What do you think?
Rate this book
Mitch Rapp #4
The Third Option
Librarian’s note: This is a previously-published edition of
Kindle ASIN: B002ENBLP4.
Mitch Rapp, the CIA's top counterterrorism operative, is sent on his final mission, to eliminate a European industrialist who has been selling sensitive equipment to one of terrorism's most notorious sponsors. But he doesn't know that the ultimate target of this mission is himself.
Kindle ASIN: B002ENBLP4.
Mitch Rapp, the CIA's top counterterrorism operative, is sent on his final mission, to eliminate a European industrialist who has been selling sensitive equipment to one of terrorism's most notorious sponsors. But he doesn't know that the ultimate target of this mission is himself.
Set up by forces within the US who do not want the next Director-elect of the CIA to take over, and therefore need a disaster for the present regime, Mitch refuses to die ... the conspirators have made an awful miscalculation. They have enraged one of the most lethal and efficient killers the CIA has ever produced. Now they will pay.
438 pages, ebook
First published October 31, 2000
4642 people are currently reading
9198 people want to read
About the author
Vince Flynn
47 books6,923 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,479 reviews
July 26, 2017
Entertaining. Not quite as enjoyable or "complete" and the last Flynn book I read. This book seemed to be a lot more back story and prep for future books than a self contained story.
That being said, I did like the book okay and it read very quickly once I got into it. It is a story of government corruption and political intrigue that takes place about a year after the last book. For 400 pages the action seemed kind of limited - unlike the last book where I couldn't figure out how they fit so much action into one book. Again, liked it, but not my favorite political thriller.
My biggest pet peeve about this book is that it had two main characters with almost identical last names (which is, of course, how they were referred to) - Coleman and Cameron. Every scene that started with one of them I had to stop and think hard about which one I was dealing with - context almost never helped in the first few pages. So many names to choose from, why not pick something else!
A book for hard core political thriller fans, but probably not all that enticing for anyone else.
That being said, I did like the book okay and it read very quickly once I got into it. It is a story of government corruption and political intrigue that takes place about a year after the last book. For 400 pages the action seemed kind of limited - unlike the last book where I couldn't figure out how they fit so much action into one book. Again, liked it, but not my favorite political thriller.
My biggest pet peeve about this book is that it had two main characters with almost identical last names (which is, of course, how they were referred to) - Coleman and Cameron. Every scene that started with one of them I had to stop and think hard about which one I was dealing with - context almost never helped in the first few pages. So many names to choose from, why not pick something else!
A book for hard core political thriller fans, but probably not all that enticing for anyone else.
December 22, 2016
As a general rule, I often enjoy movies about super-stud, kick-ass spies like James Bond or Jason Bourne, who are often caught up in labyrinthian plots where everyone is betraying everyone else and you never know who to trust. But for whatever reason, I've never been very fond of books about these sorts of characters. The characters often seem very one-dimensional and the plots are so completely over the top that I just can't suspend disbelief long enough to spend three or four hours reading them. (I have no idea why I can do this for a movie but not a book; go figure.)
At any rate, for this reason I have never read a Vince Flynn book featuring his series character, Mitch Rapp. But then this month one of my book clubs selected Flynn's novel The Third Option and trooper that I am, I sat down and read it. I didn't hate the book, and I'm actually glad I read it just for the experience. I recognize that Flynn does (or did) what he does very well, and I know that this sort of book appeals to large numbers of readers. But again, I just couldn't buy into it, and my three-star rating may be unfair because it really reflects the fact that this book, however well done, is just not my cup of tea.
The book takes its title from the notion that the United States occasionally faces problems where diplomacy doesn't work and where full-scale military action would be inappropriate. In such cases, the C.I.A., or some other super-secret government agency, may resort to the "third option," which is to send in a highly-trained killer to deal secretly with the problem, even though such action may be illegal, immoral, or unconstitutional.
In this case, a German industrialist has been secretly selling equipment to Saddam Hussein which would enable Iraq to build a nuclear weapon. (This book was published in 2000, before we invaded Iraq and long before we realized that Hussein actually had no such weapons.) In this case, the C.I.A. resorts to the "third option," although naturally it would never admit to doing so. The director dispatches Mitch Rapp to kill the industrialist and other activities are also mapped out which will hopefully suggest that the Iraqis or some other nasty folks have assassinated the guy, deflecting any attention away from the U.S.
