Debt of Honor

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Summary: For die-hard Clancy fans
Review: I've skipped around the Jack Ryan series of Clancy books -- skipping one or two, reading them out of order, etc. Debt of Honor was typical Clancy -- very heavy on the logistics and technical details of modern political and military conflict, light on character development. I guess there may be men like "Saint Jack" Ryan in political life, but sometimes you just want him to kick his dog or cuss someone out. Some may enjoy the financial details of this book, but I found myself skipping through large chunks of this one. The build up to the military conflict -- the real meat and gift of Clancy's writing -- seemed interminable. I just kept waiting for *something* to *happen.* I'll probably read Executive Decision just to find out what crisis Jack lands in as president of the US of A, but in the meantime, I hope Clancy comes out with another entry to the Op Center series of books

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Summary: One of his better recent efforts
Review: Clancy has a reputation as being heavy on the macho storytelling and light on the writing skills (character development, realistic dialogue, etc). This book is no exception. However, it benefits from its focus on technological detail, battle scenes and intrigue. Those are his strengths. He spends little time probing his characters' emotions, which he is not very good at anyway. Instead, he keeps Ryan, Clark, Jackson, Mancuso, etc., on their toes, dealing with a multitude of crises with little time for personal reflection. The many plot threads keep the reader fairly interested throughout the book. In addition to the usual descriptions of planes, submarines and espionage techniques, Clancy also offers his interpretation of how the American free market economy works. I don't know enough about economics to know if Clancy, who spent many years in the insurance business, has drawn up a plausible scenario. But it makes for a nice change of pace

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Summary: Best book yet.
Review: This is his best yet. Totally plausable plot line. The story line of the take down of the Western World powers by economic and military attacks take a truly complicated mind. Yet, Clancy carried me every step of the way. The 900+ pages flew by. I couldn't put it down

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Summary: WORDS FROM A FORMER CLANCY FAN:
Review: If it wasn't for the kamikazee thing in the end, I would have never picked up another Clancy book. Of course I want to find out what happens to Ryan in "Executive Orders." But I would have been more entertained reading a pile of lease agreements than 95% of Debt of Honor

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Summary: EXCELLENT 4 day course in economics!!!
Review: While spending an incredible amount of time in bed recovering from spinal surgery and eagerly awaiting the end of the OJ trial so I could watch some REAL soap operas, I found Tom Clancy's works somewhat by accident. I read all that were available at the time and eagerly awaited DEBT OF HONOR as a child awaits a trip to Disneyland. FINALLY it came out and I spent the big bucks to get it the first day in hardcover (personally didn't care what cover). Reading nearly non-stop, with time out for eating, sleeping when absolutely necessary, getting kids off to school and kissing husband before he went to work, it still took me 4 days to get through all of this book. What a deal for the money...I think it worked out to about 20 cents per hour for first class engrossing entertainment, real fodder to deep thought and by far the BEST explanation and course into the intracacies of the American Monetary system. To be entertained, distracted from physical pain, provided activity thoughout prolonged period of enforced idleness and to actually LEARN something useful for such a low price is truly a bargain, no matter how you slice it. Jack Ryan finally matures into his age and experience and reaps the benefits or disease of America's gratefullness. (its how you look at it). This book should be required reading for any High School or college introductory class in Economics. If you know nothing about stocks, mutual funds, bonds and other monetary instruments, but want to, this book will teach you painlessly and completely so you won't feel like an idiot next time Paine Webber sends you their statement. For those people looking for a wild, technology filled, action packed, revenge filled "YES" and most of all completely possible story, this is it. Nothing far fetched or outdated here. Not even close to being filled with SCI-FI, this book delivers today from today's headlines, from today's political reality and most of all to our hearts in its flag waving good guy wins kinda way. If you can't afford the book, email me, I might lend you my copy if you sign a promissory note for your first born child. Besides Tom Clancy is one hell of a nice guy too

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Summary: Remote Control Terminator
Review: I loved to read as I was growing up and have limited a lot of my recent reading to short stories. I was ordering another book from Amazon and ran across DOH. As soon as I received the book in the mail I sat down and began to read and read and read... The story was like reading today's newspapers, it tied in current events and themes to the point that I had to stop and remind myself that this was fiction. I can't wait to get my copy of Executive Orders to see how Mr. Ryan takes on the next challenge!

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Summary: Clancy Excites 1991 Harvard Research
Review: In 1991, an unusual submission was made to the Harvard Undergraduate Government Department as a course paper on Japanese political economics. Over the next decade, it cited, global interdependency would indicate a shift in political focus from military to economic hegemony. Dependency on trade and high-technology R&D would replace the bomb as determinants of political power, and "trade" would join "religion" and "territory" as incentives for war. "Debt of Honor" is an dramatic verification and original extrapolation of this paper. Tom Clancy expertly utilizes the same thesis, and adds a functional knowledge of modern-Japanese sociology, politics and US-Japan diplomacy. "Debt of Honor" does NOT illustrate the "only possible way" Japan and the US could go to war, it delineates a new class of scenarios which leaders must consider today. If that 1991 course paper were to be rewritten as an imprending-scenario illustration, Debt of Honor would graduate with Honors of its own. Tom Clancy points out that leaders of the developing technological utopia have as much, if not more responsibilty as those from the classical miltary theater. An amusing note: Clancy accurately hints at developments in the consumer electronics market. In one instance, he cites market release of the Nikon F5 camera half a year prior to the announcement in Tokyo.

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Summary: Must read for anyone who enjoys the Joint Warfare Concept
Review: I found this book to be a valuable assett in learning the ways of Joint Warfare. Not to mention it's riveting written style which keeps you thinking about the concepts even while doing other things. A must for Clancy readers and new fans alike. Fantastic lead in for "Executive Orders"

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Summary: Others require 50 pages - this one hits you from page 1
Review: After reading most of Clancy's novels I found this one among the very best. The main reason is that is has a touch of financial thrills in the story. //Carl

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Summary: Awesome novel, absolutely AWESOME!!!!!
Review: My first book by Tom Clancy was The Sum of All Fears which I read while stationed on Okinawa for six months. It was good that it didn't take me that long to read it. I have become such an avid reader now because of Tom Clancy's stories. His extensive details of the characters thoughts and actions are incredible. I am looking forward tremendously to reading his latest book, Executive Orders. It's kind of hard reading such a book while in college so during the Christmas break will be a great time. Your work is OUTSTANDING!!!!!