Rating: 
Summary: An Underappreciate, More Intimate Book from Tom Clancy
Review: I fully admit it took me a while to get over my initial shock that Tom Clancy had written a book that focused not on Jack Ryan but on John Clark. While I did not enjoy this book as much the two Jack Ryan books that came before or after it, "Without Remorse" is still a worthwhile effort and I consider it superior to Clancy's most recent novel, "The Bear and the Dragon." This is not a story driven by technology but by the intense desire of a man to have the world make sense. It is a more intimate story that we are used to from Clancy. Actually, "Without Remorse" represents a logical extension of one of Tom Clancy's strengths, which is the depth of background he provides his characters. Think of how he first presents "Red" Wegner and Ding Chavez in "Clear and Present Danger." Wegner appears (so far) only in that one book while Chavez has become a major supporting character in the Clancy oeuvre. Yet Clancy basically uses an entire chapter to give the background on each character. In "Without Remorse" Clancy lays out the entire back story of John Kelly, the man who would become better known to us as John Clark. Clancy has done this before with "Patriot Games," where we find out what the oblique "Sir John" references in "The Hunt for Red October" were all about. Now he does the same for Clark, who has really replaced Robbie as the character carrying the main subplot in the Ryan books. "Beware the fury of a patient man." The quote appearing in the frontpiece of the novel is from John Dryden (yes, the nasty little boy in "Shakespeare in Love" in one of that movies best in-jokes), and it concisely sums up the moral of this particular story. Six months after the accidental death of his pregnant wife, John Kelly pulls over and picks up a young girl standing by the side of the road. This spontaneous act is very much out of character for Kelly and the decision turns out to be both fortuitous and tragic. Kelly finds comfort with Pam, only to see her killed by the drug dealers from whom she was escaping. However, "Without Remorse" is more than a revenge story, because at its heart it is the story of a man finding himself and his purpose in life. The other major plot line has to do with the former SEAL being recruited by Admiral James Greer for a rescue mission of American P.O.W.s held in North Vietnam. This book provides all the pieces to the puzzle that has been John Clark in the Jack Ryan novels. "Without Remorse" is also unusual because there are strong romantic elements in the story, as Kelly finds not only his purpose in life but the ability to love again. The fusion of these two things is clearly crucial to the development of the character. This is clearly the most intimate of Clancy's books, which is probably even more of a change of pace than having a different main character. Ironically, I find myself rereading the parts where Kelly deals with the pain of losing the women he loves more than the parts where he takes vengeance upon those responsible. The book does contain some of the more brutal scenes by Clancy, made more intense because they are acted out on the streets of America, not on some back alley in Russia or Iran. Kelly is clearly a vigilante in this book and that is certainly a troublesome description for a character we do not see as being in the "Dirty Harry" mold. Helpful Hint: Do not skim pages or you will miss a brief appearance by Jack Ryan, although his father is indeed a key character in the story. There are also several supporting characters who will reappear older and wiser in the Ryan novels. And a final personal note: I have never seen Willem Dafoe as Clark. Actually, I have always thought of him as a younger Don Davis, who is much more the Teddy Bear. Give up? Davis played Major Briggs in "Twin Peaks."
Rating: 
Summary: wake up hollywood
Review: If there is any book that should be made into a movie, it's Without Remorse. No question about it. One of the best books I've ever read. It would make Hunt for Red October seem like a Barney Movie.
Rating:
Summary: The Birth of a Legend
Review: In 'Without Remorse,' Tom Clancy tells us the story of CIA legend Mr. Clark. 'Remorse' Takes place during the frantic days of the Vietnam War when ex-Navy seal John Kelly is content to live a solitery life after the death of his wife and child. When a new friend of Kelly's is brutaly murdered and he himself injured, he becomes John Clark and takes the law into his own hands. While Clark's rampage is in full swing in Baltimore, a downed Mormom pilot is taken prisoner in Vietnam. The top brass are adamant that this pilot be brought back before he is forced to give away defence secrets. Clark is called in and sent back to battle for one final mission. The results of both Clark's military mission and his destructive personal vendetta make this a thriller in the great Clancy tradition. 'Without Remorse' sets the stage for the 'Jack Ryan' novels in which John Clark is a major character and is another thrill-filled novel from the master.
Rating:
Summary: A thrill ride
Review: I've read many of his books and am frequently bored or find it poorly edited - but this book was great - a big difference beyond the others. Far more badass than the previous (and even future ones somewhat) - very cool how he gets back at the bad guys (at one point acting as a homeless person - the description of how he lives is great). A great action novel - not much of a thinker's book, but are any of Clancy's?
Rating:
Summary: Read it, but only once
Review: The Clark/Ryan continuity has held my interest from my first go at Red October... this one lived up to the rest...it might even be the best thing Mr. Clancy has written. But that said, I've re-read everything else at least once... Red Storm Rising has gets dusted off about once a year. This one I have never cracked again after the initial read (which was virtually a single sitting). Why? It is not a pleasant book. John Kelly gets a few brutal reality checks in this chapter of his life, which brings us to understand him as Clark in his later interactions with or main series hero, Jack Ryan. The extent, nature, and grimly authentic language used by Clancy setting the grisly tableau of Kelly's new-found and harshly lost love... It is simply not a book I have felt the urge to experience a second time. But it is still amazing. Gripping, enthralling, and wrenching.