Inevitably, problems arise and it turns out that our hero is caught up in a nasty Washington, D.C. turf battle. The director of the C.I.A. is dying and there's a major struggle over his successor. Rapp's mission is compromised by forces in the government opposed to the director's chosen successor. Once this happens, all hell breaks loose and the bodies are going to be falling left and right. There's very little hope that this might turn out well, and what little hope there is rides on the broad shoulders of Mitch Rapp.
As I said, to my mind this is an "okay" book, but it could have been better. There are a ton of characters parading through the book and it's very hard to keep them all straight. Flynn complicates matters by naming one of the main characters Cameron and another Coleman. They're often on the scene together and every time one of them appears, the reader has to stop and try to remember which of the two is the really bad guy and which is the sort-of-okay guy. There's no excuse for an author complicating matters like that.
In books like this virtually all of the women are super-sexy vixens. Some of them are assassins too, and for some reason, most of these women seemed to have been trained by the Israelis. These women are cool customers and hardened killers, and most of them seem to have discovered that they love guns even better than sex. One such woman appears in this book and when we first meet her, she's walking down the streets in Milan in four-inch heels. The shoes are not particularly comfortable, but if a female character wants to appear in a book like this, she has to make the necessary sacrifices.
In this case, however, the woman walks into a building, and for no reason whatsoever, instead of taking the elevator, she climbs four flights of stairs in her four-inch heels! Only in a book like this would any woman do such a thing.
My major complaint about the book has to do with action that occurs very early on.
Again, I'm glad I read the book, just for the experience. But I probably won't be lining up to read another.
At any rate, for this reason I have never read a Vince Flynn book featuring his series character, Mitch Rapp. But then this month one of my book clubs selected Flynn's novel The Third Option and trooper that I am, I sat down and read it. I didn't hate the book, and I'm actually glad I read it just for the experience. I recognize that Flynn does (or did) what he does very well, and I know that this sort of book appeals to large numbers of readers. But again, I just couldn't buy into it, and my three-star rating may be unfair because it really reflects the fact that this book, however well done, is just not my cup of tea.
The book takes its title from the notion that the United States occasionally faces problems where diplomacy doesn't work and where full-scale military action would be inappropriate. In such cases, the C.I.A., or some other super-secret government agency, may resort to the "third option," which is to send in a highly-trained killer to deal secretly with the problem, even though such action may be illegal, immoral, or unconstitutional.
In this case, a German industrialist has been secretly selling equipment to Saddam Hussein which would enable Iraq to build a nuclear weapon. (This book was published in 2000, before we invaded Iraq and long before we realized that Hussein actually had no such weapons.) In this case, the C.I.A. resorts to the "third option," although naturally it would never admit to doing so. The director dispatches Mitch Rapp to kill the industrialist and other activities are also mapped out which will hopefully suggest that the Iraqis or some other nasty folks have assassinated the guy, deflecting any attention away from the U.S.
Inevitably, problems arise and it turns out that our hero is caught up in a nasty Washington, D.C. turf battle. The director of the C.I.A. is dying and there's a major struggle over his successor. Rapp's mission is compromised by forces in the government opposed to the director's chosen successor. Once this happens, all hell breaks loose and the bodies are going to be falling left and right. There's very little hope that this might turn out well, and what little hope there is rides on the broad shoulders of Mitch Rapp.
As I said, to my mind this is an "okay" book, but it could have been better. There are a ton of characters parading through the book and it's very hard to keep them all straight. Flynn complicates matters by naming one of the main characters Cameron and another Coleman. They're often on the scene together and every time one of them appears, the reader has to stop and try to remember which of the two is the really bad guy and which is the sort-of-okay guy. There's no excuse for an author complicating matters like that.
In books like this virtually all of the women are super-sexy vixens. Some of them are assassins too, and for some reason, most of these women seemed to have been trained by the Israelis. These women are cool customers and hardened killers, and most of them seem to have discovered that they love guns even better than sex. One such woman appears in this book and when we first meet her, she's walking down the streets in Milan in four-inch heels. The shoes are not particularly comfortable, but if a female character wants to appear in a book like this, she has to make the necessary sacrifices.
In this case, however, the woman walks into a building, and for no reason whatsoever, instead of taking the elevator, she climbs four flights of stairs in her four-inch heels! Only in a book like this would any woman do such a thing.
My major complaint about the book has to do with action that occurs very early on.
Again, I'm glad I read the book, just for the experience. But I probably won't be lining up to read another.
August 23, 2022
I often ask myself what is it that I enjoy about the "Mitch Rapp" series by Vince Flynn. I read these books in two or three days and feel like I've just had a proverbial Chinese meal two hours after which I'm hungry again. I guess I just flat out enjoy the simple good versus evil plotting and the predictability of knowing Rapp will win out in the end, no matter how impossible his situation seems.
