Rating: 
Summary: Wouldn't it be fun to be President?
Review: Have you ever fantasized about the possibility of
becoming president of the United States? Have you felt you
could do the job at least as well as the folks who have held
it in the past few decades, if not better? Perhaps you have
wondered what day-to-day life must be like in the White
House. It looks pretty plush, but what would it be like to
actually live there? Or perhaps you wander what the secret
service folks are really like? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you are
going to love Executive Orders. The novel begins where Debt
of Honor left off, and Jack Ryan (through a series of events
I won't reveal, since some of you may not have read the
previous book yet) is now President. And as always, he faces
a bowl full of crises, enough to destroy most men. Let's see. He has to deal with a new Arab country, the
United Islam Republic, created when Iran's latest leader
arranges for the assassination of Sudam Hussein and takes
over that country. China's leaders also start things going
when they provoke a dogfight with some of Taiwan's fighter
planes and shoot down a civilian airliner in the process.
Then Ed Kealty, the model of a corrupt politician, tries to
question Ryan's authority as president, and begins to leak
some of the secret missions in which Ryan had participated
while in the CIA (and which Clancy wrote about in earlier
books). Appealing to our fears about biological warfare, a
few new cases of Ebola, the most deadly modern virus,
suddenly spread to our own country. And to keep his
attention sharp, there are assassination attempts on both
himself and his family. As always, Clancy jumps from scene to scene, perhaps
more than ever. It is well done, however, and helps to build
suspense. Thus the events which make up one sub-plot may
extend for several hundred pages. Interestingly enough, this book has not gotten good
reviews from many of Clancy's readers. They argue that it contains a lot of irrelevant material, particularly in his
political exposition. Admittedly he does push his particular
philosophy; there is no hidden agenda, however, for he
dedicates the book to Ronald Reagan, (the man who won the
war) and many of his ideas are similar to Reagan's and his
followers. I felt, however, that this was an important part
of the book, for Ryan is not a professional politician, and
a main thrust of the novel is his attempt to bring common
sense to the problems that face our nation. I might not
always agree with his solutions, but they were quite
consistent with his character. It is also fun to wonder What if . . . He wants to
simplify the tax code, for example, by doing away with all
tax exemptions and using a flat percentage tax that would
apply to all income levels. This, President Ryan argues,
would bring in just as much income from the rich folks who
now use the complexity of the current code to exempt much of
their income. It would also have the side affect of doing
away with many of the accountants and attorneys who
specialize in tax law (a benefit that I suspect some of our
accountants and attorneys might not see). I recommend this book, though I also suggest you read
Debt of Honor first to get the background. It's one of those
thrillers that will keep you from getting any work done!
Rating: 
Summary: Want truth, read Clancy
Review: One of his best. It seems the only thing fictional in this is his characters. Terrific read.
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: I have read some of the less enthusiastic reviews concerning this book. I noticed a few things. First, people were confused and dissapointed by the many intricate storylines. I first read this book in 8th grade and made perfect sense of it, so why don't those people try to think, at least a little bit? Second, many people have problems with the politics of both Clancy and Ryan (as shown in the book). THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION! How can you honestly write a book off as bad because you don't agree with the political idealogy of its protaganist or writer? I read one review that almost quoted verbatum some of the liberal characters in the book. C'mon people, it's a fun read, just as all Clancy books are. We aren't reading for deeper intellectual understanding of our political system. We aren't trying to better understand the tax code. I wish that for once the people in this country would open up their minds and realize that just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't mean that they are "bad". I finish saying that I highly recomend this book to someone looking for a fun read. I also say this to the detractors: Get a life and stop trying to get off by looking for the "Clancy doctrine" hidden within his novels. He's right wing. If you're not, and you write him off for that reason alone, you are quite possibly the most shallow human alive. Thank you, and good night.
Rating: 
Summary: Too long and lacking in focus
Review: As I read this book, I had the feeling that Clancy has fallen prey to his own legend. The book seemed to be two separate stories pressed into one volume--as though Clancy had the material for two distinct 500-page books, and then said to himself, "But I'm Tom Clancy! I can't write a book this short!" and shoehorned them into a single plotline. The effect is disjointed, and results in a book that doesn't quite hang together. More troubling is the character of Jack Ryan. In this book, he expresses so much idealism and naivite as to sound unintelligent. It is absurd that a CIA analyst would be shocked at political machinations within the government. Indeed, I had the impression that Jack was a little surprised that his country _had_ a government. I can't imagine that Clancy meant to make his hero sound so ignorant, but that's the effect. Between the rambling and the bumbling, I'm put off of future Jack Ryan novels. It's too bad, because most of them were great. But for my money, stick a fork in Clancy; he's done.
