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Jack Ryan #1
Patriot Games
Tom Clancy's Patriot Games is filled with the exceptional realism and authenticity that distinguished the author's two previous bestsellers, Hunt for Red October and Red Storm Rising. Patriot Games puts us on the cutting edge of another type of war — the international battle of terrorism.It is fall. Years before the defection of a Soviet submarine will send him hurtling into confrontation with the Soviets, historian, ex-Marine and CIA analyst Jack Ryan is vacationing in London with his wife and young daughter, when a terrorist attack takes place before his eyes. Instinctively, he dives forward to break it up, and is shot. It is not until he wakes up in the hospital that he learns whose lives he has saved -- the Prince and Princess of Wales and their new young son -- and which enemies he has made -- the Ulster Liberation Army, an ultra-left-wing splinter of the IRA.
By his impulsive act, he has gained both the gratitude of a nation and then enmity of hits most dangerous men -- men who do not sit on their hate. And in the weeks and months to come, it is Jack Ryan, and his family, who will become the targets of that hate.
794 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 4, 1987
About the author
Tom Clancy
843 books8,621 followersTom Clancy was an English major at Baltimore’s Loyola College. As a Maryland insurance broker with a passion for naval history, his dream of writing a novel came true with his first effort, The Hunt for Red October (1984).
He wrote more than a dozen novels, which have a blend of realism and authenticity, intricate plotting, and razor-sharp suspense. Ten of the novels, including The Teeth of the Tiger (Berkley, 2004), feature the character Jack Ryan, former stock broker and CIA employee.
Clancy’s non-fiction works include a series of guided tours of America’s warfighting assets, Submarine, Armored Cav, Fighter Wing, Marine, and Airborne.
He lived in Maryland.
The following are the books and approximate time frame in the Jack Ryan Universe
Without Remorse 1969-73
Patriot Games 1981-82
Red Rabbit 1982
The Hunt for Red October 1984
The Cardinal of the Kremlin 1986
Clear and Present Danger 1988
The Sum of All Fears 1990-91
Debt of Honor 1995-96
Executive Orders 1996
Rainbow Six 1999-2000
The Bear and the Dragon 2002
The Teeth of the Tiger 2006
Dead or Alive 2007
Locked On 2007
Threat Vector 2009
Command Authority 2013
Support and Defend 2014
Full Force and Effect 2014
He wrote more than a dozen novels, which have a blend of realism and authenticity, intricate plotting, and razor-sharp suspense. Ten of the novels, including The Teeth of the Tiger (Berkley, 2004), feature the character Jack Ryan, former stock broker and CIA employee.
Clancy’s non-fiction works include a series of guided tours of America’s warfighting assets, Submarine, Armored Cav, Fighter Wing, Marine, and Airborne.
He lived in Maryland.
The following are the books and approximate time frame in the Jack Ryan Universe
Without Remorse 1969-73
Patriot Games 1981-82
Red Rabbit 1982
The Hunt for Red October 1984
The Cardinal of the Kremlin 1986
Clear and Present Danger 1988
The Sum of All Fears 1990-91
Debt of Honor 1995-96
Executive Orders 1996
Rainbow Six 1999-2000
The Bear and the Dragon 2002
The Teeth of the Tiger 2006
Dead or Alive 2007
Locked On 2007
Threat Vector 2009
Command Authority 2013
Support and Defend 2014
Full Force and Effect 2014
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,955 reviews
June 15, 2013
Somehow, people like this book. Other people complain about the slow plot, or the level of detail, or the lack of action. I was perfectly fine with all of this, and in fact, I quite liked the idea that injuries were taken seriously and meant that people were out of action for a long time. The thing that makes this book truly bad is the lack of development of any of the characters, particularly Jack Ryan. He is possibly the worst Mary-Sue character I've read in such a widely published book.
He is perfect in every way: he is incredibly smart, women find him attractive (but he's humble and doesn't think he's handsome), everybody loves him (but he feels uncomfortable around too many people and prefers just a few close friends). He is a tough ex-marine with great combat sense, reflexes, and a sense of honor to match, but he is also a history professor and a legitimate academic. All his students universally love him, even though he's a really hard teacher. He is super rich and has a beautiful house in a secluded location. He loves his perfect family. The Queen of England is his biggest fan. He manages to win the friendship of Prince Charles by telling him off. I could go on with so many more examples.
None of his problems are internal, derive from personal flaws, or are even all that troubling. He's like that guy at a job interview who, when asked what his biggest weakness is, says something like "I guess I'm just too hard a worker," or something equally uninformative and boring. Everything he is challenged with in this story is external, and though clearly dangerous, it is only superficially so.
One particularly bad section of the novel centers on Jack's plane flight home from England. Clancy waxes lyrical about the tragic events of Ryan's past having made him afraid of airplanes and flying. Many pages are devoted to this description, but we learn nothing fundamental about Jack, only some details about his history. This scene unfortunately draws a direct comparison with a particular James Bond novel (Live and Let Die, I believe) when Bond is flying from the United States to Jamaica and his plane is caught in a bad thunderstorm. With only a few short paragraphs of inner monologue, we see Bond, who we just saw handle himself calmly and cooly in multiple situations of extreme peril, become terrified of death in an airplane crash. He becomes almost insensible until the danger passes, and we learn that what Bond is truly afraid of is his own powerlessness in this situation. It speaks volumes about the character. Jack Ryan has no such moment, nor anything close. He is entirely content, unperturbed, and unmotivated. Jack Ryan is the very image of self-satisfied rich white American culture from the mid-1980s, and while that itself does not necessarily make him a bad character, the superficial way in which it is handled does.
I will sum-up by saying that this book essentially reads like a bad British Monarchy fanfiction with an incredibly transparent main character.