In this volume, Rapp is bedeviled by political operators with an agenda that is not necessarily in the country's best interest. His mentor and protector, Dr. Irene Kennedy, is due to be named CIA Director, replacing the legendary Thomas Stansfield. This possibility makes a lot of people both inside and outside the agency angry. But first, they must take Rapp out of the equation and do it in such a way that it looks like Kennedy is responsible. Fortunately Rapp senses something is wrong on a mission to assassinate a well-connected German arms dealer and survives an attempt on his life. He then sets out to discover and punish those who tried to set him up.
As you can imagine the characters are not the most believable people. Nor is the plot particularly complicated. The reader pretty much knows who's who and what their motivations are. However, Flynn writes a heck of an action-packed story that, as I said earlier, can carry the reader along to its exciting and satisfying conclusion.
August 2022 update - eleven years ago, I had no idea that Vince Flynn was a right-wing ideologue who introduced political diatribes into his later books, It got to the point that I stopped reading his books. I say this so that any reader is not misled.
In this volume, Rapp is bedeviled by political operators with an agenda that is not necessarily in the country's best interest. His mentor and protector, Dr. Irene Kennedy, is due to be named CIA Director, replacing the legendary Thomas Stansfield. This possibility makes a lot of people both inside and outside the agency angry. But first, they must take Rapp out of the equation and do it in such a way that it looks like Kennedy is responsible. Fortunately Rapp senses something is wrong on a mission to assassinate a well-connected German arms dealer and survives an attempt on his life. He then sets out to discover and punish those who tried to set him up.
As you can imagine the characters are not the most believable people. Nor is the plot particularly complicated. The reader pretty much knows who's who and what their motivations are. However, Flynn writes a heck of an action-packed story that, as I said earlier, can carry the reader along to its exciting and satisfying conclusion.
August 2022 update - eleven years ago, I had no idea that Vince Flynn was a right-wing ideologue who introduced political diatribes into his later books, It got to the point that I stopped reading his books. I say this so that any reader is not misled.
July 4, 2017
No apologies, I'm a Vince Flynn fan. He rasies hackles in some circles simply when his name is mentioned, but if you'll give him a fair read you might be surprised.
This is a frank story, Mitch Rapp has been sent on an assassination mission, only to be betrayed. Who's behind it? Who ordered it? and later in the book, who's tying up all those pesky loose ends? No all the democrats aren't bad guys and all the republicans aren't good guys. The politics like the violence are frank and no punches pulled.
This is a good book, timely and well done.
This is a frank story, Mitch Rapp has been sent on an assassination mission, only to be betrayed. Who's behind it? Who ordered it? and later in the book, who's tying up all those pesky loose ends? No all the democrats aren't bad guys and all the republicans aren't good guys. The politics like the violence are frank and no punches pulled.
This is a good book, timely and well done.
March 18, 2016
Awesome!! Very well written. This is the closest you'll get to 24. Flew through this and can't wait to start the next one.
May 5, 2008
This second Mitch Rapp novel has got serious, annoying problems.
3rd Option – I did not like this 3rd book in the series. Anna, who has become Mitch's love interest, is an idiot and gets herself taken by the bad guys. Mitch wants to quit and marry her. This whole idea of Mitch in a real romance does not work for me. Bad guy Sen. Hank Clark gets away in the end. Flynn tries to connect all the people in previous books, like a dumb romance novel. Recurring character Scott Coleman assists him, Dumond is his computer geek (how many times have I read the paragraph outlining Dumond's background!). Anna was supposed to stay w/ Congressman O’Rourke (Book 1) for protection.
The story started off great -- he is double-crossed and shot in Germany while assassinating a rich German guy who funnels cash to terrorists. Then we have a flurry of “hiring assassins” to off the multiple layers that Mitch is peeling back to find out who is behind it all – the German couple is offed by Peter Cameron and Villaume and Marco (hired by Cameron), Cameron is offed by Donatella (hired by Clark), Marco is offed by Duser (hired by Cameron), Duser is offed by Mitch, who took Anna. It gets dumb.
The top of the food chain is Clark who gets away, and he was doing it all to bring the CIA under investigation and make Irene look bad (she’s poised to take over CIA as Stansfield’s death is imminent) so he could look good enough to run for pres in the future? Weak. And he keeps re-hashing what happened in previous books.