Rating:
Summary: Read it Now
Review: I read this book when it came out and it is everything you expect from Clancy, a very well thought out story line with lots of details, great character development, rich in sub plots and story. Ok, he is increasingly leaning to the right of Rush Limbaugh, but that is kind of the charm. Well, now comes the new global reality we have with the 9/11 attacks and wow, this book almost reads as a historical fiction book. Ok, it still needs a little bit of faith on the readers part, but look at what is in the book, a presidential sex scandal, A passenger plane used as a weapon, biological terrorist attacks, and a President with a CIA background (ok wrong Bush but close). All Clancy fans have either read this book or will regardless of the reviews here. For those of you that have not read one of his I think given the times we are in this is a great start and will open you up to a catalogue of great fiction by Mr Clancy, his non-fiction is even not bad.
Rating:
Summary: Truth is stranger than fiction
Review: By the most amazing of coincidences, I was in the middle of this book on September 11, 2001. After so far reading that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon, and that there was a Middle Eastern conspiracy to spread disease througout America, was I reading the most timely book in the world, or what? I liked this book very much. I just gave Stephen King's "Black House" a negative review because it was a long novel that didn't go very far very fast. This is a very long novel, and it held me the whole way. Primarily, there's the basic story of the plot to attack America. As we all know, crashing a plane into a public building is not as far-fetched as one would have thought. And neither is the idea of spreading disease as a terrorist act. Yes, the good guys eventually win, at a price, and how our country goes about it is riveting. Then there's the issue of handling the Muslim religion. Yes, the rules of the religion are in total contrast to how many of their followers interpret it. Yes, many of the faith "officially" decree that these tactics are terrible. But is there any other religion in the world that has so many leaders sanction the violence that is happening in the world? A recent poll indicates that a large part of the Muslim world approves of the way things are being done. This book explores this world very well. Finally, there is a more human part of the story that's interesting. What would you do if you were suddenly, and totally unexpectedly made President of the United States? This is the role laid on Jack Ryan, and the everyday life changes he has to undergo while handling the crisis really flesh out the book. It's very revealing that the most powerful man in the world has many of his freedoms taken away, and is very possibly spied upon twenty-four hours a day by the people in charge of keeping our country secure. I've yet to read a bad Tom Clancy novel.
Rating:
Summary: Great as always
Review: The book could stand to lose between 200 and 300 pages. I also noticed all the good guys seem to think the same. What I like about the book is the insight it brings to the table. After reading a few Clancy books policy seems to make more sense. I also see the goverment reacting to a problem the same way a Clancy good guy would. I say buy the paperback , even if you dont like it 6 bucks for 1,500 pages is a good deal.
Rating:
Summary: This novel makes TV's West Wing look like a kiddie show!
Review: I have enjoyed Tom Clancy's novels over the years and have followed Jack Ryan's fictional career with interest. For a while, my life events got in the way of continuing my reading of the series, and I only just now read Executive Orders, well after the real events of 9/11. How eerily prescient in many ways is Mr. Clancy's world of the real one. Jack Ryan is catapulted into the Presidency of the United States by the events at the close of Debt of Honor in which a Japanese airline pilot crashes his plane into the Capitol during an expanded joint session of Congress, wiping out most of the higher Congressional and Executive parts of government along with the Supreme Court. President Ryan is truly a citizen-statesman, not a politician, and has to gain the support of regular Americans while rebuilding the government. Add to his difficulties an attempted takeover by the ousted former vice-president, a kidnapping attempt on his younger daughter, an assassination attempt on himself, a large-scale bioterrorism attack on the US, a domestic terrorist bombing attempt, saber-rattling by China and India, and an actual war with the United Islamic Republic (the union of Iran and Iraq after the successful assassination of the Iraqi leader), and you have the usual multi-faceted Clancy plotting which keeps you glued to the book. And given the usual Clancy book length (approaching 900 pages of small font print in the hardcover edition), reading it takes a while and can lead to spousal irritation. Especially compelling are insights into the Presidency with Ryan's attempts to cope with the office and the climactic battle scenes played out over the final 100 pages or so. As usual, the good guys win, although the cost is high. I'm a registered Democrat, but I'd vote for Jack Ryan with his honest, straightforward, decisive governing style. Whither next, Mr. Ryan? Onto The Bear and the Dragon.
