed) honestly, it might have even elevated the book quite a bit.
On the positive side, Flynn's portrayal of the destructiveness of narcissism is excellent. There are (at least) two full-blown narcissists in the story, and their characterizations are almost completely different. The effects of their psychology, and the actions they take, are widely divergent, but completely believable and, in one case, terrifying.
Overall, a pretty good entry in the Mitch Rapp series, which would have been one of the best if not for the author cheating in advocating one of his political opinions.
I first began this one in the mistaken belief that it preceded "Extreme Measures", and I was rather impressed at the leap in Flynn's jump in narrative maturity. Coming to it cold, you feel like you dropped right in the middle of a complicated story, and have to piece some things together as you go along, which was fun.
Then I looked again at the copyright date, set this one aside, and read the preceding book first before continuing.
Still, while this book follows on about a week after the climax of "Extreme Measures", and continues the story threads that remained open, it DOES add some new elements that you have to work a little to figure out how they affected the previous book. (And it's not ret-conning, it was clearly intended in both books.) So while it's not so much of a "here you are in the middle of events, work it out for yourself" scenario as I first thought, it remained satisfying.
Except.
Flynn makes use of one scene to make an anti-abortion statement. To be fair, he clearly does not think that is what he is doing. Flynn's hero, Mitch Rapp, is confronted by a California senator over the morality of torture, and calls her out for hypocrisy since she supports late-term abortion. Since Rapp is (obviously) pro-torture, and since he explicitly has no opinion on abortion, he is "just pointing out the hypocrisy" of the senator. And, for Rapp the character, I can accept that.
But author Flynn clearly has an agenda. He sets up the confrontation to ensure that the reader is in great anticipation. He fails to treat the pro-choice side with any seriousness at all. The senator makes no attempt to explain that her position proceeds from the right of a woman to her own body (or if she does, it's so weak as to come off as forgettable sophistry). As far as Flynn is concerned, she is for killing innocent babies, and there can be no other way of looking at it.
I have no problem reading books from authors who hold opinions contrary to my own (as this opinion clearly is), but it leaves a bad taste when said author justifies his side with the thinnest of straw men.
It's only one scene (and a very brief moment earlier in the story). It doesn't ruin the book. But it does bring it down a notch, because it's such a false note. And an unnecessary one. If he had just dealt with the conflict of different ideas (and the premises from which they proceed) honestly, it might have even elevated the book quite a bit.
On the positive side, Flynn's portrayal of the destructiveness of narcissism is excellent. There are (at least) two full-blown narcissists in the story, and their characterizations are almost completely different. The effects of their psychology, and the actions they take, are widely divergent, but completely believable and, in one case, terrifying.
Overall, a pretty good entry in the Mitch Rapp series, which would have been one of the best if not for the author cheating in advocating one of his political opinions.
March 6, 2018
Relistened on March 5, 2018: Still good, but didn't think it as great as when I first listened to it 2 years ago.
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REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; DECEMBER 1, 2015
Narrator: George Guidall
I want this installment made into a movie! Heck, I want all the Rapp books made into movies - TV movies, 2-part ones, 2 movies a month. Kyle Mills saw Colin Farrell as Rapp. I've not been, or am, a Farrell fan but I guess he'll do.
I enjoyed this book, surprisingly, because of the terrorists. The interaction between Hakim and Karim was funny and it was a refreshing change to see a different side to the bad guys. Rapp, as usual, sees things black and white when he has to. I like that. Kyle Mills also mentioned that "My books tend to be a bit morally ambiguous whereas Vince’s have a strong sense of good and evil.". I would not want Mills to change the Mitch Rapp that Flynn created and whom I like just as he is. So it was a relief when I read Mills say, "The prelude I wrote last week is a perfect example. When I reread it, I realized it was a solid Kyle Mills scene but not such a great Vince Flynn scene. So I went back and reworked it." (Kyle Answers Questions).
I am curious as to what happens to Nash after this - is he really going to be happy staying away from the action? I wasn't going to buy The Last Man (Rapp#13) but Kyle Mills said it sets up the story for The Survivor so between wanting to know how Nash is doing and already having bought The Survivor, I'll start on The Last Man today.
I was happy about Senator Lonsdale in the previous book and glad to see her being good on her word. It tickled me to read that the exchange between Rapp and Senator Ogden was based on a real life incident (see Kelly's review).
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REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; DECEMBER 1, 2015
Narrator: George Guidall
I want this installment made into a movie! Heck, I want all the Rapp books made into movies - TV movies, 2-part ones, 2 movies a month. Kyle Mills saw Colin Farrell as Rapp. I've not been, or am, a Farrell fan but I guess he'll do.