I sense Flynn grappling with real execution issues as he settles into the role of author of a modern-day, action, spy-assassin hero. Don't get me wrong, I love Flynn, but remember the first macrame weaving you did at summer camp when you were 14? The strings were going in different directions, then you remembered them hanging out there flapping, tried to weave them back in, encountered some knotty problems, so you just whacked them off and tucked them under, hoping no one would notice?
And have I mentioned yet how much I hate the Anna character? She is no match for Mitch Rapp. She's insipid.
3rd Option – I did not like this 3rd book in the series. Anna, who has become Mitch's love interest, is an idiot and gets herself taken by the bad guys. Mitch wants to quit and marry her. This whole idea of Mitch in a real romance does not work for me. Bad guy Sen. Hank Clark gets away in the end. Flynn tries to connect all the people in previous books, like a dumb romance novel. Recurring character Scott Coleman assists him, Dumond is his computer geek (how many times have I read the paragraph outlining Dumond's background!). Anna was supposed to stay w/ Congressman O’Rourke (Book 1) for protection.
The story started off great -- he is double-crossed and shot in Germany while assassinating a rich German guy who funnels cash to terrorists. Then we have a flurry of “hiring assassins” to off the multiple layers that Mitch is peeling back to find out who is behind it all – the German couple is offed by Peter Cameron and Villaume and Marco (hired by Cameron), Cameron is offed by Donatella (hired by Clark), Marco is offed by Duser (hired by Cameron), Duser is offed by Mitch, who took Anna. It gets dumb.
The top of the food chain is Clark who gets away, and he was doing it all to bring the CIA under investigation and make Irene look bad (she’s poised to take over CIA as Stansfield’s death is imminent) so he could look good enough to run for pres in the future? Weak. And he keeps re-hashing what happened in previous books.
I sense Flynn grappling with real execution issues as he settles into the role of author of a modern-day, action, spy-assassin hero. Don't get me wrong, I love Flynn, but remember the first macrame weaving you did at summer camp when you were 14? The strings were going in different directions, then you remembered them hanging out there flapping, tried to weave them back in, encountered some knotty problems, so you just whacked them off and tucked them under, hoping no one would notice?
And have I mentioned yet how much I hate the Anna character? She is no match for Mitch Rapp. She's insipid.
August 3, 2019
Book 4 in the Mitch Rapp series.
This is, yet again, another ripping yarn staring Mitch Rapp.
Whilst it’s an exciting read I start to see a pattern developing here.
Mitch gets sent of to rid the world of a very nasty piece of work but, as before, things don’t go to plan. The nasty piece of work is dispatched but a member his Mitch’s team tries to dispatch Mitch at the same time. Fortunately for the reader, and the book, Mitch survives this attempt on his life.
Mitch is out in the open and with no protection. Not knowing who he can trust he ends up trusting no one.
Is this beginning to sound a bit familiar, or is it just me?
Anyway, Mitch gets back to the States and the action moves into top gear.
After numerous confrontations with some very bad people Mitch is slowly getting closer to the mastermind behind all of his, and the USA’s, problems.
Just as you think everything is going to get tied up nicely the book ends and you are left wanting more.
This is an action packed thriller, no doubt, but if my interest is to remain Mitch will have develop other scenarios’ other than being at the pointy end of a set up.
But for all that it’s still a very entertaining read and deserves my 4 stars.
This is, yet again, another ripping yarn staring Mitch Rapp.
Whilst it’s an exciting read I start to see a pattern developing here.
Mitch gets sent of to rid the world of a very nasty piece of work but, as before, things don’t go to plan. The nasty piece of work is dispatched but a member his Mitch’s team tries to dispatch Mitch at the same time. Fortunately for the reader, and the book, Mitch survives this attempt on his life.
Mitch is out in the open and with no protection. Not knowing who he can trust he ends up trusting no one.
Is this beginning to sound a bit familiar, or is it just me?
Anyway, Mitch gets back to the States and the action moves into top gear.
After numerous confrontations with some very bad people Mitch is slowly getting closer to the mastermind behind all of his, and the USA’s, problems.
Just as you think everything is going to get tied up nicely the book ends and you are left wanting more.
This is an action packed thriller, no doubt, but if my interest is to remain Mitch will have develop other scenarios’ other than being at the pointy end of a set up.
But for all that it’s still a very entertaining read and deserves my 4 stars.
May 30, 2016
Abridged. Ugh. I hate it when that's not well displayed. This sort of book doesn't abridge well. It just makes all the tropes that much more obvious & this series has enough trouble with those anyway. Don't get me wrong, it's a fun action series, but that's all it is. There's never a real twist, just the hero doing heroic things & rising from the sewage where he's landed into the presidential rose garden one time after another. Abridging it turns it into a comic book.
