Tom Clancy - Dead or Alive

[leebase]

The first Clancy book in 10 years -- even if it does have a co-author. The last book, "Teeth of the Tiger", was in the "Jack Ryan" universe, but the main characters were Ryan's son and two of his cousins. It was a good read, IMHO, but was rather lightweight compared to the best books earlier in the series.

In the latest, the stars of the earlier books have returned and combined with the "next generation". So you have Jack Ryan Sr., John Clark, Domingo Chavez, Mary and Pat Foley -- as well as Jack Ryan Jr., and his cousins.

The book is back to being a globe spanning, conspiracy that raises your hackles and makes you fear that "something like this really could happen". This time the bad guys are Al-Queda/Bin Laden stand ins (called the URC and the Emir in the book).

If Clancy needed to have a co-author to bring back the depth to his story that "Dead or Alive" has compared to "Teeth of the Tiger" then I'm happy for him to continue writing in this manner. The book may not be the best of the series, but it was a top quality book well worthy of the best of the earlier books.

Yes, the book is preachy -- but I thought he always was. D@mn liberals screwing up the country with only right thinking conservatives to come along and save the day. Music to my ears

If you like Clancy, you'll like the book. Even though the Jack Ryan character has been at the heart of the series, each book does well as a stand alone. So, no need to feel you can't just read this book if you haven't read the earlier ones.

Lee