Mission of Honor

Tom Clancy's Op-Center #9

by Jeff Rovin, Tom Clancy (Series Creator), Steve Pieczenik (Series Creator)

The Ops-Center team faces untold chaos on a mission in Africa in the ninth novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series created by Tom Clancy and former Department of State official Steve Pieczenik.

On the surface it seems a simple case: a group of African militiamen have kidnapped a priest and ordered all Catholic missionaries to leave the nation of Botswana. But the Vatican thinks otherwise. At its urging, Op-Center investigates—and finds out that the real purpose of the crime is a plan by outside forces to destabilize the government and seize the nation’s diamond mines. With its military team, Striker, out of commission, Op-Center must reinvent itself—and head straight into the crossfire of an African war.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Espionage, Adventure, Military Fiction, War, Action

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 4, 2002

Reviews

[Mike Grady · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one, but the constant whining by one of the characters brought it down. It got hard to read whenever that character was present. Also, there is a major sub-plot that remains unresolved at the end of the book. Not sure if it’s arc will continue through the next book.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of the morning sun, militiamen kidnap a Catholic priest and suddenly the government of Botswana is wondering what is going on while the Vatican turns to their secret allies as well as extends a feeling to Op-Center. Mission of Honor is the ninth book of the Op-Center by Jeff Rovin finds the crisis management agency negotiating between the political fallout from Kashmir and figuring out how to react to events in the stable southern African nation that everyone quickly realizes that Europeans are pulling the strings.

Leon Seronga leads his Brush Vipers militiamen on a raid of Catholic church and kidnaps Father Bradbury to take to Vodun priest Dhamballa. The travel to the Vodun-Brush Viper hideout and treatment makes Bradbury call his missionary deacons and tells them to leave Botswana, the first step of Dhamballa’s desire to his homeland returned to the Vodun gods not the Catholic one. Bob Herbert gets a call from Edgar Kline, an old South African colleague who now works for Vatican Office of Security, wanting Op-Center’s help to find their missing priest though he’s on his way to the U.S. to ask an American bishop to temporarily replace Bradbury until his return. Meanwhile Paul Hood informs General Mike Rodgers that Striker would not be reconstituted but wants to create a Black-Ops HUMINT unit lead by Rodgers who is enthusiast about creating it and quickly gets things moving on the Botswana front with help from Herbert. Hood then learns from the head of Japanese intelligence that some European businessmen with ties to Botswana doing things in China, which sends Op-Center looking at outside influences behind the kidnapping. Seronga and a young recruit kill two deacons then travel with two Spanish soldiers, sent to support the Vatican, to the airport to meet the American bishop to kidnap him only to see him assassinated and the gunman shot by an airplane pilot who takes off. The two Brush Vipers exit the airport but are followed by Maria Corneja the first Op-Center undercover agent in the country. Eventually Maria joins the two to find a peaceful end to the situation knowing they didn’t kill the bishop, but someone wants the government and the world to blame them. Two more agents, Aideen Marley and David Battat, join up with the Brush Vipers and Maria then convince a disappointed Dhamballa to give them Bradbury and to come along with them as well while the Brush Vipers disperse before the Botswana military arrives. Though the situation in the Botswana is been cooled down, Hood and the rest of Op-Center want to get at those outside the country that started the situation.

This is the best book of the series since the fifth installment, Balance of Power, with very good character development and the switch from a military resolution to HUMINT Black-Ops resolution being the biggest reasons why. The transition of the workings of Op-Center also marks the transition of the series to hopefully a better overall product especially with the reintroductions of characters Marley, Battat, and Corneja from past books to a story threads connecting to the next book in the series. However, the book isn’t perfect with the biggest thing was the religious aspect not because that it was religious but because it was all incorrect. Vodun is a West African religion and one of the influences (along with Catholicism) in West Indian Voodoo, however Botswana is in southern Africa and has no indigenous connection with Vodun. And Botswana is a majority Protestant Christian nation (66%) with Catholicism less than 10%, making the placing of this story in the nation weird on numerous counts.

Mission of Honor might be the best book of the series with Jeff Rovin changing the titular agency’s focus from having a military solution to a black-ops approach with a reintroduction of characters from previous installments as field agents. While not perfect, this book has stuck with me for 17 years with being memorable from the series and is still very good.