November 30, 2022
A very good Audible listen, my understanding is it’s #4 chronologically but #2 in publishing order. It was a little heavy handed on politics for me, however, the action and intrigue kept it moving along nicely.
🇺🇸
No political sides were taken, I just don’t have much tolerance for positioning and political back & forth. Having said that it comes down to depth of character, plot and pacing and this trinity of intrigue will keep me coming back for more in the series.
🇺🇸
No political sides were taken, I just don’t have much tolerance for positioning and political back & forth. Having said that it comes down to depth of character, plot and pacing and this trinity of intrigue will keep me coming back for more in the series.
November 23, 2021
This was a 5 star read up until the ending.
June 23, 2013
James Bond would probably kill to get his hands on Mitch Rapp's custom-made leather overcoat. Weighing in at 23 pounds, it has all manner of hidden compartments and pockets that house extra passports, money in various currencies, an encrypted radio, weapons, extra ammo, a speaker and microphone cunningly sewn into the lapel, and more. Bond wouldn't stand a chance against Mitch Rapp, of course. The overcoat stays with our guy, thank you very much.
The third option refers to a covert operation, as in when all other avenues of addressing a situation have either failed or cannot be utilized, such as diplomacy or the military. Mitch is one of the 'dark weapons' of the Security Council. Off the books, no file (ha!) - think extreme mission impossible scenarios; if caught or killed, there will be complete disavowal of your actions, etc.
Mitch is not a good team player, preferring to work on his own when at all possible. When others absolutely have to be involved, he must be the team leader. It's either his way or the highway, period. It is on just such a mission when he is double-crossed and left for dead. Not so fast . . . . these hapless individuals obviously do not know with whom they are dealing! Anyone who has read Vince Flynn's books knows better, now don't we?
Truly bone chilling is the methodical ransacking of an apartment, two men who were inside for just over an hour. They left with every vestige of that person's life, either copied, photographed or bugged for ongoing intel. All this, with no sign whatsoever of anyone ever having been in the apartment. Creepiness to the max.
Typical Mitch Rapp fare, with the exception of the ending. I wasn't crazy about the love tie to Anna Riley making him vulnerable in a new way. Still and yet, it's hard to turn down one of these stories. Most enjoyable.
The third option refers to a covert operation, as in when all other avenues of addressing a situation have either failed or cannot be utilized, such as diplomacy or the military. Mitch is one of the 'dark weapons' of the Security Council. Off the books, no file (ha!) - think extreme mission impossible scenarios; if caught or killed, there will be complete disavowal of your actions, etc.
Mitch is not a good team player, preferring to work on his own when at all possible. When others absolutely have to be involved, he must be the team leader. It's either his way or the highway, period. It is on just such a mission when he is double-crossed and left for dead. Not so fast . . . . these hapless individuals obviously do not know with whom they are dealing! Anyone who has read Vince Flynn's books knows better, now don't we?
Truly bone chilling is the methodical ransacking of an apartment, two men who were inside for just over an hour. They left with every vestige of that person's life, either copied, photographed or bugged for ongoing intel. All this, with no sign whatsoever of anyone ever having been in the apartment. Creepiness to the max.
Typical Mitch Rapp fare, with the exception of the ending. I wasn't crazy about the love tie to Anna Riley making him vulnerable in a new way. Still and yet, it's hard to turn down one of these stories. Most enjoyable.
September 25, 2015
A great addition to the Mitch Rapp series. It was a little hard to follow for a while and I was quite lost, but after a few chapters it started to pick up the pace. In The Third Option Flynn shows us more of his political views, which I found intriguing.
I'm guessing that Separation of Power, the next book in the series will pick up where The Third Option left off. I'm taking a short break from the Mitch Rapp series because I've read the first 4 books in a row and I don't want to get burnouts, HAHA.
I'm guessing that Separation of Power, the next book in the series will pick up where The Third Option left off. I'm taking a short break from the Mitch Rapp series because I've read the first 4 books in a row and I don't want to get burnouts, HAHA.
June 6, 2017
More like 1.5 stars, but I'll round up because Mitch Rapp is still a favorite character of mine. This book did not work for me. (I really wanted to use foul language there.)
I don't like Anna. Nope, not gonna lie. She is a fragile special snowflake and I don't think she is good enough for Mitch. Minus 2 stars right there. (by the way, I liked her in Transfer of Power - go figure)
I do not like the ending. I even prepared myself for this horrible excuse of a cliff hanger by reading reviews with spoilers. I was still caught off guard. Minus 1 star.
