Debt of Honor

Rating:
Summary: When reality imitates art
Review: This Clancy novel, part of the Jack Ryan saga, follows the protagonist through his reluctant but moralistic attitude through the American political landscape. Jack is the National Security Advisor for a President bogged down within a increasingly hostile relationship with the Japanese and the unfortunate embargo on Japanese products after a Japanese made car destroys the lives of an average American family. Thus fueling an escalation of political sparring between the countries.

The leader of the Japanese economic contingent contrives a plan to cripple the US economy and somewhat achieves its goal, with the intention of bringing Japan to the forefront of the global economic community.

The book ends in an incredible scenario in which reality truly imitates art. I was reminded of this book today that I read 4 years ago, while watching CNN coverage of the planes that deliberately collided with the World Trade Center in New York City causing its collapse and thousands possibly dead. You will see once you're done reading this novel the similarities between the Clancy novel and the World Trade Center travesty resembles one another. For this reason, it is worth reading the political thriller to feel the "behind the scenes" happenings of this horrible tragedy that has befallen the United States. I hope we can all learn from the World Trade Center tragedy by possibly paying closer attention to the political fiction writers that prophesy these horrible circumstances.

Insofar as the books literary value, it is an average Clancy thriller, but definitely worth reading after the circumstances in New York City.

Rating:
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

Rating:
Summary: Enemy, Ally, or Something Else?
Review: The book Debt of Honor questions whether the Japanese accepted surrender at the end of WWII, of if it was just a retreat. Honor and Saving Face means much to the Japanese culture, and, if like in many Clancy novels, if they were pushed "one step closer", could they gain an upper hand and threaten war once again?

To fully appreciate the situation in Debt of Honor, the full political and military ramificaitons of Clancy's works must have come true - ICBM nuke disarmament, and a general reduction of war forces of both sides of the eastern block and NATO.

So if Japan becomes a nuclear power, and takes over Guam, could the US respond - especially if their financial situation is thrown into chaos via computer "virus" - or deliberate trap?

I don't agree with several of Clancy's postulates, such as ICBM disarmement (in face of the China threat), or a President putting a member of the opposite political party in the VP slot (as happened to Jack Ryan in the book). While perhaps necessary for future novels (such as Execute Orders), Jack Ryan's accendency to the Presidency is needed, politicians and congress members would reject a VP like Jack, since he would be a heartbeat away from the top job. However, the book is a satifying work of fiction well worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: Far-fetched, even for fiction
Review: First, let me say that I have not yet finished the book, which by the way, like most here would agree, is way too lengthy. Nevertheless, I wanna share the impression I have of it so far.

I read this book with a could-this-really-happen mindset because, personnally, having the constant belief that the plot is plausible makes the journey through the book more intriguing and thrilling (this is especially true for this genre).

Sadly, this book simply doesn't cut it in the "Plausible and Believable" department. Here are some examples that illustrate my point:

- the trade "embargo" on Japan (too heavy-handed and how it came about was just absurd; hell, if it was that easy a decision, the US would already have an embargo on France AND Germany by now!)

- the USA's complete nuclear disarmement (this speaks for itself)

- The Chinese cooperating with the Japanese (as if China was immune to any consequences of a major turmoil in the US)

- Virus attack on Wall Street (how original... for some reason, I don't buy it)

The amount of (major) elements that were outright ludicrous to me just nullified most of the fun I could have had in reading the book.

Rating:
Summary: Incredibly Detailed, Great Thriller!!
Review: This was the first Tom Clancy book I read. The book portrays a Japanese business man, Raizo Yamata, who is unhappy with Japan's current standing in the world, and wants to see his country rise to glory. When the US embarks on a trade war with Japan over the death of an American family in a car crash due to faulty Japanese manufacturing, Yamata's patriotism is ignited. What results is a full scale military, political, and economic onslaught onto the United States by Japan, with the intent to cripple the nation.

What first struck me about this novel was the level of detail (and accuracy) in Clancy's writing. The plot line is so accurately described that the story is very believable. The action sequences are also outstanding. The book ends in traditional cliffhanger fashion, and I advise you to purchase the sequel, Executive Orders, before you finish this book, because you're not going to want to wait!

Rating:
Summary: Imaginative and unlikely--an intriguing premise.
Review: America and Japan are vital allies and trading partners and I am confident that the two countries will never again engage in armed conflict with one another. A limited form of armed conflict between Japan and the United States is the intriguing premise of this novel, one of Clancy's best. Although unlikely, there is nothing that takes place in this novel that is quite impossible. Just not real probable, but hey, that's why we have fiction.

The basic storyline is simple (no spoilers here). The trade friction between Japan and the United States comes to a head when the US enacts a trade bill which essentially targets Japanese firms which engage in sharp practices against the US. This gives a clique of power-wielding industrialists an opportunity to put Japan on a course whereby it seeks to establish military control over much of the Western Pacific area, including Saipan, which is a United States territory. Therein lies the story. Far out, but not impossible. Here, Clancy is stretching his imaginative muscles and the result is a quite good novel. As usual, Clancy's skillful speculation about, and knowledge of, military technology gives this one more authenticity than most authors would be able to manage.