He is perfect in every way: he is incredibly smart, women find him attractive (but he's humble and doesn't think he's handsome), everybody loves him (but he feels uncomfortable around too many people and prefers just a few close friends). He is a tough ex-marine with great combat sense, reflexes, and a sense of honor to match, but he is also a history professor and a legitimate academic. All his students universally love him, even though he's a really hard teacher. He is super rich and has a beautiful house in a secluded location. He loves his perfect family. The Queen of England is his biggest fan. He manages to win the friendship of Prince Charles by telling him off. I could go on with so many more examples.
None of his problems are internal, derive from personal flaws, or are even all that troubling. He's like that guy at a job interview who, when asked what his biggest weakness is, says something like "I guess I'm just too hard a worker," or something equally uninformative and boring. Everything he is challenged with in this story is external, and though clearly dangerous, it is only superficially so.
One particularly bad section of the novel centers on Jack's plane flight home from England. Clancy waxes lyrical about the tragic events of Ryan's past having made him afraid of airplanes and flying. Many pages are devoted to this description, but we learn nothing fundamental about Jack, only some details about his history. This scene unfortunately draws a direct comparison with a particular James Bond novel (Live and Let Die, I believe) when Bond is flying from the United States to Jamaica and his plane is caught in a bad thunderstorm. With only a few short paragraphs of inner monologue, we see Bond, who we just saw handle himself calmly and cooly in multiple situations of extreme peril, become terrified of death in an airplane crash. He becomes almost insensible until the danger passes, and we learn that what Bond is truly afraid of is his own powerlessness in this situation. It speaks volumes about the character. Jack Ryan has no such moment, nor anything close. He is entirely content, unperturbed, and unmotivated. Jack Ryan is the very image of self-satisfied rich white American culture from the mid-1980s, and while that itself does not necessarily make him a bad character, the superficial way in which it is handled does.
I will sum-up by saying that this book essentially reads like a bad British Monarchy fanfiction with an incredibly transparent main character.
December 23, 2008
I'll do the same review for all Clancy's novels because they're all pretty much the same. Very long, very detailed, and after a while, very repetitive. If you stop after just a few of his books you'd probably give them 4 or 5 stars, but beyond that they start to grate. Especially where Jack Ryan is involved. I mean, Clancy spends hundreds of pages getting his details just right, the settings perfect etc., then he has Ryan dodging more bullets than James Bond! I finally threw my hands up and surrendered when Ryan becomes President. I can't remember what piece of crap that was in.
I've given three stars as a compromise between my reactions when reading my first Clancy (brilliant) and last Clancy (doorstop).
I've given three stars as a compromise between my reactions when reading my first Clancy (brilliant) and last Clancy (doorstop).
January 1, 2020
This early Jack Ryan prequel certainly evokes the 1980’s setting from whence it was written, though in a great way!
Whilst on holiday in London, Jack inadvertently prevents an assassination attempt on members of the royal family by a faction group of the IRA.
The fact that it was the Prince and Princess of Wales alongside their son (who I decided was William) instantly rooted the story to the early part of the decade.
Jacks heroics soon makes him a target for the group and they’re desperate for him to pay, even his family are now targets...
It’s easy to see why the Ryan franchise continues to be successful as the main character is so likeable, first and foremost he cares about his family - while also believing in the right and proper way.
I definitely think Clancy really captures the political climate of the time too and thankfully we’ve seen an end to the troubles, this also felt a timely read with both Brexit and the Irish Backstop.
A great macho 80’s adventure!
Whilst on holiday in London, Jack inadvertently prevents an assassination attempt on members of the royal family by a faction group of the IRA.
The fact that it was the Prince and Princess of Wales alongside their son (who I decided was William) instantly rooted the story to the early part of the decade.
Jacks heroics soon makes him a target for the group and they’re desperate for him to pay, even his family are now targets...
It’s easy to see why the Ryan franchise continues to be successful as the main character is so likeable, first and foremost he cares about his family - while also believing in the right and proper way.
I definitely think Clancy really captures the political climate of the time too and thankfully we’ve seen an end to the troubles, this also felt a timely read with both Brexit and the Irish Backstop.
A great macho 80’s adventure!
December 16, 2010
Dude books. I call them "palette cleansers" because sometimes I just get tired of reading about FEELINGS and EMOTIONS and THOUGHTS.
This book didn't have any of those other things.
It had intrigue, machismo, swearing, guns, and violence. Pretty much pg-13 level, nothing too too much.
But it also had bravery, mystery, and for reals: the main guy likes his wife and kid. And he doesn't cheat on her. Two thumbs up.
So, in all, a bit more insight than the movie version, but pretty much the gist of it.
And now my palette has been cleansed. On to girl books once more.
This book didn't have any of those other things.
It had intrigue, machismo, swearing, guns, and violence. Pretty much pg-13 level, nothing too too much.
But it also had bravery, mystery, and for reals: the main guy likes his wife and kid. And he doesn't cheat on her. Two thumbs up.
So, in all, a bit more insight than the movie version, but pretty much the gist of it.
And now my palette has been cleansed. On to girl books once more.
April 2, 2017
I heard that Tom Clancy hated the movie this book inspired. Having read it, i can understand why. Nobody likes it when someone takes your idea and makes it enjoyable.
This is another one of Tom Clancy's political statements disguised as a novel, with the IRA representing communism. The Pacing is dull, the story unbelievable and at times hilarious.
I suppose though my biggest problem is with Clancy's notion that Ryan is somehow able or even capable of doing half of what he undergos, just because he's a former marine with a career of 3 months and who'd never seen combat. Especially as in HFRO, he can barely keep his cool when being shot at by a cook. In reality, Ryan would have been struck dumb by it all like everyone else, and even if he hadn't, if he had gone head to head with an IRA gunman, they would have eaten him for breakfast.
I know that to Clancy's mind the rest of the world is small and inferior compared to anyone born in the states but the IRA are tough bastards, not the sort a history teacher would knock out with one tackle.
Also, why does Clancy always refer to the royal family with their titles?
This is another one of Tom Clancy's political statements disguised as a novel, with the IRA representing communism. The Pacing is dull, the story unbelievable and at times hilarious.
