Rating: Summary: Jingoism and vigilanteism at its worst. Review: What happened to the Clancy that virtually created the "techno-thriller?" What we have now is an overblown, self-satisfied egotist who can no longer tell a story worth reading. This book revels in revenge with characters that act as judge, jury and executioner, with no regard to moral, ethical or legal considerations. Clancy gives us characters that kill with no remorse and no after-effects - and then tries to position them as heroes. As a veteran myself, who spent two years in Viet Nam, I wonder if Clancy has ever seen real combat or had to face himself after killing another human being - no matter how justified. Clancy has big friends and talks a big game these days. As a writer that never could develop dialogue, create character depth or explore human issues, Clancy has now lost his ability to combine technology, plot and action to drive a story. The result is a writer that has nothing to say and a book that offers nothing but third rate cliches, violence and cheap rhetoric to the reader.
Rating: Summary: Baby teeth only Review: Throughout the whole book, I had a hard time believing Tom Clancy wrote it. I'm a devoted fan and was thrilled to see a new Clancy on the stands. But I was disappointed with the slow, slow, slow pace, the erratic style (some paragraphs were a page long; others were three sentences), and the lack of action until the last hundred pages. Yes, there were some things I enjoyed: three likeable, new characters in the Jack Ryan venue and Clancy's willingness to take on the moral consciousness of America as it explores being an aggressor in eliminating world evil.The review of old characters lasted too long, and in the end, I felt that the real purpose of this book was not to tell a story of new characters but to set them up for future books. Readers who enjoy Clancy's enviable knowledge of new and future technologies will find very little in this book as well.
Rating: Summary: Better than Red Rabbit but not by much Review: not very realistic,comic book characters, plot is sketchy,and this book is just the prelude for a sequel. I wont't bore you with the plot; suffice to say the dust jacket is the book. With this book Clancy is continuing to show that he is past his prime and his books are lacking imagination. Wait for the paperback version.
Rating: Summary: Toothless Tiger Review: If you are a Clancy fan, keep walking past this one. The book is only half the size of his previous Jack Ryan works with only 1/10 of the story. The next generation of Ryan(s)heros are just too perfect to be believed or to be admired. Halfway through the book you will have guessed the ending or be hoping that the "heroes" get eliminated. Very formula, very disappointing.
Rating: Summary: C'mon Tom, you can do better than this! Review: Awhile ago, I vowed to never again read any of Tom Clancy's books that were co-written. I may have to extend this to any of his future books.The story reveals itself well enough, with a sufficiently brazen terrorist attack to warrant retribution. A shadow corporation set up by a former president (guess who?) exists to carry out acts of retribution that the current administration cannot or willnot be party to. This alone is a bit over the edge. These folks develop a means of killing someone that is nearly instant, irreversible, and nearly undetectable, as well as a means of delivery. They then recruit the sons of some former characters in Clancy's books, including Jack Jr. After that, things flow fairly downhill. Tom, I don't know what got into you. The premise of the kids taking up for the oldsters has promise, but this book...this book just left me cold. The buildup is mostly there, the interwoven story lines are there, but there's no resolution at the end. Did you just turn off your computer? The ending in this book reads like those familiar lines that you see at season end on many TV shows: To Be Continued I'll give your next book a good skimming before I head for the cash register. Tom...you're losing it...Tom...come in Tom...
Rating: Summary: This book is the best of Clancy! Review: There are only 3 word to decribe his new book: Cool, cool, awesome. I am already half-way into it and I cannot stop turning the pages. This book has more action than "Rainbow 6" even. In these times it is nice to have a book that actually deals with real-world issues, especially after Sept. 11. I actually hope our goverment has an actual "campus" so that we can take the fight to the bad guys and really show them whos the boss.
Rating: Summary: Jack Ryan -- The Next Generation Review: Tom Clancy took Jack Ryan all the way to the White House, which made for a fascinating run of techno-thrillers, but kind of limited the potential for sequels. Rather than continue pursuing the further career of super-spook John Clark (RAINBOW SIX), himself a little long of tooth now, Clancy has passed the torch to a new generation of protectors of America's freedoms. President Jack Ryan set up "The Campus" as an off=the-books, supersecret intelligence agency. Off-the-books, off-the-budget (in fact, it turns a profit), off-the-oversight-committee-supervision -- it exists to do what must be done. And "The Campus" has determined that in the world of post-September 11th, it now needs an action arm --"teeth" for the "tiger". It recruits a young FBI agent and a young Marine Captain. Yet even while it seeks to expand its activities, the secret of "The Campus" itself has been penetrated -- by none other than Jack Ryan, Jr. All Jack, Jr. wants is a chance to help save America, just like Dad did. And there are a lot of bad guys out there that America needs saving from. A good plot, good, new characters, and a real fast read, without being a 700 page monster.
Rating: Summary: Half a book Review: The Teeth of the Tiger is a typical good Clancy read, but there is a major fault-it's only half there. The book stops cold in the middle of the story. Some things were resolved, but it practically screams out "buy the sequel to get the rest of the story". The book is relatively thin by recent Clancy standards, and that's because the second half is missing. Of course you get to pay full price. Shame on you Tom.
Rating: Summary: disappointing Review: There's not much meat to this for 480 pages, for a Tom Clancy book. I usually feel he introduces a new world, some new ideas, secrets, dangerous, the opposite of mundane everyday life. Here he introduces new characters and a disbelief-stretching new organization, and follows their surprisingly mundane everyday lives. It wasn't as exciting and the more tense or emotional situations didn't ring very true. Teeth of the Tiger is still a fun read, but you come out at the other end wondering where the rest of it is.
Rating: Summary: Reality Lacking Review: This isn't as bad as Red Rabbit but it isn't much better. Tom Clancy seems to be a cheer leader for the CIA making them appear to be better than reality suggests. The plot isn't much and the pace is erratic -- though slow for the most part. The characters seem to be sociopaths and Mr. Clancy's United States can make no mistakes. Too bad he hasn't been following the news a little more closely. There's plenty of material out there that could be incorporated into a story to make it believable. There is an overall aura of boredom with the book as Mr. Clancy's novels are becoming more and more uninteresting.
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