Rating:
Summary: A Soulless Man
Review: Without Remorse is Clancy's introduction to John Clark, a character who reappears in many other novels (Clear and Present Danger, Cardinal of the Kremlin, etc.). Clark, formerly John Kelley, is involved in two different plots in this book, in completely different settings but nicely parrelel. There are no plot holes in this book, and some moments where you just stop reading because you are so suprised by what you read. This book is also the "death" of Kelley. On his mission of revenge he loses his humanity, and this death explains some of his other evil actions, as in the finale to Rainbox Six.
Rating:
Summary: A remarkabe action novel.
Review: I've read this piece three years ago,while serving my first year in the israeli defence force . Looking back at this stage of my life I can say honestly that I was very young, naive ,and "green" . Things have changed greatly ever since, but some remain the same . This book came at a very confusing time for me : I wasn't satisfied with my service and thought of other options ,one of them was the Israel Marine Commando - our version of the Navy Seals. This book actually had helped me make up my mind to dismiss this option. Don't get the wrong impression. It's a must read .The first 100 pages are the best I've ever read. The story is so thrilling ,it's hard to put it down .It made me realize how terrible the status of the women in our society was and still is. I actually cried out loud in pain while reading . Those days were exetremly violent in Israel ,every monday and thursday I'd read about a woman being slaughter ,and felt the urge to do something ,to fight those killers,to punish them like Kelly punished the murderer in the book. In regard to the Commando dilemma ,I realized they make a killer out of a man. I descided I don't wanna kill anybody . It's not my way. Eventually ,the issues the book deals with are somber and very important to disscuss ,but my space here is limited. I would like anyone with interest in this subjests to contact me for further discussion. And please read it, it's an experience that is hard to forget.
Rating:
Summary: One the best books I have ever read.
Review: What do you like about a book? Do you like to read a good book and escape into a fantasy world for little while? Do you like to read a good action packed page-turner? Or do you like a good reality based book? If you answered yes to the first two questions, then this is definitely the book for you. If you answered yes to the last question, then this probably not a book you would enjoy. "Without Remorse" is pure fiction. I have read several of the reviews on this site, and it seems to me that several people have forgotten that one important fact. This is a dark novel that at its very heart is a tragic, violent story. The central character in this story is John Kelly. Kelly is a former navy seal, recently removed from two tours of duty in Vietnam, that has his world rocked by tragedy not once but twice in the span of a few months. John Kelly is a man of violence, and decides to lash out those that have wronged him in the only way he knows how. Throughout the story Kelly commits several acts that are not only illegal, but at times shocking. But let's give Clancy some credit for making the reader care about, and even root for such a violent man. Kelly stalks and eliminates victims, often randomly simply to disguise his ultimate goal of vengeance on those that made the mistake of leaving him alive. Kelly himself admits at one point that he murders one man, for what in his mind is simply practice. Kelly is not a psychopath, but a vigilante removing the dregs of society from the streets of Baltimore. At one point Kelly intervenes in the mugging of a woman, knowing full well that he has put himself in danger of being caught, and takes his frustrations out on the mugger. That moments shows how in the span of just a few minutes Kelly can be moved by compassion for the mugging victim, yet hold nothing but contempt for the mugger and those like him. The interesting plot twist to the story takes place when the U.S. Navy comes calling to ask Kelly to help plan a mission to liberate a P.O.W. camp in Vietnam. Kelly reluctantly accepts his new assignment, and begins to plan and execute two very different but equally deadly missions. Those of you familiar with the Tom Clancy series of novels are probably familiar with the "Mr. Clark" character. Through all of the action in this book we find out how John Kelly becomes the ominous CIA operative "Mr. Clark". The beauty of this book though, is that you need not have read any of the previous Clancy novels to understand what is happening. But if you have read the other books you begin to get a tremendous amount of insight into many of the secondary characters mentioned in many of the Jack Ryan series books. Clancy takes a tremendous amount of time introducing you to each and every character in the book, and at times I will admit it becomes a bit tedious. However, once the story begins to come together you will be glad that you had all of the background information. Tom Clancy has a knack of weaving a very intricate story and pulling every seemingly loose end together at the end to form an exciting climax. At first glance the shear number of pages in this book may intimidate you, but if you give it a chance I am sure that you will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Great story!
Review: This book is the best of Clancys that I've read so far. I like some of Tom Clancys books, but others get pretty dull, especially when he gets into the political maneuvering. This story never slows down. I couldn't stop reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: Introducing John Clark
Review: Tom Clancy once again writes another great book. His focus is on one character in this book. So this would be a good book to start with if you have never read Clancy before. If you like his works, this is a must. I could not put it down. This is a wounderfully developed character. This could also be titled, "The making of a great agent."
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