I enjoyed this book, surprisingly, because of the terrorists. The interaction between Hakim and Karim was funny and it was a refreshing change to see a different side to the bad guys. Rapp, as usual, sees things black and white when he has to. I like that. Kyle Mills also mentioned that "My books tend to be a bit morally ambiguous whereas Vince’s have a strong sense of good and evil.". I would not want Mills to change the Mitch Rapp that Flynn created and whom I like just as he is. So it was a relief when I read Mills say, "The prelude I wrote last week is a perfect example. When I reread it, I realized it was a solid Kyle Mills scene but not such a great Vince Flynn scene. So I went back and reworked it." (Kyle Answers Questions).
I am curious as to what happens to Nash after this - is he really going to be happy staying away from the action? I wasn't going to buy The Last Man (Rapp#13) but Kyle Mills said it sets up the story for The Survivor so between wanting to know how Nash is doing and already having bought The Survivor, I'll start on The Last Man today.
I was happy about Senator Lonsdale in the previous book and glad to see her being good on her word. It tickled me to read that the exchange between Rapp and Senator Ogden was based on a real life incident (see Kelly's review).
January 5, 2018
An epic kick-ass follow-up to the less exciting Extreme Measures! With Mitch Rapp back in the action kicking ass for the US, and back fighting the War on Terrorism, doing what he does best, an American James Bond!!
Pursuit of Honor takes place right after the events that took place in the end of Extreme Measures, when a small band of Muslim Terrorists blew up a Restaurant in Washington DC, killing many Congress Members and Staffers, afterwards attacking the National Counter Terrorist Center, killing many more until Rapp and Mike Nash intervene, killing the majority of the attackers, but the leader Karim, knows as the Lion of al Qaeda, and 2 more of his followers, remain at large. With the Nation left in disarray, the President has given Rapp and Nash the green light to bring Karim to justice dead or alive.
Rapp is on the trail of a corrupt official of the CIA who has given out information that some would consider to aid the enemy. While at the same time, Karim and his 2 followers, Hakim and Ahmed, are on the run from the authorities following the attack, and they take up residency at multiple locations in rural Iowa, while Hakim considered to be the leader of the operation, Karim has a different agenda, and turns out to be a psychotic, merciless killer, not caring who he hurts or kills to obtain his objective.
We are also once again introduced to Stan Hurley, who for those of you who haven't yet read American Assassin, is the man who trained Rapp, and made him into a killing machine.
Much more entertaining than the predecessor, and it was nice to have Rapp back in the action! Entertaining right up to the end!
Pursuit of Honor takes place right after the events that took place in the end of Extreme Measures, when a small band of Muslim Terrorists blew up a Restaurant in Washington DC, killing many Congress Members and Staffers, afterwards attacking the National Counter Terrorist Center, killing many more until Rapp and Mike Nash intervene, killing the majority of the attackers, but the leader Karim, knows as the Lion of al Qaeda, and 2 more of his followers, remain at large. With the Nation left in disarray, the President has given Rapp and Nash the green light to bring Karim to justice dead or alive.
Rapp is on the trail of a corrupt official of the CIA who has given out information that some would consider to aid the enemy. While at the same time, Karim and his 2 followers, Hakim and Ahmed, are on the run from the authorities following the attack, and they take up residency at multiple locations in rural Iowa, while Hakim considered to be the leader of the operation, Karim has a different agenda, and turns out to be a psychotic, merciless killer, not caring who he hurts or kills to obtain his objective.
We are also once again introduced to Stan Hurley, who for those of you who haven't yet read American Assassin, is the man who trained Rapp, and made him into a killing machine.
Much more entertaining than the predecessor, and it was nice to have Rapp back in the action! Entertaining right up to the end!
September 16, 2011
I like Vince Flynn and this is a good read. It starts out with an American traitor who's position and actions make him an extreme liability. So, Mitch (Rapp) needs to take, certain action.
Interesting spring board from which to start a story.
Flynn has a record for telling good, well constructed, fast moving (even breakneck speed) novels. If you've followed Mitch Rapp's "career" (and the book that follows this one is actually a "prequel" giving us Mitch's start in the CIA)you know this. This is still fast moving and it's still absorbing. I give it 4 stars and as I have already said, I like it.
However I must say that the final climax in this book is very, very, predictable. (Using "very, very" always makes me think of the movie "Undercover Blues". The "bad guys" have guns on Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner and say, "I want you to get up from the table very, very slowly" to which Quaid reply's, "Very, very?" Not just "very?")
Anyway...the final plot point (if you will) is so obvious that I don't see how everyone in the book didn't see it coming, CIA, FBI, Homeland Security and the rest of the government alphabet soup all miss it, but I doubt you will. Like me you'll be shaking your head saying, why don't they see what's coming?
