Rating: 
Summary: Ho Hum
Review: At least Clancy doesn't contribute his name to writing this dog. I remember when Clancy was accused of going into too much technical detail. This guy goes into too much detail, technical and otherwise. I couldn't keep track of all the characters amongst the boredom. At the middle of the book I kept thinking this would be one I'd stop without finishing but thought "No, the action has to be starting soon." Never happened until the end. Don't waste your time like me.The Clancy organization, whatever that may be nowadays, needs some quality control.
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT, GREAT BOOK!
Review: Before sitting down to write my review, I checked out some of the negatives that have been posted, and am kind of shocked. Have these folks read the same novel I did? If so, they either have some hidden agenda and are lying about what they read, have skipped scenes, or don't understand anything more sophisticated than Archie comics. For example -- a couple of the reviews state there's no action. Yet I'm looking at my copy now and counting action scenes in order . . . a murder in New York to start things out, a rock 'em sock' em fistfight in Chapter 2, a firefight sequence between rebel and army forces in India/Pakistan, ANOTHER murder in New York, more action in Pakistan . . . and I haven't even gotten halfway through the book here. Also without spoiling the climax, there's a motorcycle chase on the New Jersey Turnpike as our heroes attempt to save millions of lives! Too many details? Where? What kind of details? I WISH somebody would be specific, so I could take their criticisms seriously. But nobody here is saying anything concrete. And what's with the guy who said he didn't know who the heros/antiheros are? What exactly does that mean? Could he please explain? I see a lot of heroes and villains who have clear and well portrayed motivations and are neither perfectly good nor bad, but HUMAN . . . like all of us. If you want human nature boiled down to simple, unrealistic absolutes, stick to those comic books I mentioned . . . Superman doesn't come around to save the day in adult thrillers. On the other hand, if this individual had realized this is a SERIES book, he might know who was whom. Anyway, as a huge fan of the POWER PLAYS series, I hope I haven't let my annoyance get the better of me. Maybe I'm overreacting. I would rather have stuck to saying what I LIKED about the books But the dishonesty of these reviews and outright trashing of an author's work without a single word to back up what they're saying -- AGAIN, PEOPLE, LOOK AT WHAT THEY WRITE AND YOU WON'T FIND ONE SINGLE EXAMPLE TO SUPPORT THEIR CLAIMS -- turns my stomach, and begs these comments. Why take their barbs seriously, when the best they can do is call a book a "dog" or "trash"? What does that mean? What does that tell us? Who is the source? Where is he/she coming from politically, philosophically, etc.? Might the individual have some hidden prejudices? We don't know, because they tell us nothing of substance. If a anyone else out there enjoyed these books, I hope they'll post their comments to counterbalance the disingenuous garbage I've read from those other so-called "critics".
Rating:
Summary: Power plays Zero Hour
Review: I have read all of the past Power plays and op centers and realize that Clancy did not write any of them but they still were good books. This book is the exception. I found it very difficult to read more than a few pages at a time without becoming totaly bored. I took several pages and crossed out all the meandering thoughts and not essential character "development" and found most of the page crossed out. For exammple: Several pages given to the thoughts of a character about her childhood and the importance of a play center who is immediatley killed was a waste of paper and my reading time. I could have browsed a phone book and been more entertained. If you wait for this book to reach a Clancy style conclussions you are in for a big dissapointment. Better luck next time.
Rating:
Summary: I almost didn't finish this book
Review: I really like the Power Play series. Its hero, Rodger Gordian, seems like a great example of a concerned businessman. Roger who? His appearances in this book were at best unnecessary. Or mabe it as necessary for him to play a REAL part in the plot instead of trying to build a wall at his retirement home. This book was just plain awful. I was more than half way through it and realized that I didn't even know what it was about. A salesman gets killed. Why? I don't know. His girlfriend gets killed. Why? I don't know. Somebody has some incredible gem stones and is worried about where they came from. Why? I don't know. And so it goes. I agree with other reviewers that this book could have been a very credible short story. Either that of we should have been told earlier why whatever was supposed to happen was so allegedly dangerous. Sorry, I really wanted to like this book, but I didn't and recommend that you don't buy it. Not worth it.
Rating:
Summary: I almost didn't finish this book
Review: I really like the Power Play series. Its hero, Rodger Gordian, seems like a great example of a concerned businessman. Roger who? His appearances in this book were at best unnecessary. Or mabe it as necessary for him to play a REAL part in the plot instead of trying to build a wall at his retirement home. This book was just plain awful. I was more than half way through it and realized that I didn't even know what it was about. A salesman gets killed. Why? I don't know. His girlfriend gets killed. Why? I don't know. Somebody has some incredible gem stones and is worried about where they came from. Why? I don't know. And so it goes. I agree with other reviewers that this book could have been a very credible short story. Either that of we should have been told earlier why whatever was supposed to happen was so allegedly dangerous. Sorry, I really wanted to like this book, but I didn't and recommend that you don't buy it. Not worth it.
Rating:
Summary: A Winner, I Agree!
Review: I wasn't even planning to write a review but saw the one by Mr. Nostrum (hope I got the spelling right) and had to agree. This is one of the best books I've read all year -- I especially liked the parts set in New York City that involved the Diamond Dealers Club. How on earth did Mr.Preisler get inside information about one of the most secretive organizations in the world? As a New Yorker, I loved the author's obvious passion for the city. As a professional in the diamond and gem industry, I was fascinated by his explanations of modern counterfeiting techniques for diamonds and sapphires . . . and how those same techniques can be applied to acts of terrorism.
Rating:
Summary: A frighteningly prescient novel
Review: On January 24, 2004 a security guard outside a Texas chemical plant was shot by a man in a pickup truck who had been conducting a surveillance of the plant. The shooter was described by his victim as having a "heavy middle accent". This story was reported by Reuters, CNN, and every other major-media news outlet in the U.S.A. Too bad a "reader" like the anonymous and stale-witted Jim H. from Santa Rosa found the plot of this novel an undue test for his apparently miniscule attention span. It might otherwise have informed him of a very real and under-reported threat to our national security.
Rating:
Summary: A frighteningly prescient novel
Review: On January 24, 2004 a security guard outside a Texas chemical plant was shot by a man in a pickup truck who had been conducting a surveillance of the plant. The shooter was described by his victim as having a "heavy middle accent". This story was reported by Reuters, CNN, and every other major-media news outlet in the U.S.A. Too bad a "reader" like the anonymous and stale-witted Jim H. from Santa Rosa found the plot of this novel an undue test for his apparently miniscule attention span. It might otherwise have informed him of a very real and under-reported threat to our national security.
Rating:
Summary: Clancy should regain control.
Review: The handoff to yet another "Ghost" writer who tries to mimic Clancy, yields nothing. No style, nothing other than a very poor imitation of what once was and should be. Short tightly wrapped mini novels.
Rating:
Summary: fluff
Review: THIS BOOK COULD BE ABOUT 130 PAGES INSTEAD OF 320. TAKES WAY TO LONG TO GET GOING AND HAS TO MUCH FILLER. I KNOW HIS BOOKS ARE LONG WINDED BUT THIS IS WAY TO MUCH. I HOPE THE NEXT ONE IS BETTER. THIS AUTHOR IS USUALLY REALLY GOOD
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