Rating:
Summary: The Man Behind the Desk
Review: For years, Jack Ryan has been one of my favorite fictional characters. During my reading of the Cardinal of the Kremlin, my dad leaked the information to me that Jack becomes President eventually. I read through the next three books in the series in a frantic speed, trying to get to Executive Orders. And I enjoyed every moment in the book. For the first time, Clancy really takes us into the mind of Ryan. Again, the United States it confronted with great evil from around the world. After recovering from a war with Japan in Debt of Honor, the US military is in no condition to fight another war. But a villan from Sum of All Fears does not want to let the US sit alone. A coup unites Iran and Iraq into a single nation, who's main target is the US. What results is a high-flying epic told from many different perspectives. We see the battle from the front lines, from the Oval Office, and from the world of terrorism and counterterrorism. I suggest you read this book, but don't skip to it. The other books lay the foundation for Executive Orders, and this book ties up all those loose ends. Again, get this book, but read Patriot Games, The Hunt for Red October, The Sum of All Fears,the Cardinal of the Kremlin, Debt of Honor, and Clear and Present Danger first.
Rating:
Summary: Executive Eye-Opener
Review: Whatever one might think of Clancy's writing, this book's political and sociological significance has grown considerably since September 11, and one cannot help but wonder if the attacks somehow found inspiration in these pages. A quote from the fictional terrorist Ali Badrayn on page 406 is sadly ironic, "It's not difficult, gathering information in the modern age. The American media publishes so much, and it can all be easily accessed now." Clancy's book itself could be considered part of that easily accessed media which the fictional Badrayn exploited. Published in 1997, it explores the theme of simultaneous terrorist attacks on the United States, not unlike what the country witnessed in 2001. Although the parallels may not be exact, it does not require a great leap of faith to conclude that real-life architects of synchronized terror may have found some inspiration here. A jumbo jet is purposely crashed into the United States Capitol building. Shortly thereafter, terrorists release a potent strain of the Ebola virus in several major cities. Having identified the culprits, America declares war on the attackers. The United States' military attention is diverted overseas while additional threats plague the country and its leadership. Other similarities, many dealing with the aftermath, are more predictable but all too familiar. Foreign dignitaries arrive to express condolences, and services are held at the National Cathedral. "Banks and financial markets were closed, as were schools and many businesses" (96). Many Americans let the new president know he is in their prayers despite the fact that his mandate to rule has been brought into question by a bizarre detour of the electoral process. Echoing George W. Bush after the attacks, President Jack Ryan speaks these words to television reporters: "America is still America" (70) and "We have buried our dead. We will mourn their losses for a long time to come. But our country lives, and the friends we lost on that horrible night would have it no other way Our economy has taken a nasty shock, but survived, and is still the strongest in the world. This is still America. We are still Americans, and our future starts with every new day" (255). On the Muslim question he comments, "We must understand that religion has nothing at all to do with these inhuman acts Islam is not the enemy of our country or any other I know that Islam, like Christianity and Judaism, teaches us about a God of love and mercy -- and justice" (1248). Washington National airport remains closed for an extended period of time. Other flights into DC airports are instructed to avoid a 20-mile radius centered on the White House. Flights ignoring these instructions and warnings would be challenged by fighter jets (145). The fictional ground zero is almost too realistic: "The real trick was coordinating the actions of the cranes, which dipped into the crater--that's how it looked--like a quartet of giraffes drinking from the same water hole, never quite banging together due to the skill of the operators" (78). While I am not normally a Clancy fan, this book earns an extra star for its remarkable foresight -- so much foresight that it raises new questions about responsible freedom of press and speech. To be fair, few could have predicted that a book published in 1997 would so closely foreshadow events four years later. As usual, the majority of Clancy's characters are endowed with high levels of testosterone and cowboy mentalities. His effort to include women in responsible roles, while admirable, is also obvious. One can also reasonably assume that Clancy is occupying the bully pulpit through President Ryan, speaking his own political views with common-man grit and gumption (994). Nonetheless, the book remains a worthwhile read. It is engrossing, thoughtfully constructed, and eye-opening. Clancy continues to entertain while educating the public on issues of national security which may otherwise go unnoticed. Good on him.
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