Oh well, that aside it's still a good read and I can recommend it. If you're a Flynn fan, a spy novel fan or and action novel fan I think it'll pass inspection, with the one "minor" flaw.
Interesting spring board from which to start a story.
Flynn has a record for telling good, well constructed, fast moving (even breakneck speed) novels. If you've followed Mitch Rapp's "career" (and the book that follows this one is actually a "prequel" giving us Mitch's start in the CIA)you know this. This is still fast moving and it's still absorbing. I give it 4 stars and as I have already said, I like it.
However I must say that the final climax in this book is very, very, predictable. (Using "very, very" always makes me think of the movie "Undercover Blues". The "bad guys" have guns on Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner and say, "I want you to get up from the table very, very slowly" to which Quaid reply's, "Very, very?" Not just "very?")
Anyway...the final plot point (if you will) is so obvious that I don't see how everyone in the book didn't see it coming, CIA, FBI, Homeland Security and the rest of the government alphabet soup all miss it, but I doubt you will. Like me you'll be shaking your head saying, why don't they see what's coming?
Oh well, that aside it's still a good read and I can recommend it. If you're a Flynn fan, a spy novel fan or and action novel fan I think it'll pass inspection, with the one "minor" flaw.
April 12, 2019
This was a great follow-up to Extreme Measures. The action takes place in the immediate aftermath of terrorist attacks on Washington DC. While Mitch Rapp is the main character, I liked the supporting character development in this one. I love that Flynn brought back Stan Hurley. What a magnificent old cuss! I also really like the focus on Mike Nash's personal growth and development. I don't really have a lot to say about the plot, other than the pacing and action were exactly what I want/expect from a Vince Flynn book. Overall, a great addition to the Mitch Rapp series!
January 13, 2025
This installment serves as a satisfying conclusion to the arc established in the previous book. It delivers exactly what fans of the series have come to love—gripping espionage, high-stakes action, and the relentless drive of Mitch Rapp as he tackles threats with precision and grit.
Notably, the next book marks the end of an era, being the final novel written by Flynn before his untimely passing in 2013. RIP to a master of the thriller genre. It’ll be fascinating to see how the series evolves as the torch is passed to a new author starting with book 14. For now, this book reminds us why Flynn’s legacy endures—pure, unadulterated spy craft at its finest!
Notably, the next book marks the end of an era, being the final novel written by Flynn before his untimely passing in 2013. RIP to a master of the thriller genre. It’ll be fascinating to see how the series evolves as the torch is passed to a new author starting with book 14. For now, this book reminds us why Flynn’s legacy endures—pure, unadulterated spy craft at its finest!
August 16, 2017
It's been years since I have read a Vince Flynn novel. I decided to try it out again. And, I do not like Mitch Rapp anymore. His solution to every conflict, every disagreement, is to simply threaten to kill the person or actually kill him. Including his best friend, Mike Nash and the Inspector General of the CIA, to name just a few. Rapp is a loose cannon that is portrayed as some glorified American hero. He's not. He's a cold-blooded killer that should be locked up in the brig. Now, I digress. My politics have changed and my worldview has changed since the days I used to read this garbage. Flynn's novels are full of right-wing, anti-liberal, anti-muslim, and anti-establishment rhetoric. I simply cannot stomach the rhetoric anymore. So, I say a final goodbye to Flynn and Rapp. It was enjoyable at a time when I was like you, but thank goodness, I'm not anymore. Adios.
February 10, 2024
My favorite Mitch Rapp book so far, and that's really saying something because they have all been so good. It's 12th in the series, and I've mostly been reading in order and I recommend doing it that way. You can easily get away with starting anywhere but you'll miss quite a bit.
There's a major terrorist attack, sadly mostly successful, on Washington D.C. and Mitch is after those responsible. It's a hell of a ride.
I read these in publishing order but American Assassin and Kill Shot were published after this one but are realy the 1st two books chronologcally. I hadn't realized that but I'm now off to read them before Flynn's last book, The Last Man. Kyle Mills took over the series and I understand that he's done a really good job. I hope so.
There's a major terrorist attack, sadly mostly successful, on Washington D.C. and Mitch is after those responsible. It's a hell of a ride.
I read these in publishing order but American Assassin and Kill Shot were published after this one but are realy the 1st two books chronologcally. I hadn't realized that but I'm now off to read them before Flynn's last book, The Last Man. Kyle Mills took over the series and I understand that he's done a really good job. I hope so.
