Rating: 
Summary: Go back writing like 'Red October',put Jack back in the CIA
Review: These last two books have left me wanting the old Jack Ryan, Mr. Clark and the rest of troops. If I want to be told how this counrty should be run I'll watch sunday moring talk shows
Rating: 
Summary: Too long, too many characters, too many unresolved plot li
Review: I've purchased and read all of Tom Clancy's books in hardback. But the end has come. I can't bear the thought of reading about how Jack Ryan runs for President and succeeds in changing our political system in the process. This book would have been interesting if cut in half. It was a summary of every book the author has already written, and if I hadn't read all his books, I wouldn't have a clue who he was talking about most of the time. It was like reviewing for a test on Tom Clancy books. Diane Diekma
Rating: 
Summary: Tom Clancy is NOT a great writer ...
Review: After his previous book there had to be a "Jack Ryan in the White House". The result is unwieldy and overblown -- too many (highly improbable) subplots which are handled too coolly by the "man in command".
Want to read a good Tom Clancy novel? Try "The Hunt for Red October", "Red Storm Rising", or "The Cardinal of the Kremlin".
Want to read a very good book about an ordinary man suddenly presented with a big, unexpected task and who tries to do the right thing? Try "Trustee from the Toolroom" by Neville Shute -- it may not be in print, but you can probably find it at the library. Oh, I borrowed "Executive Orders" from the Library as well, glad I did not waste $9.00 or so on it. Whoever would buy a Tom Clancy in hard cover? -- Miles Thompson
Rating: 
Summary: Un-relentless Storyline
Review: I loved this book! Clancy is like a juggler of words. He started out with one story in the begining of the book and ended up with ten or so. Towards the end of the book the mini-stories are resolved and effect the remaining stories. My favorite parts were the ones that included Clark and Chavez and their clandestine operations. Clancy must have put a James Bond edge on these characters because they preform with utter grace. I agree with many other readers that criticized "Desert Storm II", The plot in that mini-story didn't pick up until too late in the book to end it with the eloquence that he ended the other mini-stories.
I was very impressed with the speeches POTUS made, they conveyed more power than any president has conveyed in a long time. But Ryan realisticly shot him self in the foot several times before his speeches meant much of anything.
I was suprised how Ryan put the Ayatollah in a Candid-Camera situation towards the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth the time, but not for a second read
Review: Without Remorse was my first Tom Clancy book, and after reading this, it is still my favorite. Tom Clancy still has that same style of writing that I like, and basically the only reason this got a 7 was for its length, and also the tank warfare at the end. Sure, the tank warfare was necessary, but for me it was hard to come up with pictures in my head of what was happening, and it was confusing to me all the different anagrams and weapons being used. All this took up over 70 pages worth of material, and I did not appreciate this. I felt after that I was only reading through it since I was so close to the end of the book. I am impressed by his knowledge of all of the weapons and things, but 70 pages was too much for me.
I was much more interested in the Ebola and other plot lines that develop, and love the way he makes you figure out the connection with all the separated plot lines. So, like the summary says, it is another good Tom Clancy book, but it is just not as good, I think, as Without Remorse
Rating:
Summary: Bloated and turgid - one of Clancy's worst efforts
Review: You've heard of the "taut thriller?" Well, "Executive Orders" is a bloated, turgid thriller. This reviewer is irritated that it consumed so much of his time.
At nearly 900 pages, it plods through character descriptions and plot development with mind-numbing detail. Readers with any kind of life of their own would be well-advised to start reading at page 570, when the action finally starts.
It culminates with 100 confusing pages of a Gulf War tank battle. In this battle, every piece of high-tech apparatus works perfectly, all the bad missles are shot down, and no good characters die. It's like a Saturday-morning cartoon. Clancy should reread his own "Red Storm Rising" to remember how a war story is developed and told.
Another complaint is that as in "Debt of Honor", we are told again and again by the supporting characters what a great, honest, amazing person Jack Ryan is. It seems that a clever writer could paint situations where we could draw our own conclusions.
