G.P. Putnam's Sons (2003)

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As usual Clancy treats us to a contemporary, topical tale of political intrigue and adventure.

A slight departure from usual though;  In this book we move into a new generation;  The "main" characters that we are used to don't appear in this book, although are often mentioned.

Now our "heroes" are Jack Ryan Junior and his twin cousins Dominic and Brian Caruso.  Fresh out of college, Jack Jr. goes to work for Hendley Associates as kind of a financial analyst.  But there is more to the company than it seems:  It is really an independent "off the books" (in fact self financed) intel / operations organization started by Jack Senior as one of his last acts as President.  Daddy is unaware that Junior is working there, and will probably have a fit when he finds out (probably early in the next book).

Dominic Caruso Is a rookie FBI agent and his brother Brian is a Captain in a U.S. Marine Recon unit when they are recruited / reassigned to a shadowy organization (which turns out to be Hendley Associates) and start training for "unspecified missions related to anti-terrorism  activities".  It is really all supposed to be coincidental that son and kin of  our old friend Jack Ryan are working there.

Our villains this time are certain members of  "the religion of peace" who have allied (for purely "business" reasons) with the Colombian cocaine cartel, who help them smuggle some terrorists through our border with Mexico in exchange for the Islamists help distributing cocaine throughout Europe.

Anyway, I don't want to ruin the story by going into what happens from here:  Needless to say, Junior, Dominic and Brian get to have some exciting times and adventures in the USA and in Europe.

While I found this book to be quite entertaining, a little difficult to put down, and I'm not sorry for paying full retail for it; I do have to say that it is far from Clancy's best.  For me, there was a little too much coincidence in it.  WAY too much success from "talented amateurs" doing dangerous things with minimal training and planning.  It was believable (to me anyway) when Jack Senior was doing it in the early Ryan books, but this time he stretches things a little too far in my opinion.

I thought for a minute he was going to stick "Ding" Chavez or maybe even John Clark in with the "boys" there near the end of the book to provide a little experience and maturity, but he didn't; Maybe he will do something like that in the next book.... He ought to anyway.

Outside of that, my main complaint of this book is that Clancy says there is nothing about committing violence in the "Koran", and that only radicals who pervert the "religion of peace" think violence is good.  I guess he must have missed these minor little tidbits:
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Sura 25, Aya 52:
Therefore listen not to non-believers but fight Jihad against them a great war, with it.

Sura 66, Aya 9
O Messenger, fight against the non-believers and the hypocrites and remain firm against them.

Surah 008: Ayah 067
It is not fitting for an apostle that he should have prisoners of war until he hath thoroughly subdued the land. (In other words, kill everyone until the entire world is converted to islam)

Surah 002: Ayah 191
And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter;

Surah 004: Ayah 089
....But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah. Seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and take no friends or helpers from their ranks.

Surah 009: Ayah 005
....then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them; seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem.

Surah 009: Ayah 012
But if they...taunt you for your Faith,- fight ye the chiefs of Unfaith: for their oaths are nothing to them: ...

 Surah 033: Ayah 061
They shall have a curse on them: whenever they are found, they shall be seized and slain without mercy.

Surah 008: Ayah 060
Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know...
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Even though I was a little disappointed with this book, I will be looking forward to the next one;  I think the basic premise has potential to be a lot of fun and very exciting. 

If you have not read some of Clancy's earlier, better ones (Sum of all Fears, Clear and Present Danger, Bear and Dragon are MY favorites), you probably shouldn't read this one first.  You may not pick up another Clancy novel if you start with this one and he is DEFINITELY worth reading.  If you are already  a Clancy fan, you will probably be a little disappointed, although I imagine you will be well entertained anyway.

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