Rating: Summary: Like reading the newspaper Review: I don't know if Flynn has slipped into writing like a newspaper prints but I found this story(ies) slightly exasperating for half of the book. Skipping from plot to plot each chapter. Was there a point? Still too much killing! He still continues to be redundant with his history of each character which I find annoying. Coloring each character with each new novel is a waste as is the blank pages and multiple blank spaces on the short chapters!The plot(s) weren't as good as in his previous books and leaves out enough reality to make me wonder if he should write comics! Rapp, Rambo or Gump? Hmmmm... I think I'll chose Forrest over the others to save this world singlehandedly!
Rating: Summary: Fast Pace, Bad Plot Review: Executive Power begins with the main character, Mitch Rapp, responding to a hostage crisis in the Phillipines that is eerily similar to the one that occurred late last year. After reading through a 100 or so pages, one would assume that the rest of the novel would follow this plot. But, that is not the case. After the hostage crisis is concluded, halfway through the novel, the book abruptly changes gears. It now is dealing with a terrorist killing assorted famous people to bring about a peace in Palestine. While the book is a quick read, and hard to put down, it suffers from a terrible plot. Actually, Executive Power is essentially two stories, the hostage crisis and the Palestinian terrorism lumped together to form a novel. There is no clear connection between these plots either. Executive Power also has a depressingly bad ending, almost all loose ends are not wrapped up, and it is also confusing. Executive Power succeeds as a thriller/suspense book but fails miserably as a novel. Definitely not one of Vince Flynn's best, look to The Third Option and Term Limits instead.
Rating: Summary: political thriller at its best Review: Following his last assignment, preventing Saddam Hussein from obtaining nuclear weapons, CIA field agent Mitch Rapp receives public acknowledgment by the president in response to the latest Congressional leak to the media. Though the praise is of the highest quality, singled out as the most important person in the fight to counter terrorism, the President might as well have placed a bulls-eye on Rapp's chest and that of his loved ones. The spotlight makes the former covert operator an ideal international target for eradication by terrorists as the symbol he has become. As special advisor on counterterrorism to CIA director Dr. Irene Kennedy, Rapp uncomfortably sits in an office. However, everything changes when radical Islamic terrorists ambush Navy SEALS on a top-secret rescue mission in the Philippines. The leak had to be in either the State Department or the Philippine diplomatic corps, but nobody knows for sure. However, worse yet is that someone is trying to cause a Jihad on a scale never before seen and that unknown invisible individual is close to achieving the goal with only a too visible Rapp in the way. This reviewer plans to obtain previous tales of Vince Flynn because EXECUTIVE POWER is political thriller at its best and it is clear that this author has much writing talent. The story line is non stop action and Mitch is a great protagonist as he struggles with a fame that he does not want at the cost of his first love field work. No bums rap: this winner may prove to be the political thriller of the year. Harriet Klausner
Rating: Summary: Executive Power Proves That Flynn Is A Master Review: For those who love the geopolitical accuracy of Tom Clancy and the high-flying suspensful action of Robert Ludlum, Vince Flynn successfully creates a balance of the two in his latest novel, Executive Power. Executive Power brings Mitch Rapp back once more, but this time around, things are much different. Not only has his cover as an assassin and counterterrorism operative been blown, but he's also married to an inquisitive and beautiful reporter who wants nothing more than her new husband to leave his dangerous life at the CIA behind. Flynn's latest novel, which is among his best to date (the best, in my opinion, being The Third Option), involves two different scenarios: an American family taken hostage by Muslim radicals in the Phillipines, and an honorable but ruthless assassin playing a deadly geopolitical game, his ultimate goal being the establishment of a free and peaceful Palestinian state. Our hero Rapp, of course, eventually becomes involved with both. Bullets fly when he attempts a hostage rescue in the Phillipines, and terrorists sweat when he tries to get to the bottom of a string of assassinations reaching from Israel to the US. Executive Power is an incredibly well-written novel that blends incredible accuracy and amazing action and keeps the reader turning pages. My only complaint is that the novel ended too soon; one can only hope that Mitch Rapp will return soon enough to avert disaster once again.