February 8, 2025
Attributed, wrongly or rightly, to Churchill or Orwell the quote, "We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us" certainly fits the Mitch Rapp series...#10 is another good one from Flynn...He shares much of the same "world view" as I do...Pursuit of Honor is a continuation of Extreme Measures...Rapp and company is on the trail of the perpetrators of the attacks in Extreme Measures as well as confronting the political fallout
March 27, 2024
Well, I guess you could say that my review of this book can best be summed up in the form of a limerick:
The distinguished intelligence cross,
A worthy honor bestowed by the boss.
Nash gets praised,
And Karim becomes crazed.
The path of a madman this family will cross.
King of the hill, or bottom of the barrel?
Well, my rating of this novel might start a quarrel.
It’s not Vince’s best,
But look at what’s next,
American Assassin is deserving of all the laurels
Full review available in audio format on Ep.56 and 57 of No Limits: The Mitch Rapp Podcast at www.MitchRappPod.com
The distinguished intelligence cross,
A worthy honor bestowed by the boss.
Nash gets praised,
And Karim becomes crazed.
The path of a madman this family will cross.
King of the hill, or bottom of the barrel?
Well, my rating of this novel might start a quarrel.
It’s not Vince’s best,
But look at what’s next,
American Assassin is deserving of all the laurels
Full review available in audio format on Ep.56 and 57 of No Limits: The Mitch Rapp Podcast at www.MitchRappPod.com
September 1, 2010
Vince Flynn nails it with this one.
May 27, 2015
Easy To Read, Hard To Put Down, Great Action & Great Characters!!! A Fascinating Read!!! Loved It!!!
September 1, 2023
Mitch Rapp kicks ass and takes names. Another great tale where the good guys win and the bad guys lose. The three terrorists who attacked DC are on the lam and hiding out in Iowa. Through a series of events as the story unfolds all three end up back in the District at the Lincoln Memorial for a final showdown.
This novel ties up the lose ends from the previous one "Extreme Measures".
This novel ties up the lose ends from the previous one "Extreme Measures".
September 16, 2014
I'm going to have to stop reading Vince Flynn books, as compelling as they are. Flynn's hero, Mitch Rapp, is an assassin for the United States, constantly at war with the FBI, who insists that there be no torture, no murder, nothing done unless it's by the books. But Mitch is all about torture and murder and doing it all clandestinely. As I read, half of me is wanting Mitch to waterboard, electrocute, beat up and do whatever is necessary to get the bad guy, but the other half of me sides with the FBI that we are a nation that does not do those things.
In this book, Book 12 of the Mitch Rapp series, the bad guys are a group of middle eastern terrorists who have attacked the National Counter-terrorism Center in Washington D.C., killing 185 people. The book follows the surviving terrorists and their plans for escape, leaving devastation in their wake, Mitch Rapp and his friend Mike Nash and their attempts to find them and bring them to justice, and the U.S. Congress and top people at the FBI who are trying to reign Rapp in and bring him to justice for taking the law into his own hands.
At the end of this book, I was glad that all had turned out the way it did, but felt guilty for cheering Rapp on. I would love to know what author Vince Flynn feels about this whole thing, but, sadly, he is dead.
In this book, Book 12 of the Mitch Rapp series, the bad guys are a group of middle eastern terrorists who have attacked the National Counter-terrorism Center in Washington D.C., killing 185 people. The book follows the surviving terrorists and their plans for escape, leaving devastation in their wake, Mitch Rapp and his friend Mike Nash and their attempts to find them and bring them to justice, and the U.S. Congress and top people at the FBI who are trying to reign Rapp in and bring him to justice for taking the law into his own hands.
At the end of this book, I was glad that all had turned out the way it did, but felt guilty for cheering Rapp on. I would love to know what author Vince Flynn feels about this whole thing, but, sadly, he is dead.
March 26, 2017
This is book 12 of the Mitch Rapp spy series. It's 3rd to the last of the last Rapp books VInce Flynn wrote before he died in 2013. It's another spy thriller and the story is excellent. The characters are very similar to other books. The big difference in this book is that Vince really goes more polarized politically than he's ever done in previous books, which I didn't like. For example, he had Mitch Rapp condemn a "Liberal" senator for supporting 3rd-term abortions but condemning torture. I read these to escape, and this brought me into the polarized discussion I'm sick of hearing.
Beside that, the story is one of the best in the series.
Beside that, the story is one of the best in the series.
February 24, 2016
Vince Flynn used to write interesting, exciting novels. That time has passed. If you've read the first several interesting ones, you've read them all...minus the Interest. 1 of 10 stars
September 5, 2019
Ridiculous trash. Very badly written. As if a 10 year old did the writing.
December 13, 2021
Поредната прекрасна книга от поредицата за Мич Рап. Чете се на един дъх, няколко линии, много динамично действие и неочаквани развръзки. Страхотен шпионски трилър, както винаги. :)
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