I suppose though my biggest problem is with Clancy's notion that Ryan is somehow able or even capable of doing half of what he undergos, just because he's a former marine with a career of 3 months and who'd never seen combat. Especially as in HFRO, he can barely keep his cool when being shot at by a cook. In reality, Ryan would have been struck dumb by it all like everyone else, and even if he hadn't, if he had gone head to head with an IRA gunman, they would have eaten him for breakfast.
I know that to Clancy's mind the rest of the world is small and inferior compared to anyone born in the states but the IRA are tough bastards, not the sort a history teacher would knock out with one tackle.
Also, why does Clancy always refer to the royal family with their titles?
December 6, 2018
5 star
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2021
Good solid story in my opinion. Some elements of the story are dated but nonetheless it was entertaining. Recommended if you like The Hunt for Red October.
October 4, 2019
This was a reread of a book I read when it first came out, and several times since then. It starts with a bang as Jack, on a working vacation in London with his family, witnesses a kidnapping attempt on the royal family. His instinctive reaction stopped the attack and put him in the bullseye of revenge.
One of the things I enjoy most every time I read this book is the deft mixture of action, darkness, and humor. The opening attack sucks me into the story immediately, on the edge of my seat as Jack rushes into action. Clancy's descriptions are vivid enough that I can picture the events as they happen. The confusion at the scene felt realistic, and I could feel Jack's worry that he'd end up "stuck like a pig" when the good guys showed up. I always laugh at the scenes in the hospital as Jack deals with the doctors (including his wife) and other medical personnel. The scenes with various law enforcement personnel show Jack what he inadvertently got involved in and reveal his razor-sharp mind as he processes what he learns. The scenes with multiple members of the royal family are good, but my favorite is when he helps the prince work through his feelings about what happened. Though not particularly realistic, it is still a great scene.
As the book continues we get the viewpoints of both the bad guys and the good guys. Jack and his family return home, secure in the knowledge that the bad guy is in jail and terrorists have never attacked on American soil. But the tension ramps up as the bad guy escapes and assorted good guys get a bad feeling about what might happen. Jack is lured into the CIA's sphere as he tries to get a handle on the group behind the attack. Their fears are realized when Jack's wife and daughter are nearly killed in an attack, and only luck prevents Jack from being attacked too. I ached for Jack as he dealt with his feelings of guilt and fear by getting more involved in the case. Jack goes through a lot of self-examination as he tries to reconcile his need for justice with the anger and desire for revenge that he also feels.
The tension continues to build as the book follows the terrorists as they make plans for their next attack. The attention to detail was intriguing and as were the insights into the various players' motivations. At the same time we see the good guys as they try to assemble the pieces of the puzzle in time to stop whatever is planned.
The final confrontation was a nail-biter. It started easy, with the royal visit and some amusing banter between Jack, Robby, and the prince. The chaos of the attack was described so vividly that I felt as though I was there. The escape by boat was exciting, and their arrival at the Academy was tense but also had a few lighter moments. The pursuit of the last of the bad guys had me on the edge of my seat until it was all over. Jack faced a crossroads in his life, and it was interesting to see how he handled it. I loved the ending.
One of my favorite lines is as the Superintendent asks Robby who is aboard the ship: "Chief Znamirowski and the duty boat section, Captain Peters and some Marines, Doctor Ryan, and, uh, Captain Wales, sir, of the Royal Navy" "Is that where he is?..."
One of the things I enjoy most every time I read this book is the deft mixture of action, darkness, and humor. The opening attack sucks me into the story immediately, on the edge of my seat as Jack rushes into action. Clancy's descriptions are vivid enough that I can picture the events as they happen. The confusion at the scene felt realistic, and I could feel Jack's worry that he'd end up "stuck like a pig" when the good guys showed up. I always laugh at the scenes in the hospital as Jack deals with the doctors (including his wife) and other medical personnel. The scenes with various law enforcement personnel show Jack what he inadvertently got involved in and reveal his razor-sharp mind as he processes what he learns. The scenes with multiple members of the royal family are good, but my favorite is when he helps the prince work through his feelings about what happened. Though not particularly realistic, it is still a great scene.
As the book continues we get the viewpoints of both the bad guys and the good guys. Jack and his family return home, secure in the knowledge that the bad guy is in jail and terrorists have never attacked on American soil. But the tension ramps up as the bad guy escapes and assorted good guys get a bad feeling about what might happen. Jack is lured into the CIA's sphere as he tries to get a handle on the group behind the attack. Their fears are realized when Jack's wife and daughter are nearly killed in an attack, and only luck prevents Jack from being attacked too. I ached for Jack as he dealt with his feelings of guilt and fear by getting more involved in the case. Jack goes through a lot of self-examination as he tries to reconcile his need for justice with the anger and desire for revenge that he also feels.
The tension continues to build as the book follows the terrorists as they make plans for their next attack. The attention to detail was intriguing and as were the insights into the various players' motivations. At the same time we see the good guys as they try to assemble the pieces of the puzzle in time to stop whatever is planned.
The final confrontation was a nail-biter. It started easy, with the royal visit and some amusing banter between Jack, Robby, and the prince. The chaos of the attack was described so vividly that I felt as though I was there. The escape by boat was exciting, and their arrival at the Academy was tense but also had a few lighter moments. The pursuit of the last of the bad guys had me on the edge of my seat until it was all over. Jack faced a crossroads in his life, and it was interesting to see how he handled it. I loved the ending.
One of my favorite lines is as the Superintendent asks Robby who is aboard the ship: "Chief Znamirowski and the duty boat section, Captain Peters and some Marines, Doctor Ryan, and, uh, Captain Wales, sir, of the Royal Navy" "Is that where he is?..."
June 7, 2010
3.5 to 4.0 stars. Third Jack Ryan book published but first in terms of internal chronology as the events take place before those in The Hunt for Red October. While I enjoyed some of the later Ryan novels more (especially those in which John Clark and his crew played a major part), this is still a quality thriller and certainly worth a read. A pretty good Clancy novel is still much better than a lot of the junk that is out there.
