Tom Clancy's novels.

09 August 2008 @ 04:06 pm

Good afternoon everyone! This is the third (I think) Tom Clancy update. Today, we have further reviews of the Tom Clancy thrillers that I have read since the last update.

Red Rabbit is one of Tom Clancy’s later novels. I think it was written in 2002. But I have to say that this is not Tom Clancy at his best. In this book which takes place between Patriot Games and The Hunt for Red October, Jack Ryan of the CIA works with British Intelligence to help a Soviet officer in his defection to the United States. Through this, a plot to kill the Pope is discovered. The Russians view Pope John Paul II as a threat to the Soviet Union, and hence plan to assassinate the holy man. At the end of the novel, Jack Ryan catches the Soviet officer in charge of this plot, but is unable to stop the shooting of the Pope due to an error in judgment. (The Soviets had hired someone else to kill the Pope, but Jack thought the Soviets were going to do it themselves.) Fortunately, the shots were not fatal, and the Pope survived. The end.

This wasn’t a BAD book. It was okay. It was even rather interesting the way the Soviet officer sent messages to the Moscow COS (Chief of Station) by means of the train. But the plot was largely predictable and not much suspense was created. A little of a disappointment, if you compare it to Tom Clancy’s other novels. You can even find a list of the inconsistencies in his book on Wikipedia.

I next borrowed Patriot Games (yes, I remember I said I’d borrow this one before Red Rabbit, but it was unavailable in the school library) which was really awesome! Jack Ryan is so cool! JJJ The ex-Marine stopped a kidnapping attempt on the Prince and Princess of Wales in Britain by a group of Irish terrorists called the ULA (Ulster Liberation Army), sustaining severe injuries in the process. The terrorists started firing their Uzis at his Royal Highness’ car, and Jack decided to step in. He broke his collarbone tackling a guy and got shot in the shoulder confronting one of the terrorists. He was rewarded, of course, and knighted. Sir John Patrick Ryan. (YAY!)

Anyway, the ULA got pretty pissed that their well-planned operation got blown by this stupid American tourist, and decided to exact revenge on then-pregnant Cathy Ryan and their daughter, Sally Ryan. While they were on the way home on the highway, a van pulled up alongside their Porche and the door opened. Guns blazed, and the car crashed on the side of the highway at a very high speed. Had Cathy not stepped on the brakes in time, they would have both been killed.

Jack was PISSED. And he kept blaming himself for this. He took up an offer with the CIA; he would work with them as an analyst while he got information on the ULA to put them behind bars permanently.

Later, Jack invited the Prince of Wales and his wife (who happened to be visiting America) to his house on Peregrine Cliff for dinner, along with Jack’s good friend Robbie Jackson and his wife, Cecilia Jackson. The ULA decided to finish the job then. They broke in, killed a lot of security guards, but Ryan and his pals sure showed them! JJJ (Okay, I realize this is totally biased, but they are so cool!) Anyway, at the end, Jack came face to face with the guy who masterminded these operations, Sean Miller, who was also there when Jack testified against him in court back in Britain. The best thing is, Jack could have killed this guy right there and then, and gotten away with it, but he didn’t! He controlled it, and he knew it wasn’t worth it turning into a murderer himself. It is stated in a later book that Miller and the rest of his buddies were executed.
And right at the end, Cathy went into labor and John Patrick Ryan Jr. was born! Hooray!

This book was one of the most exciting I’ve read. It can even give Without Remorse a run for its money! Fast, explosive action all the way to the end. One of the most unstoppable, Help-I-Can’t-Put-It-Down books, ever.

Stay tuned for the next update! You’re listening to OMGTHISISFREAKINGAWESOME 92.9 FM.


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