In "Executive Orders", Tom Clancy continues his downward spiral. His books are getting bigger, but have less substance. At this rate, his next book will be a 2600 page doorstop on the inner workings of a motor pool.
Rating:
Summary: One that you won't be able to put down
Review: Another great novel by Tom Clancy.
Full of twists and turns, it keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Married couples beware - this could be a conversation killer!
Rating:
Summary: Clancy is a god
Review: Tom Clancy is and always has been a worthy writer, and this huge book is worth taking a look at. Some anti-Clancy critics say the book is too long, but every page is worth it
Rating:
Summary: Good, but it left unresolved issues.
Review: I have read this book at least five times, and enjoyed it every time. There are just a few small, unresolved issues that irritate me:
1) Once the candidates for the Supreme Court are leaked, the issue is dropped, never to be brought up again.
2) The guys with the cement mixer - what is their motivation? Militia? Domestic Terror? 3)In the final news conference of the book, the question is asked "Will you?" Will he WHAT?? Run again? Step down? Nominate Mother Teresa as Vice President? This is a stupid way to end the book, Mr. Clancy. While I enjoy (and own) all your other Jack Ryan books, I'll wait for the sequel to see where else you take Mr. Ryan.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: This was a fascinating book. I have been a Clancy fan since Red October. I like the way that Clancy ties most of his books together by continuing the characters and tying the story lines through many novels. (I find Clancy's novels to be very similar to the Seinfeld television series in this respect - great by themselves but even better when read or watched through the years). His books are technically accurate, believable (or at least he is able to take a situation that would appear to be unbelievable and make it so it is very believable), and most importantly, enjoyable. When I read his books, I love the detail that he goes into. I enjoyed reading about the inner workings of Washington DC in this 90's version of "Mr. Smith goes to Washington". I am confident that the level and depth of research Clancy went through with regard to the weapons technology and CIA activities/surveillance technology of his previous novels, he went through in the researching of the political machine in the writing of this novel. Some may find that boring but I loved the level and detail that he went through in Executive Orders. Lets face it, politics ain't always exciting, but can be very interesting. I always enjoy reading books that are informative and historically accurate or technically accurate (i.e. Shogun, Winds of War, War and Remembrance, Aztec, The Journeyer, etc.) What's wrong with being entertained while learning. Clancy also has a way of grabbing the headlines of the day and even being somewhat prophetic in his character building. The "Sum of All Fears" was written before most of us even knew of Bill Clinton or Hillary, yet the President and "friend" in that book were amazingly similar to the present occupant of the White House. How did he know?
Another thing that I found to my liking was the resolution of the home grown terrorist attack in this book. Clancy could have had the bomb planted and detonated, but let's face it, sometimes the bad guy does get caught in a not too climatic way. As an example, it wouldn't have been too farfetched to imagine a Oklahoma trooper pulling over McVeigh while driving his truck/bomb on his way to Oklahoma City and arresting him. Hell, it could have happened without a shoot-out even occurring (I mean, life isn't always like television). What I'm saying is that Clancy's handling of the truck/bomb in this book added to the realism, it didn't detract from it.
I like the evolution of the Jack Ryan character. Jack Ryan as President is very interesting. I like to watch him figure things out, and for once, the logic and common sense that made him such a great spook, doesn't always serve him well in this office (not unlike "Alice through the Looking Glass"). I figure that either the next book by Clancy or the one after that will have the "re-election" process of President Ryan. I can't wait. I used to like reading Ludlum and picked up one of his books to re-read the other day and asked myself, "what did I ever see in this unbelievable crap. Why should I read this when I can read Clancy". Ludlum's stories are exciting, but absolutely unbelievable. It's like comparing Steven King to Dean Coontz. If you like the detail that Clancy can bring to any story you will love this book. If you read Clancy only because of the thrills and action, you will get some of that in this book, but if your interest is only in thrills and action, you'll be disappointed. May I suggest Ludlum to those of you who don't like quality stories but only action thrillers.
Clancy's books and stories are great and this one is no exception.
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