February 3, 2015
Executive Summary: After enjoying The Hunt for Red October, I had high hopes for this book, and found myself a bit disappointed.
Audio book: I've listened to one or two books read by Scott Brick. He's a decent reader, but nothing special. He does a passable English and Irish accent here, but not in anyway to make the characters of similar accents distinguishable from one another. He does a better job of that with his American voices, but still not great.
I'd happily listen to another book read by him, but wouldn't rank him among my favorite readers.
Full Review
I've seen every Jack Ryan movie they've made (and enjoyed most of them), including this one, but this is only my 3rd book in the series I've read. This is one of the few cases where I think the movie is better though.
I rather enjoyed The Hunt for Red October, which I think had a slightly better reader plus a bunch of sound effects that really added to the experience.
The real core of my disappointment here was the pacing. The book starts out great and ends pretty well, but really got bogged down inbetween. After a pretty exciting start the next quarter or so seemed to just drag on.
See Jack Ryan, budding Analyst and he recovers in a hospital! Contain your excitement as he tours old castles along the English Country side. Watch your anticipation grow and you wonder: Will Jack be able to put together his daughter's Christmas presents while recovering from his wounds?
Eventually though things started to pick back and up and I thought I was over a rough patch. Unfortunately things slowed back down again for awhile before a pretty enjoyable finish.
Mr. Clancy offers a variety of POVs to give the reader the details from both the terrorists and those trying to catch them. I like this idea, though the execution was lacking in my opinion.
If the goal was to accurately portray the tedium and frustration of a CIA analyst, then this book succeeds. However if the goal was to mix in reality with fiction to tell an exciting spy thriller, this book fell short for me.
I think for me this was best contrasted by the book I was reading while listening to this. The Deaths of Tao is a spy thriller with a sci-fi setting, where aliens secretly run the world. Wesley Chu is far less known/successful than Tom Clancy yet I found his book far more exciting.
While I found this book disappointing, it hasn't completely put me off of the series or Tom Clancy. I may switch to try our his John Clark books instead though. I mostly likely won't be buying my next Clancy book though, and will borrow it from the library instead.
Audio book: I've listened to one or two books read by Scott Brick. He's a decent reader, but nothing special. He does a passable English and Irish accent here, but not in anyway to make the characters of similar accents distinguishable from one another. He does a better job of that with his American voices, but still not great.
I'd happily listen to another book read by him, but wouldn't rank him among my favorite readers.
Full Review
I've seen every Jack Ryan movie they've made (and enjoyed most of them), including this one, but this is only my 3rd book in the series I've read. This is one of the few cases where I think the movie is better though.
I rather enjoyed The Hunt for Red October, which I think had a slightly better reader plus a bunch of sound effects that really added to the experience.
The real core of my disappointment here was the pacing. The book starts out great and ends pretty well, but really got bogged down inbetween. After a pretty exciting start the next quarter or so seemed to just drag on.
See Jack Ryan, budding Analyst and he recovers in a hospital! Contain your excitement as he tours old castles along the English Country side. Watch your anticipation grow and you wonder: Will Jack be able to put together his daughter's Christmas presents while recovering from his wounds?
Eventually though things started to pick back and up and I thought I was over a rough patch. Unfortunately things slowed back down again for awhile before a pretty enjoyable finish.
Mr. Clancy offers a variety of POVs to give the reader the details from both the terrorists and those trying to catch them. I like this idea, though the execution was lacking in my opinion.
If the goal was to accurately portray the tedium and frustration of a CIA analyst, then this book succeeds. However if the goal was to mix in reality with fiction to tell an exciting spy thriller, this book fell short for me.
I think for me this was best contrasted by the book I was reading while listening to this. The Deaths of Tao is a spy thriller with a sci-fi setting, where aliens secretly run the world. Wesley Chu is far less known/successful than Tom Clancy yet I found his book far more exciting.
While I found this book disappointing, it hasn't completely put me off of the series or Tom Clancy. I may switch to try our his John Clark books instead though. I mostly likely won't be buying my next Clancy book though, and will borrow it from the library instead.
January 24, 2016
I still can't understand how, after 787 pages, Tom Clancy was unable to develop even the slightest hint of personality in any of the 30+ characters in this novel. Jack Ryan is one of the most boring, one-dimensional characters I've ever encountered. I'm sure Clancy did plenty of research on the military, procedures, guns, planes, ships, ranks, etc. This would explain the pages and pages and pages of pointless blathering about types of automatic weapons, ammunition, tomcat planes, boats, Concorde flights, and SargeantMajorLieutenantCaptain chatter. Add to that the god-awful dialogue, the cringeworthy awkwardness of the 'sex' scenes, and the breathtakingly and unforgivably stupid yelling-at-the-crown-prince (who later wields an Uzi in a boat chase) scene, and it's probably one of the most painful 800 pages I've ever read. So awful.
February 18, 2010
Jack and his family are in England, can things be expected to go smoothly? Well, not if we want a novel.
I read this years ago. Have you seen the movie? Try the book. For one thing while it is a fantastic read and the proverbial thrill ride, it is undoubtedly dated. The "victims" Jack saves are Prince Charles and Princess Diana, still happily married.
Still, failed fantasies aside, the story is exciting, well written, and a good base for the novels that follow.
I read this years ago. Have you seen the movie? Try the book. For one thing while it is a fantastic read and the proverbial thrill ride, it is undoubtedly dated. The "victims" Jack saves are Prince Charles and Princess Diana, still happily married.
Still, failed fantasies aside, the story is exciting, well written, and a good base for the novels that follow.
August 8, 2022
This would've been a decent three stars, but the pacing is so bad that I have to knock down a star. Also the length when barely anything happens. Maybe I should give the movies a try?
October 29, 2021
*image review: https://lenaleigh.blogspot.com/2021/1...