[Rohaan Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Mission of Honor, is a historic fiction which is set against a fallout with an international tension. The plot revolves around a covert operation to prevent global crisis. The main character includes Paul Hood, who is very well drawn out character and highly skilled and his team. They each have their own unique expertise or skill set you could say. The major conflict centers on navigating political issues while also trying to keep the team together. The team is centered around navigating political issues and dangerous enemies while maintaining trust within the team. Not only does the team deal with external deputes but also internal disputes such as rogue agents and betrayals. The team has to go through high stake operations throughout Europe and Asia and are at a risk the whole time of losing their lives showing how dangerous infantry is. They are racing against time to stop a disaster that all resulted in an abduction of certain people. Team Op-Center is in a race to uncover the truth and prevent a full scale war. Overall, I thought this book was pretty good, it maintained suspense and offered detailed action scene, though some parts felt predictable. I would definitely recommend this to fans of military action or thrillers and a little bit of mystery. This is definitely one of the greatest book I personally believe form Tom Clancy. This book highlights a good aspect of dynamic teamwork during critical moments which added a lot of excitement putting me on the edge of my seat. In summary this was a great read and I think it is heavily underrated this book should definitely be read.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tedious and a horrible ending. I'm not particularly into military focused books, so the fact that it was more of a black ops setting was a plus. The plot was very thin though, and the characters ended up acting in ways that didn't seem to be particularly in keeping with the character traits that they started with. People starting a revolution don't typically decide 'hey, ok, I guess I'll just stop what I'm doing' when 3 random Op Center people arrive in the middle of Botswana. There is totally too much hand-wringing by the Op Center directors. There is a sub-sub plot of Japanese intelligence involvement that is never adequately explained. There are a few pages scattered throughout the book about them. In obtuse fashion, on the last 2 pages, the Japanese personnel reappear and you don't really know why there are even in the book, much less what they ended up doing or who they did it with. [It was that vague]. I wouldn't advise anyone to waste their time reading this. Looking at the other reviews, it seems like Clancy die-hards like the book. If that's not you, find something else to read.

[Ruth Hulett · Rating 2 out of 5]

This took me so long to complete because I really disliked it. Normally, I'll DNF a book that I dislike this bad, and I nearly did multiple times, but I hoped it would pick up at the end. It did not.
Simply put, this type of book isn't for me. I like thrillers, but not like this. Tech-thrillers are off my genre list.
What bothered me so much was the talking and little action. I went in expecting it to be action-packed and bringing me to the edge of my seat. It was not at all packed with action, and the edge of my seat was cold. There were chapters that didn't seem to be necessary, fillers. There was too much about personal reflections, mid-life crisis, and whole chapters on men arguing about agents. It got so irritating that I began skipping these chapters and didn't miss anything important.
I held on until the end with hope for one thing: that the action would pick up at the end. Nope. Just more talking.
I won't be reading anymore from this author or of this genre.

[Ross Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its been over 20 years since I started this series. Back then, Clancy was one of my books of choice. And this series seemed to be the answer to my Jack Ryan cravings between books.

Alas, in the 20 years since, life had a way of pulling me in directions where I couldn't keep uo with the latest books.

To the point where 10 years lapse between books. And now, 4 years have lapse since I read the previous book.

Following the loss of the Striker team, the Op-Center has to switch directions a bit. Instead of a paramilitary strike force, they start to build a espionage network of HUMINT agents. And just in time too - the kidnapping of a priest in Africa is the possible start to a religious civil war.

[carl clause · Rating 5 out of 5]

CC1

Excellent job and story. I loved the way Paul worked around the budget cuts to still make Opt-Center relevant. The interaction of the whole team was excellent. Mike and Darrell over the Maria issue. Bob and Edger over how much information to release to both sides. Also Paul 's h is nd over to Mike to lead the operation. Just excellent book 5 stars plus !!!! Th7 , Carl Clause

[Drew Keim · Rating 3 out of 5]

__________________________________________
1 star = Did not finish / did not like
2 stars = Had trouble keeping attention to finish
3 stars = Good enjoyable book. A great way to spend my time.
4 stars = Couldn't set the book down. Engaging. Great Book.
Will likely reread when more of the series is released.
5 stars = (4 stars) plus such a good book I will re-read it periodically.
___________________________________________

[Ben Pashkoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

what a ho-hum... an adventure/spy novel with WAY too much conversation, a Clancy with way too little technical detail (if any). Seems that most of the book was just crying and pontification over what was in the past, with no real action.....