Finally, it was boring. I actually put the book down and forgot about it. That really chaps my ____! Minus 1 star.
I can't abandon Mitchell, though, and gave back a half star for his wit and planning skills.
I have the next three books already and I've checked the reviews. I amconfident pretty sure hopeful I won't be disappointed again. I'm not bailing on this series. I refuse to give up. ;)
I don't like Anna. Nope, not gonna lie. She is a fragile special snowflake and I don't think she is good enough for Mitch. Minus 2 stars right there. (by the way, I liked her in Transfer of Power - go figure)
I do not like the ending. I even prepared myself for this horrible excuse of a cliff hanger by reading reviews with spoilers. I was still caught off guard. Minus 1 star.
Finally, it was boring. I actually put the book down and forgot about it. That really chaps my ____! Minus 1 star.
I can't abandon Mitchell, though, and gave back a half star for his wit and planning skills.
I have the next three books already and I've checked the reviews. I am
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.
July 8, 2018
A really enjoyable fast moving political thriller set in the heart of the American government. Political intrigue at it's most dangerous with Mitch Rapp the only guy able to put things right way his own most lethal methods.
April 21, 2018
After reading Flynn's first three books, American Assassin,Kill Shot and Transfer Of Power, I was looking forward to another tale of non-stop action and thrills. Much to my surprise, however, The Third Option,was a bit disappointment. The plot was dragged out and the action was neither very exciting nor frequent enough. Further, the biggest letdown in this book pertained to it's conclusion -- or lack thereof. The Third Option ends leaving the reader "hanging." Flynn is an author that I felt I could count on for edge-of-your-seat suspense and a very satisfying reading experience. Unfortunately, Flynn let me down big-time in his fourth effort featuring Mitch Rapp. I'm hoping that this book was just a fluke and that the others in the series will live up to the high expectations I have when I pick up a Vince Flynn book.
March 21, 2016
The only reason I didn't give this novel five stars is that a lot of the its plot-lines carry over into the next novel, Separation of Power, so in a lot of ways this felt incomplete by itself. With that caveat, it's still a kick ass spy thriller, and Mitch Rapp is the pinnacle of a kick ass spy.
March 12, 2017
Can't get enough of Mitch Rapp. Great character, great story, loved it.
April 10, 2018
Should I like a Vince Flynn novel? Well, before he died of prostate cancer in 2013 Flynn was a right winger to say the least. He was a frequent guest on Glenn Beck's programs and Fox News Channel. It should be noted that virtually all independent ratings for veracity show Fox News to be the least honest and the purveyor of fake news more than anyone other than Donald Trump. Hey, don't get mad at me, I didn't conduct those ratings studies!
But I digress, as the cliche goes.
I like Flynn's novels and his protagonist, Mitch Rapp. There is, at times, a small current of right wingish attitude in some character's comments in the Rapp series but overall Flynn was very even handed when it came to criticism of those in power. Whatever I might think of his politics, that I cannot fault him for.
But what does that have to do with a review of The Third Option you say? Everything!
In this book the Republicans and the Democrats alike come in for scathing review in this novel.
Rapp is set up to die. Well, that's not all that unusual for those that have followed this series so far, but this time it almost happens. But of course he survives - you don't kill off your main character in a series. Not unless you want to end the series and even then. . . well, just ask Conan Doyle who tried to do away with Sherlock only to be forced to resurrect him in subsequent novels.
But Flynn had no such plans for Mr. Rapp. He wanted him to continue and in so doing he offered readers of action/covert/thrillers a continuing thumping good read.
The action in this novel takes us away from the Middle East and starts in Germany and then winds up in the D.C. area, as dangerous for Rapp as is Beirut. This book brings us to the end of Thomas Stanfield's brilliant career and introduces us to a deft practitioner of Machiavellian arts. We see relationships grow and others come to an end, and in the midst of all of this Rapp practices his particular style of lethal diplomacy.
This book is interesting and the action is non stop. If you are a liberal or a conservative you won't be put off by this (or any of the first three that I've read) Mitch Rapp book. There is enough blame for finger pointing all around.
But I digress, as the cliche goes.
I like Flynn's novels and his protagonist, Mitch Rapp. There is, at times, a small current of right wingish attitude in some character's comments in the Rapp series but overall Flynn was very even handed when it came to criticism of those in power. Whatever I might think of his politics, that I cannot fault him for.
But what does that have to do with a review of The Third Option you say? Everything!
In this book the Republicans and the Democrats alike come in for scathing review in this novel.