If there’s anything better than classic Clancy I have yet to find it. Damn but this was good, a perfect balance of action, intrigue, and investigation. Listed as the first Jack Ryan adventure, the old girl holds up well.
If there’s anything better than classic Clancy I have yet to find it. Damn but this was good, a perfect balance of action, intrigue, and investigation. Listed as the first Jack Ryan adventure, the old girl holds up well.
August 31, 2021
Jack Ryan gets in the way of an IRA terrorist act, starting a chain of events which threaten the lives of his family and cause him to take extreme measures to protect them. Unlike other Clancy novels, this first of the series is not built around top-secret military weaponry. Instead, it is an introduction to the series' primary character, Jack Ryan, a naval historian who, after a little arm twisting, becomes a CIA analyst. It also explores the mindset of Irish terrorist factions.
Clancy novels are thrill rides which launch from their very first page and don't stop until the last. No warm up or foreplay. Just buckle up and hang on. Patriot Games is no exception.
Clancy novels are thrill rides which launch from their very first page and don't stop until the last. No warm up or foreplay. Just buckle up and hang on. Patriot Games is no exception.
July 14, 2021
Great writing and excellent plot timing. Harrison Ford should have read this book. It would have made the film much more believable.
April 12, 2017
I have a theory that this is actually the first novel that Tom Clancy wrote, simply because it seems to me to be a wish-fulfillment fantasy. "Wouldn't it be great if I saved the royal family of England and was knighted by the queen." Great daydream and he turned it into a novel.
Anyway, I liked it anyway. Good page-turner. It is probably a 4.5 stars read, but I rounded up.
Anyway, I liked it anyway. Good page-turner. It is probably a 4.5 stars read, but I rounded up.
October 29, 2023
Primo libro di Jack Ryan che leggo, non mi è affatto dispiaciuto.
Chiaramente personaggio irreale (super intelligente, addestramento da marine, grande grosso e forte, simpatico e bello e umile, con la famiglia perfetta (a parte il suocero, inimicato per via del suo grande senso etico e morale), bravo in tutto...) ma la cosa è nota e penso sia abbastanza scontata per storie di questo tipo e di quel tempo.
Quindi mi sono solo goduto questo antipasto di Jack Ryan (per ora ho solo visto la serie e un paio di film), sorridendo nel ritrovare nomi noti, stupendomi per la descrizione dei reali inglesi, intrigandomi con le varie agenzie e apprezzando mio malgrado l'arguzia del nemico.
Alcuni passaggi, riletti adesso, fanno un po' di tristezza rievocando tempi più calmi (per modo di dire) pre 11/9...
Chiaramente personaggio irreale (super intelligente, addestramento da marine, grande grosso e forte, simpatico e bello e umile, con la famiglia perfetta (a parte il suocero, inimicato per via del suo grande senso etico e morale), bravo in tutto...) ma la cosa è nota e penso sia abbastanza scontata per storie di questo tipo e di quel tempo.
Quindi mi sono solo goduto questo antipasto di Jack Ryan (per ora ho solo visto la serie e un paio di film), sorridendo nel ritrovare nomi noti, stupendomi per la descrizione dei reali inglesi, intrigandomi con le varie agenzie e apprezzando mio malgrado l'arguzia del nemico.
Alcuni passaggi, riletti adesso, fanno un po' di tristezza rievocando tempi più calmi (per modo di dire) pre 11/9...
July 6, 2015
When I read an old bestseller like this, I always ask myself if I would have recognized its potential. In this case: no way, rejectorama. I couldn't bring myself to read more than a third of it--which, by the way, amounted to 250 pages.
What happened in those pages? There's a great opener where Jack Ryan is almost hit by a bus and barely exhales before he is swept into a kidnapping attempt on the British royal family. That contrast between the near disaster, his relief and reorientation, and then the real disaster is very well done.
But it's all downhill from there as we feel the boredom of waiting around to be discharged from the hospital, interrupted by multiple, totally gratuitous visits from members of the royal family who express their deep admiration of Ryan, but in awkwardly bantering ways. Once he gets out of the hospital, we're taken on a tourist visit to the Tower of London which feels like a transcript of the actual tour, except for more awkward bantering at the end about how special Jack is. Not sure he's special? In addition to being a former banker, Marine, current college professor and (we quickly learn) CIA agent, and on top of his oh-so-American down-to-earth humility and sexy, devoted, symbolically fertile wife, he gets knighted and is now Sir John Ryan! His universally adored daughter is given horse-riding lessons by the royal family, although I didn't read far enough to learn whether she also gets a fairy princess wedding or a unicorn or whatever.
I read for a good bit after he gets back from the UK, but there was no point, since it doesn't become good and is less hilariously bad after that. I was amazed at the slack, daydreamy pace of this novel, especially having the seen the movie (which I recall as rather exciting). Daydream is le mot juste because this does feel like the fantasy life of a certain kind of person who is not me. I scoffed aloud when I hit the transparent description of the luxurious and attractive, and also tactically complex, landscape surrounding Ryan's family home. When are they going get to the fireworks factory? I give up.
What happened in those pages? There's a great opener where Jack Ryan is almost hit by a bus and barely exhales before he is swept into a kidnapping attempt on the British royal family. That contrast between the near disaster, his relief and reorientation, and then the real disaster is very well done.
But it's all downhill from there as we feel the boredom of waiting around to be discharged from the hospital, interrupted by multiple, totally gratuitous visits from members of the royal family who express their deep admiration of Ryan, but in awkwardly bantering ways. Once he gets out of the hospital, we're taken on a tourist visit to the Tower of London which feels like a transcript of the actual tour, except for more awkward bantering at the end about how special Jack is. Not sure he's special? In addition to being a former banker, Marine, current college professor and (we quickly learn) CIA agent, and on top of his oh-so-American down-to-earth humility and sexy, devoted, symbolically fertile wife, he gets knighted and is now Sir John Ryan! His universally adored daughter is given horse-riding lessons by the royal family, although I didn't read far enough to learn whether she also gets a fairy princess wedding or a unicorn or whatever.