This one brings back our old friends Jack Ryan, John Clark, and Ding Chavez, who are the central players on the American side. This novel features some of Clancy's best writing, and is not overlong like most of his later works. Further, the Japanese side is presented largely with respect and dignity, excepting the core bad guys who are portrayed as well, bad guys.

One of Clancy's best, and if you like his other ones, you will probably thoroughly enjoy this one.

Rating:
Summary: Imagining the unimaginable
Review: I read this Clancy novel the moment it came out in '96. It has one of the BEST ENDINGS of any book I've read. Unfortunately, September 11th, 2001 shed a completely different light on this book. In fact, the first thought I had when I learned of the horrible attack on that morning was, "someone read DEBT OF HONOR." (If I reveal the ending here, there's not much of a point for you to read it...)

So when Condoleeza Rice said to the press that "no one could have imagined" that someone would use airliners to attack buildings I was appalled by the bald-faced lie. Everyone knows that D.C. (the Pentagon, the White House, the CIA) reads Clancy's novels, in galley form before they're published. Not only did the terrorists imagine this, Clancy wrote a remarkably similar and spectacular scenario, allowing the D.C. war-gamers to imagine yet another horrible possibility. After all, Reagan purportedly got all fired up about the Star Wars Missile Defense System after reading Clancy's RED STORM RISING.

The WTC attack was not just an attack on a civilian target. Just like the Easter Egg attack depicted in the beginning of DEBT OF HONOR, the WTC attack was on an economic target for its symbolic value.

DEBT OF HONOR is long, perhaps too long. But that's what you expect from a good Tom Clancy novel and this is one of his better ones. This book is definitely worth reading. Sadly, post September 11th, this is true for more reasons than just because it's a good 'ole Tom Clancy yarn.

Rating:
Summary: Not a bad book
Review: As a soldier curently in Iraq, I've found more time to read. After reading this book i was a little disapponted that the action was so short. I did enjoy the book though. I was quite impressed by the way Tom Clancy goes into such detail describing just about everything. I could actually imagine being John Clark/Kelly or Ding Chavez, or any of the others. The book ends in a clif-hanger, making me want to pick up the next book and continue the story.

Rating:
Summary: A little bit unrealistic with the war with Japan....
Review: But still a great read. The book goes around a Japanese businessman with a lot of power and money. Now Jack comes back into the picture, two years off of retirement and now he is asked by President Durling to come back as his National Secutiry Advisor, Jack takes the offer and goes ahead with the plan.
In Japan, businessmen who hate America for what it has done to their country rages them, and when a accident killing an American family thanks to their tires gives them more patrotic duty to their country, and the U.S. bans all of the tires made in Japan, so with this the businessmen decide to bring back imperilism by kidnapping the Prime Minister, and by ordering the invasion of American terrority in the Pacific gain by the U.S. in WW2. Now the U.S. is locked in a word battle with Japan with American citizens on these islands, they fear that they are in danger, and so comes in John and Ding Chavez, and they head to Japan and they attempt to rescue Koga from the men. So while the battle with Japan begins, Koga is rescued and he calls off the fighting with the U.S.
Now as things start to cool down, back home Vice President Ed Kealthy is resigning the Vice Presidency because of a sex scandal some years ago, and President Durling ask Jack to hold the seat of Vice President for only a year until President Durling's term is up, Jack takes the offer since him and Jack are good friends dating back to the secret operations in Columbia to fight the drug lords for killing three American operatives.
Back in Japan, Admiral Sato then flies a plane to America, while taking a break, he then stabs his co-pilot saying 'sorry my friend.' after stabbing him. No passengers are on board, and back in Washington Jack is beginning to be sworn in as Vice President with the Supreme Court, Congress is full, and everyone in the political game is there to see Jack take the oath.
Now as Jack is sworn in, President Durling is talking to Congress while Sato dives a plane into the chambers of Congress. Killing all of Congress, the Supreme Court judges, the President and the first lady along with his secret service agents assigned to President Durling. Now through the wreckage, while being Vice President for only a couple of minutes, Jack is now President Of The United States of America, and he has a huge disaster on his hands with most of Congress dead, the Supreme Court dead, and the President dead leaving Jack Patrick Ryan the most powerful man in the world.

This is definitely a GOOD book to read if you are a Clancy fan like myself. The book does talk a lot about the world financial market a lot, but hey this is Tom Clancy we are talking about, he has to know what he is talking about, and he is good at it.
What made me think twice about this ending, the plane crashing into a building especially like the WTC, did Usama Bin Laden read Debt Of Honor, and got the idea of crashing a plane into a building like 9/11 and in Debt Of Honor? We dont know, but a damn good ending, and kind of sad when you think about it. Great book, not just about the plane crashing, the whole story altogether.

Rating:
Summary: A definate must read if your a Tom Clancy fan.
Review: Right now I have about 100 pages left to read in this book and I can barely put it down long enough to write this review. this is the third Tom Clancy book that I have read. This book has a very involed plot that weaves itself together to create a beatiful tapestry called "Debt of Honor". The depth of the characters and the realisticness of the story add to its appeal.
When I read this book I can actualy imagine the events occuring in real life.