Rapp is set up to die. Well, that's not all that unusual for those that have followed this series so far, but this time it almost happens. But of course he survives - you don't kill off your main character in a series. Not unless you want to end the series and even then. . . well, just ask Conan Doyle who tried to do away with Sherlock only to be forced to resurrect him in subsequent novels.
But Flynn had no such plans for Mr. Rapp. He wanted him to continue and in so doing he offered readers of action/covert/thrillers a continuing thumping good read.
The action in this novel takes us away from the Middle East and starts in Germany and then winds up in the D.C. area, as dangerous for Rapp as is Beirut. This book brings us to the end of Thomas Stanfield's brilliant career and introduces us to a deft practitioner of Machiavellian arts. We see relationships grow and others come to an end, and in the midst of all of this Rapp practices his particular style of lethal diplomacy.
This book is interesting and the action is non stop. If you are a liberal or a conservative you won't be put off by this (or any of the first three that I've read) Mitch Rapp book. There is enough blame for finger pointing all around.
March 11, 2020
Fast-paced, action-filled, politico thriller. Second in the original Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp series (two books written later I call prequels), I found this book entertaining. Surprised looking back to see I read the previous book in the series three years ago. It seems so fresh in my mind I'm shocked! Also surprised I only gave it three stars--probably because I thought it unbelievable at the time. Also I'm discovering that ratings sometimes are skewed around what other books are being read by the reviewer in the same time frame. This book isn't as action -packed, but the plot moves along without Flynn getting to0 technical about methods and equipment, but enough to make it interesting. The reader gets a little more development on characters introduced in the first book, and meets some new political 'leaders' that you love to hate. Some are just myopic, greedy, fuss-budgets, some are truly evil. Flynn refers back to the previous story enough to remind readers of what happened before without getting repetitive. If you like fast-paced, quick reads in this genre--I recommend the book and the series.
March 8, 2009
The novel deals with Mitch Rapp who is a member of the CIA's highly secret Orion Team. He's their top assassin. When the first option of diplomacy and the second option of military force fail, the United States turns to its third option of covert action as a way of dealing with terrorist's attacks. It is our last option of fighting back, and it usually involves assassination.
Mitch Rapp is on the verge of resigning from the CIA. He has met the woman of his dreams and wants to live a normal life. He decides, however, to take one last assignment.
Here is a man with a strict code of honor who isn't afraid to kill in order to protect himself or his loved ones. This is certainly the type of guy you want as a friend and not as an enemy.
Mitch Rapp is on the verge of resigning from the CIA. He has met the woman of his dreams and wants to live a normal life. He decides, however, to take one last assignment.
Here is a man with a strict code of honor who isn't afraid to kill in order to protect himself or his loved ones. This is certainly the type of guy you want as a friend and not as an enemy.
March 10, 2019
Mitch Rapp or Jack Reacher? Jack Reacher or Mith Rapp? What a helluva conundrum, and in this case that's a good thing!!! You can never get enough of quality badassery IMHO. My only complaint is the authors didn't make these dudes Marines in their early lives. Now THAT would"'ve been icing on the "MUST KILL ALL BAD GUYS" cake!!!
Buy it and enjoy, because I plan on reading the entire series.👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥
Buy it and enjoy, because I plan on reading the entire series.👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥
December 6, 2019
This is the third book that I've read in this series, and so far, this is my favorite one. I liked this. I didn't get the "dated" feel with this one, like I did with the others.
It was a solid story. I enjoyed the way the plot was unfolded. I was 100% into it as Mitch tried to save the day. The characters were well done. They were unique in their own way and they each served a purpose. I also liked that the ending felt very satisfying. So 4 stars.
It was a solid story. I enjoyed the way the plot was unfolded. I was 100% into it as Mitch tried to save the day. The characters were well done. They were unique in their own way and they each served a purpose. I also liked that the ending felt very satisfying. So 4 stars.
November 26, 2019
When it comes to Political Thrillers no author compares to Flynn. The Mitch Rapp series is to me the best. The Third Option was no disappointment. I think the series keeps getting better with each book.
July 8, 2008
I believe I've read about all of the Vince Flynn novels. I like to believe that people like Mitch Rapp are out there keeping me safe from anti-american enemies.
December 22, 2010
Interesting, fun but Flynn either never met a woman or has the worst love life ever. Not enough action to offset the ponderous and infantile love story.
December 17, 2017
”Who is a bigger threat to my country, a terrorist ten thousand miles away or the corrupt self-serving politician down the street?”