I read for a good bit after he gets back from the UK, but there was no point, since it doesn't become good and is less hilariously bad after that. I was amazed at the slack, daydreamy pace of this novel, especially having the seen the movie (which I recall as rather exciting). Daydream is le mot juste because this does feel like the fantasy life of a certain kind of person who is not me. I scoffed aloud when I hit the transparent description of the luxurious and attractive, and also tactically complex, landscape surrounding Ryan's family home. When are they going get to the fireworks factory? I give up.
July 5, 2014
Clancy's second Jack Ryan book is a prequel, which is perhaps why some suggest new readers should read them in the order the events took place rather than in the order they were written. Some of the suspense is muted because you know how the big picture will work out. This story is about Ryan's actions in England when, as an innocent bystander, tries to stop a terrorist (IRA-like group) action and what happens as a result in England and then back home in Annapolis. It also tells of how he gets roped into the CIA. The event was referenced multiple times in "Red October"
The story, despite knowing how it will turn out (from reading it once before, seeing the movie multiple times, and having read "Red October"), is exciting and fun. Clancy does have a knack for keeping the pedal to the metal when he's in the middle of action sequences.
Scott Brick narrated the audiobook, which made it feel a bit like a science fiction story at first (he has done a lot of them), but I got over that quickly. I like his narration, though he pronounces "Annapolis" funny.
The story, despite knowing how it will turn out (from reading it once before, seeing the movie multiple times, and having read "Red October"), is exciting and fun. Clancy does have a knack for keeping the pedal to the metal when he's in the middle of action sequences.
Scott Brick narrated the audiobook, which made it feel a bit like a science fiction story at first (he has done a lot of them), but I got over that quickly. I like his narration, though he pronounces "Annapolis" funny.
September 6, 2007
Although an old novel, but this is a classic novel about Jack Ryan, a former US marines who was on a work/vacation to the UK. A day after his arrival, he finds himself in a gun battle with 3 terrorists attacking the prince of Wales, his wife and few months old baby.
They survived the attack, thanks to Jack who sustains an injury but got the Knighthood for his bravery.
After that comes trouble from... Hey! go read it yourself to find out what happened in the end.
I really like the plot. It's a classic like from a master plotter (mario Puzo).
Have fun reading.
They survived the attack, thanks to Jack who sustains an injury but got the Knighthood for his bravery.
After that comes trouble from... Hey! go read it yourself to find out what happened in the end.
I really like the plot. It's a classic like from a master plotter (mario Puzo).
Have fun reading.
March 30, 2020
3/30/2020 Notes: Rating Raised from 3 Stars to 5 Stars
I read this book a long time ago and remembered that I enjoyed reading it. Re-reading by audio was great! Scott Brick is one of the best narrators and the story held more details/romance than I remembered. A nice mix of action & relay of connected consequences.
I read this book a long time ago and remembered that I enjoyed reading it. Re-reading by audio was great! Scott Brick is one of the best narrators and the story held more details/romance than I remembered. A nice mix of action & relay of connected consequences.
January 1, 2018
Irish bashing aside, a solid thriller. Can't deny I had a good time with the sun, not in the sun. Too much fun. Not that you need to know any of that. Details are all mine.
April 6, 2018
Read it many moons ago. I don't think it would hold up today.
October 19, 2019
After losing my Dad recently, I watched the entire Jack Ryan series on Amazon all the way through over about 36 hours. Sleepless nights and such. But it was so good that I ended up watching it again with my husband. Then I went out and grabbed this book. (FYI, the show is not based on any particular book according to the show creators, so I don't feel like I spoiled anything by watching first.)
I love Jack Ryan. I love how he loves his wife and daughter. He has this feral-like need to protect them, and he isn't interested or tempted by other women. (I hope it stays like that throughout the series.) Jack Ryan is an ex-marine who ends up working for the CIA in a very roundabout way. I love the beginning of the book, how Jack is vacationing in London with his family when he finds himself thwarting an attack on the Prince of Wales and his family. Ryan finds himself a hero with the Royal family and the rest of the country, but when his injuries heal and he returns to America, he brings trouble to the US, out for revenge.
What I didn't really enjoy is the trouble that he brought back. I just couldn't muster enough interest in the bad guys. There are so many of them, their part of the plot is so complicated, and they even involve outside terrorist agencies in what they are doing. Just so much terrorism-speak, it got muddy and boring.
It seemed like Tom Clancy really disliked the bad guys. I noticed that he gave them no redeeming qualities or sympathies whatsoever. They do not have anything to identify with at all. They don't speak fondly their wives or their mothers or their children. They don't hesitate for even a second or have second thoughts. They are just flat-out bad guys with no redeeming qualities. Even the way they dialogue with one another is very stilted and almost harsh. Very interesting. (This was a definite contrast from the show, because they gave the bad guys at least some humanity with their perspectives.)
So I liked this one, but I didn't love it. There were parts that were exciting and heart-pounding, but that feeling certainly didn't carry throughout the entire length of the book. I'll read/listen to more from Clancy and Jack Ryan, but I'm not in a huge hurry to do so.
Audiobook Notes: Scott Brick is one of my favorite narrators, but I don't feel like this is one of my favorites from his audio collection. Maybe it was because of the accents that he used for the Irish and British characters? Or maybe it was because I just didn't feel his enthusiasm with this story like I have with some of his other work. It was good, but just not a favorite.
This is a good introduction to Jack Ryan's character and still totally worth the use of a credit. My husband is now reading the book without the audiobook and it is taking him forever to get through it. I'm glad that I listened to it, but I'm not completely sure that the Clancy series is a re-listen series for me.