[Karen Mosley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining and well written but not my favorite genre. (I’m reading through my bookshelves—all the books I’ve collected or inherited or been gifted.) Political/religious conflict in Botswana which involves intervention by gun-toting heroes.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jumped into the middle of what appears to be a series. Aside from being out of the loop on a few references not too big a deal. The book was a good read and I will probably look for others in this series.

[Christopher DuMont · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book and solid continuation of the series. Clearly much more is going to change in the coming books but this was solid and at the core of the Op-Center framework. Pretty fast read.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have this book as an Auto book. Op-Center has been almost closed down. People are on the way to Africa where a Priest has been kidnapped and someone being sent to replace him is killed

[Ann Amadori · Rating 2 out of 5]

tedious

[Doug]

Outstanding Clancy

Keeps you on he edge of your seat and will make it difficult to put the book down! Can not wait the next book.

[Tina Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Effectual Storytelling!!!!!

I love, and will always honor the writing and characters created by Tom Clancy. Lifetime fan! This great book from beginning to end, kept me engrossed.

[Erin Czeck · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a waste of time. It's not often that I domt finish a book. In this case, it was taking up valuable shelf and brain space that would better be served elsewhere

[John Oldfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Op-Center Good

[Peter Kowalczyk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing Had to push myself to finish

[David Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

It dragged

The dialogue was boring and predictable. And why be so preoccupied with the Brush vipers well being???? Made no sense

[Mary Behringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely did not expect the ending, I was blown away every page. I had so much fun reading this!!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

In true Tom Clancy fashion this book keeps you on the edge of your seat.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this on Kindle and listened to this audiobook. Again, the Op Center crew does it again. Great story. Lots of action!

[Kevin Stumpf · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF!!!!! WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ and I could only make it through 11.25 chapters. This book did what many others could not. It broke my 777 day streak of reading at least an hour a day. I could not fathom picking up this droning, boring, book any more. It has temporarily broken my love and passion for the written word.

I would have awarded a 1/4 star if Goodreads joined the 21st century and users could award partial stars.

Of the 11.25 the only chapters worth reading were chapters 3, 4, 6, and 8.

How anybody can read this drivel a rate this book anything better than zero is unimaginable.

Tom Clancy should be embarrassed that his name is attached to this, dare I say, novel.

I hope to soon reignite my love of reading and move on to another novel, and a new streak will begin.


Revisited and finished but it was not a good book. It got better, but pointless. No action, definitely not a thriller.

[Gabriel Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the African Militia kidnaps a Catholic they demand the all Catholic missionaries to leave Botswana. In response the Religious headquarters (the Vatican) request a task force known as Op-Center to handle business and diffuse the situation. In the past Striker's excellent work has led to successful missions however now decommissioned Op-Center is forced to reconstruct itself into a dynamic force as it once was. In the mist of all this they must also deal with a conspiracy that is later proven to be true that states the kidnapping was only committed to create confusion in the government. This should allow the Militia to secure Africa's most valuable treasure, the diamond. Can Op-Center successful reconstruct itself? Will the Militia succeed in their crimes while the one chance of stopping them faces domestic issues? Read this amazing action packed novel to find out.

[Jonah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book with lots of twists and turns that you would never see coming. I, like a lot of people, tried to solve the plot before all of the information was given and it completely blew my mind. I would recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who is looking to be surprised around every corner. It does start a little slow for my taste however, which is why I gave it 4 stars. But again, a fantastic book and an amazing series.

[David Donaghe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A group of African miltiamen kidnap a Catholic priest and order all Catolic missionaries to leave Boswana. A voodoo priest desires to return the country to its native religion.

This is a typical Tom Clancy type thriller. It's worth the read.

David Donaghe
Author of Monroe's Paranormal Investigations
and Tale Spinner

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is interesting to see how government security works. It is a bit unrealistic, having these rebels trust an unknown woman. We learn about other religions -- Catholics, Voodoo.

I didn't like the book leaving me hanging at the end, with no closure on killing of the replacement for the Priest.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

An okay read. Just a book about a mission. I think it feels more like an account of a mission rather than any actual story. Other than that I felt there were a lot of loose ends that weren't address (i.e. the role of the Japanese and what happens to the bad guys). Don't know if I want to pick up another one in this series.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 of 5 stars for Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Mission of Honor; the next installment of the Op-Center series. Perhaps not the strongest story of the series and the abridgement chopped it up pretty badly. Still a good book and I do recommend it.