Rating: Summary: A thrilling, high speed rollercoaster ride from Vince Flynn! Review: I read this terrific book while flying coast to coast, and it was the best few hours of air travel I've ever had! What a great read. EXECUTIVE POWER is Vince Flynn at his best -- fast-paced, action-packed writing with great characters, in particular my favorite CIA super agent, Mitch Rapp. For anyone who enjoys the work of writers like David Baldacci, Robert Ludlum, Clive Cussler, and Tom Clancy, EXECUTIVE POWER is a MUST read.
Rating: Summary: Another good plot Review: This is the latest in Vince Flynn's "series." Super-spy Mitch Rapp is married, and settling into his "desk job" with the CIA. A Palestinian terrorist has teamed up with a black-sheep Saudi Prince to stir up more trouble in the Middle East. The plot thickens as the head of the Israeli Mossad is unwittingly makes himself a co-conspirator to the scheme. OF course, Mitch and his commando buddies save the day. The story involves a daring rescue of American hostages in the Philippines, during which Rapp is shot. This was almost like a sub-plot--it wasn't really important to he rest of the story. I won't go much into the plot, lest I spoil it for those who haven't yet read it. Suffice it to say that I thought this book was on par with his previous tomes, and if you enjoyed htem, you won't be disappointed with this one.
Rating: Summary: Good story, offset by so-so pacing Review: Vince Flynn's latest thriller has government assassin Mitch Rapp taking on terrorists in a novel that is unevenly paced but is nonetheless a fun read. The plot has a Palestinian terrorist named David creating an escalating series of events with the intent of forcing the creation of a Palestinian state. While in certain ways a man of integrity (he does not directly target innocents), he also is aware that his acts will beget additional, less discriminate violence. Meanwhile, Rapp is off in the Philippines, taking on different Islamic terrorists who are holding a family hostage and have already killed members of a previous rescue mission. Flynn keeps things moving, but the big flaw in the story is the pacing. The rescue/revenge mission in the Philippines is clearly a secondary (and independent) plot, yet it dominates over half the book. By the time Rapp gets involved in the main story, it is already around page 300. That's a long time to get the story to kick into full gear, and it's only Flynn's adept writing that is able to overcome this problem. While it is not essential, it is helpful to have read the other in the Mitch Rapp series to fully enjoy this book. While not exceptional enough to merit five stars, this novel is a solid four star effort and a good way to be entertained for a few hours.
Rating: Summary: The best of the series Review: Of Vince Flynn's books, this is the best I have read thus far. Normally, I would give something like this 3 stars, but as it is the best of his books, I will give it four. The book is about as one would expect from a spy thriller / action novel. There is action, some romance, politics and a dose of death and destruction. The story is a little far fetched, but for the most part quite believable. If not for a outdated piece on Iraq, the book could come from todays headlines. If you were new to Vince Flynn or you were looking for an entertaining / somewhat realistic action / thriller of a novel... give this one a go.
Rating: Summary: A page-turning novel of international intrigue. Review: Vince Flynn does an excellent job of holding interest in this novel cast around the formidable but likable protagonist, Mitch Rapp. Rapp's rough character, sharp mind, and thirst for action round out his well-written interactions with frustrating bureaucrats and his tender, but tough, wife. Highlights of the novel include the insider looks into the minds of assassins, the complex and interwoven politics of America and the Middle East (and the Philippines), and the drama of the oval office in tense situations. A couple of editorial errors and a few weaker dialogue points brought its star rating down for me, but it was overall a captivating read.
Rating: Summary: Another exciting installment Review: Once again Vince Flynn takes us into the world of a CIA secret operative otherwise known as an assassin. Mitch Rapp leads us through another fun, fast paced adventure as he travels the world hunting down the terrorists that threaten America's safety.
This novel is a fun and exciting thriller. While it is a bit over the top at times, it is a good portrayal of the considerations that the CIA and other government leaders have to evaluate when faced with the threat of global terrorism. It also captures the political forces that attempt to interfere with international relations.
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