Title: Patriot Games by Tom Clancy
Series: Jack Ryan #1
Narrated by: Scott Brick
Publisher: Random House Audio
Length: 22 hours, 2 minutes, Unabridged
I love Jack Ryan. I love how he loves his wife and daughter. He has this feral-like need to protect them, and he isn't interested or tempted by other women. (I hope it stays like that throughout the series.) Jack Ryan is an ex-marine who ends up working for the CIA in a very roundabout way. I love the beginning of the book, how Jack is vacationing in London with his family when he finds himself thwarting an attack on the Prince of Wales and his family. Ryan finds himself a hero with the Royal family and the rest of the country, but when his injuries heal and he returns to America, he brings trouble to the US, out for revenge.
What I didn't really enjoy is the trouble that he brought back. I just couldn't muster enough interest in the bad guys. There are so many of them, their part of the plot is so complicated, and they even involve outside terrorist agencies in what they are doing. Just so much terrorism-speak, it got muddy and boring.
It seemed like Tom Clancy really disliked the bad guys. I noticed that he gave them no redeeming qualities or sympathies whatsoever. They do not have anything to identify with at all. They don't speak fondly their wives or their mothers or their children. They don't hesitate for even a second or have second thoughts. They are just flat-out bad guys with no redeeming qualities. Even the way they dialogue with one another is very stilted and almost harsh. Very interesting. (This was a definite contrast from the show, because they gave the bad guys at least some humanity with their perspectives.)
So I liked this one, but I didn't love it. There were parts that were exciting and heart-pounding, but that feeling certainly didn't carry throughout the entire length of the book. I'll read/listen to more from Clancy and Jack Ryan, but I'm not in a huge hurry to do so.
Audiobook Notes: Scott Brick is one of my favorite narrators, but I don't feel like this is one of my favorites from his audio collection. Maybe it was because of the accents that he used for the Irish and British characters? Or maybe it was because I just didn't feel his enthusiasm with this story like I have with some of his other work. It was good, but just not a favorite.
This is a good introduction to Jack Ryan's character and still totally worth the use of a credit. My husband is now reading the book without the audiobook and it is taking him forever to get through it. I'm glad that I listened to it, but I'm not completely sure that the Clancy series is a re-listen series for me.
Title: Patriot Games by Tom Clancy
Series: Jack Ryan #1
Narrated by: Scott Brick
Publisher: Random House Audio
Length: 22 hours, 2 minutes, Unabridged
October 1, 2012
Tom Clancy’s Patriot Games
4.5 stars
Tom Clancy is known around the world for his fast paced action books. (Several of his books have been made into movies, and one has even been made into a video game series!) This is one of his earlier books, and I anticipated a book just like those who have made him famous with his writing style, such as Hunt for Red October, Red Storm Rising, and others. I wasn’t disappointed. This book, Patriot Games, is a great book, as most of his others were.
The Theme of this book is of how terrorism is a problem that we all should stop. This book was centered on the time when the PIRA was a huge terrorist threat. The setting is mainly in either the United Kingdom or the United States of America. This book's emotion was very dark, but humorous too. The writer’s tone is whimsical (Tom Clancy is one of the few people who can do that in an action book).
In the beginning, Jack Ryan (the protagonist, who is a family man who has been trying to get away from his old past which becomes a plot twist) intervenes in an assassination attempt to kill the Prince of Wales while on a business trip to London, England, which was the beginning of the conflict as well as the exposition, and grabbed me in. After the intervening, in which he was injured and hospitalized for an injured shoulder, Jack was known as a hero to both England and the United States. While in the hospital, Jack gave a pep talk to the Prince of Wales, who was the one person he saved from assassination and later becomes a friend in the story, which proves the main character is nice but tough. Jack was then revealed as a Former CIA operative (this is the plot twist I was telling you about), and you thus learned more about the main character, although it was a tad early to reveal this. A surprise commenced in the story when Jack’s wife, Cathy, was found pregnant with her second child. In order to save England from the PIRA, Jack re-entered into CIA. All of a sudden, Jack’s wife and first child, Sally, were hurt severely, but not killed, by terrorists from the PIRA as a "message" which intends to tug at the heartstrings of the reader (it does its job well). I would reveal more to how the rest of the book goes, but that's for me to know and you to find out.
What I think was good about the book was that it was humorous, fast paced, and full of action. It was similar to the Tom Clancy games, which was based off of books like these. However, there were some bad things about the book. For instance, you need to know history from this time period in order to fully grasp the idea of the book. Also, you need to have a basic idea for what guns are and types of them to find out what Tom Clancy is talking about in his book. Overall, I recommend this book for Tom Clancy fans, military fans, or just plain action fans.
4.5 stars
Tom Clancy is known around the world for his fast paced action books. (Several of his books have been made into movies, and one has even been made into a video game series!) This is one of his earlier books, and I anticipated a book just like those who have made him famous with his writing style, such as Hunt for Red October, Red Storm Rising, and others. I wasn’t disappointed. This book, Patriot Games, is a great book, as most of his others were.
The Theme of this book is of how terrorism is a problem that we all should stop. This book was centered on the time when the PIRA was a huge terrorist threat. The setting is mainly in either the United Kingdom or the United States of America. This book's emotion was very dark, but humorous too. The writer’s tone is whimsical (Tom Clancy is one of the few people who can do that in an action book).
In the beginning, Jack Ryan (the protagonist, who is a family man who has been trying to get away from his old past which becomes a plot twist) intervenes in an assassination attempt to kill the Prince of Wales while on a business trip to London, England, which was the beginning of the conflict as well as the exposition, and grabbed me in. After the intervening, in which he was injured and hospitalized for an injured shoulder, Jack was known as a hero to both England and the United States. While in the hospital, Jack gave a pep talk to the Prince of Wales, who was the one person he saved from assassination and later becomes a friend in the story, which proves the main character is nice but tough. Jack was then revealed as a Former CIA operative (this is the plot twist I was telling you about), and you thus learned more about the main character, although it was a tad early to reveal this. A surprise commenced in the story when Jack’s wife, Cathy, was found pregnant with her second child. In order to save England from the PIRA, Jack re-entered into CIA. All of a sudden, Jack’s wife and first child, Sally, were hurt severely, but not killed, by terrorists from the PIRA as a "message" which intends to tug at the heartstrings of the reader (it does its job well). I would reveal more to how the rest of the book goes, but that's for me to know and you to find out.