The greatest generation is dying and there aren’t enough able people with compasses that point true north. Irene Kennedy is one of the rare ones and there are people who would stop at nothing to keep her from taking over the CIA.
Mitch Rapp is on his last assignment when he’s betrayed. Bad move. The Iron Man spends the book tracking down every last thread... but most are cut before he gets there. That made the book less fun and more frustration.
This is the first two book arch storyline and I didn’t appreciate that. I was going to read the next book anyway but I’d rather a different bad guy and satisfying conclusion to each book.
November 17, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up. I actually enjoyed The Third Option more than Transfer of Power, even though that one is usually the more popular book. The pacing pulled me in, and that major cliffhanger at the end definitely pushes you straight into the next book — just like other reviewers have said.
December 29, 2017
This was a pretty straight forward political thriller, and I loved it.
Mitch Rapp is sent on a mission to take out a bad guy. Only four key people know about the detail, Mitch as one of the four. When this is done, this mission over, Mitch is done. He wants out. He is in love, and wants to get married and knows all to well working as an assassin is hardly the kind of 9 to 5 job most families are raised in.
In Germany, Mitch is working with a husband / wife team. Together they survey the area, keep an eye on the target, and put together the best plan for the take-out. Time is limited. They have to move fast --less than seven days from arrival until the assassination. Almost from the get-go Mitch knows something is wrong, that something just doesn't feel right.
Things go from wrong to bad when the assassination attempt leaves several people dead, and a mansion on fire. Mitch is believed to be one of those found dead at the scene.
Except he is not. And he is pissed. Someone set them up. Someone leaked information about the mission, and set up an ambush. But why?
Back at home, the C.I.A. director, Thomas Stansfield is losing to cancer. He is close to done. His imminent death has the political sharks circling, smelling blood. It isn't that they want his job, it is more like they want the next person appointed by the president for the job to be a candidate they can manipulate. Aside from that flurry of behind-the-scenes activity, Stansfield and his protege Irene Kennedy, are hard at work trying to find out what went wrong in Germany, how to keep the international backlash from hurting the president, and how to get Mitch Rapp back home safely!
Great thriller. Amazing tale moving the Mitch Rapp saga forward, and one I would highly recommend!
Phillip Tomasso
Author of Absolute Zero
and Damn the Dead
Mitch Rapp is sent on a mission to take out a bad guy. Only four key people know about the detail, Mitch as one of the four. When this is done, this mission over, Mitch is done. He wants out. He is in love, and wants to get married and knows all to well working as an assassin is hardly the kind of 9 to 5 job most families are raised in.
In Germany, Mitch is working with a husband / wife team. Together they survey the area, keep an eye on the target, and put together the best plan for the take-out. Time is limited. They have to move fast --less than seven days from arrival until the assassination. Almost from the get-go Mitch knows something is wrong, that something just doesn't feel right.
Things go from wrong to bad when the assassination attempt leaves several people dead, and a mansion on fire. Mitch is believed to be one of those found dead at the scene.
Except he is not. And he is pissed. Someone set them up. Someone leaked information about the mission, and set up an ambush. But why?
Back at home, the C.I.A. director, Thomas Stansfield is losing to cancer. He is close to done. His imminent death has the political sharks circling, smelling blood. It isn't that they want his job, it is more like they want the next person appointed by the president for the job to be a candidate they can manipulate. Aside from that flurry of behind-the-scenes activity, Stansfield and his protege Irene Kennedy, are hard at work trying to find out what went wrong in Germany, how to keep the international backlash from hurting the president, and how to get Mitch Rapp back home safely!
Great thriller. Amazing tale moving the Mitch Rapp saga forward, and one I would highly recommend!
Phillip Tomasso
Author of Absolute Zero
and Damn the Dead
February 21, 2018
This book was a very interesting read and a non-stop action packed book. My heart kinda sank when Mitch Rapp said that he was done after this last mission for the CIA. He is set on letting go of the dark shadowed operations that he is apart of and the shadowy killer that he has become, he wants to live a normal life, he’s done. The CIA’s number one operative’s days are thinning out. Mitch Rapp or otherwise known as Mitch Kruse by people not apart of the Orion team, is coming to his final mission as a CIA operative. His final mission for the CIA, leads him to Germany with a small team. Something happened in Germany, Mitch doesn’t know who he can trust on the hill. He has to take care of this problem before he can be done. He has a girlfriend, whom he wants to spend the rest of his life with. He knows he can’t spend his life with her until he can live a more normal life. He will figure this out, in good time. This book did not disappoint me at all, it kept me at the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next, who was going to die, who was going to pull that trigger.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,479 reviews