What I think was good about the book was that it was humorous, fast paced, and full of action. It was similar to the Tom Clancy games, which was based off of books like these. However, there were some bad things about the book. For instance, you need to know history from this time period in order to fully grasp the idea of the book. Also, you need to have a basic idea for what guns are and types of them to find out what Tom Clancy is talking about in his book. Overall, I recommend this book for Tom Clancy fans, military fans, or just plain action fans.
August 10, 2019
واقعا این کتاب چیزی کم نداره. یقیناً از اوون کتاب های تاثیرگذار برنده جایزه نوبل نیست، منظورم کتابهایی مثل کوری، صدسال تنهایی و اینها بود.
این یک کتاب تریلر بینقص بود. این دومین کتاب از تام کلنسی بود که خوندم. در مورد کارهای کلنسی چند تا نکته به ذهنم رسید که شاید بشه به عنوان وجه تمایز کلنسی با سایر تریلرنویسها بهش اشاره کرد.
1- ریتم داستان در هیچ جایی نه خیلی تند مییشه و نه خیلی کند. تقریبا در سرتاسر داستان یک ریتم متوسط داریم. نه اونقدر تند که نفس آدم به شماره بیفته و نه اونقدر کند که کسل کننده باشه. در عین حال که خواننده شدیدا میخواد بدونه داستان به کجا میرسه، خیلی راحت میشه کتاب رو زمین گذاشت و رفت و برگشت و ادامه داد.
2- بر خلاف بیشتر تریلرها، آمار شکست بیشتر از موفقیتهاست. یعنی تعداد دفعاتی که مجموعه جبهه خوب در مقابل جبهه بد شکست میخوره، بیشتر از تعداد پیروزیهاشونه. این جنبه یعنی تریلرهای کلنسی با زندگی واقعی تطابق بیشتری داره.
3- بر خلاف بیشتر تریلرها که یک قهرمان در مقابل دنیایی از بدیها قرار میگیره، اینجا گروهی از آدمهای خوب و معمولی و البته با استعدادها و تواناییهای متفاوت در مقابل گروهی از آدمهای بد قرار میگیرند.
4- پیروزیهایی که جبهه خوبیها به دست میارند، به دلیل پشتکار، کار گروهی، همکاری، پیگیری، دقت و این چیزهاست؛ نه به دلیل خوش شانسی. معمولاً شکستها به دلیل بدشانسی و چیزهای اتفاقی به وجود میاند. این هم به نظر من میتونه این احساس رو در خواننده ایجاد کنه که برای پیروزی باید پیگری بود، نه اینکه خوش شانس باشی و تیر دشمن از کنار گوشت رد بشه، ولی تیر تو مستقیم بخوره وسط پیشونی دشمن.
این یک کتاب تریلر بینقص بود. این دومین کتاب از تام کلنسی بود که خوندم. در مورد کارهای کلنسی چند تا نکته به ذهنم رسید که شاید بشه به عنوان وجه تمایز کلنسی با سایر تریلرنویسها بهش اشاره کرد.
1- ریتم داستان در هیچ جایی نه خیلی تند مییشه و نه خیلی کند. تقریبا در سرتاسر داستان یک ریتم متوسط داریم. نه اونقدر تند که نفس آدم به شماره بیفته و نه اونقدر کند که کسل کننده باشه. در عین حال که خواننده شدیدا میخواد بدونه داستان به کجا میرسه، خیلی راحت میشه کتاب رو زمین گذاشت و رفت و برگشت و ادامه داد.
2- بر خلاف بیشتر تریلرها، آمار شکست بیشتر از موفقیتهاست. یعنی تعداد دفعاتی که مجموعه جبهه خوب در مقابل جبهه بد شکست میخوره، بیشتر از تعداد پیروزیهاشونه. این جنبه یعنی تریلرهای کلنسی با زندگی واقعی تطابق بیشتری داره.
3- بر خلاف بیشتر تریلرها که یک قهرمان در مقابل دنیایی از بدیها قرار میگیره، اینجا گروهی از آدمهای خوب و معمولی و البته با استعدادها و تواناییهای متفاوت در مقابل گروهی از آدمهای بد قرار میگیرند.
4- پیروزیهایی که جبهه خوبیها به دست میارند، به دلیل پشتکار، کار گروهی، همکاری، پیگیری، دقت و این چیزهاست؛ نه به دلیل خوش شانسی. معمولاً شکستها به دلیل بدشانسی و چیزهای اتفاقی به وجود میاند. این هم به نظر من میتونه این احساس رو در خواننده ایجاد کنه که برای پیروزی باید پیگری بود، نه اینکه خوش شانس باشی و تیر دشمن از کنار گوشت رد بشه، ولی تیر تو مستقیم بخوره وسط پیشونی دشمن.
October 10, 2016
A 'prequel' to The Hunt for Red October that came a few years before, this takes us back and makes the common mistake of presenting a younger version of a protagonist that really does not seem consistent with the one we met in a later story. As if that wasn't enough, the real-life prince of Wales figures and that whole storyline sinks the entire story. To top it off, Clancy seems to have struggled with his obviously pre-defined volume this time around; very long parts of this book could easily have been cut and nothing would have been lost. Disappointing entry, but he revenged himself with The Cardinal of the Kremlin.
March 15, 2020
This was a rollercoaster of a book. There was amazing parts that made you just want to keep reading page after page and then there would be boring parts for a while that would make you not want to read. but by the end of the book there it was all going great. fast plot, great action, and made you wonder if everybody was going to get out alive. I think this was a great entry point into the jack ryan series and I am excited to keep the next one. although i do not think this book is as good as the first mitch rapp book was. I still like that series better so far. Overall great book with great characters and plot.
October 2, 2017
Review to follow
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