Rating: 
Summary: Below Par
Review: I have been a long time reader of Tom Clancy fiction. I anxiously awaited the release of this, his latest work. This book does not come close to The Bear and the Dragon. While Teeth of the Tiger keeps you interested it never seems to go anywhere and it has no real climax. Sorry, Tom, this one does not measure up.
Rating:
Summary: Missing a climax
Review: Clancy is one of those authors that I hate to love, but love his work I do. On the whole this novel is much better than his most recent efforts and strikes out in a badly needed new direction. I enjoyed this work greatly, but boy does it have some flaws. First the book is just too fast paced in a lot of ways. Details about what has happened to previously recurring characters are thrown away in asides and the timeline is almost implausibly quick. Clancy has also abandoned any pretense about being a rabidly right wing conservative (not that he ever really tried to but damn is it extreme here). The last complaint is that the book is too short (at least by Clancy standards) and it is missing any scenarios that truly feel dangerous to the protagonists and is missing a real climax. It literally feels like half a book, with the real story and the payoff yet to come. Maybe it's just marketing because, flaws and political differences with me aside, I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Rating: 
Summary: A good read featuring a new generation of characters
Review: Being a Tom Clancy fan and someone who has read all of his previous novels, I knew ahead of time that I would like this book. However, I didn't know how high I would rank it compared to his previous works of fiction. Now I can tell you that I rank it near the top. I would still consider this story part of the Jack Ryan series, even though Jack Ryan doesn't play much of a role in this story, (no dialog except for a short phone conversation). However, there are several references to him throughout the story. The main characters in this story are Jack's son, John Patrick Ryan Jr. and two of his nephews, Dominick and Brian Caruso or "Aldo and Enzo." I don't want to give away any of the plot but lets just say that it fits in with and is a continuation of previous novels in the Jack Ryan series. It's also short compared to most other Clancy novels in that it is only 431 pages long (hardcover edition). I completed it in two days and really enjoyed the story. I gave it 4 stars but could've easily given it 5. The reason I only gave it 4 is in comparison to Mr. Clancy's other novels. Meaning that it's very good but not his best. However it ranks right up near the top so it probably deserved 5 stars. If you're a fan of Tom Clancy, you will definitely like this story. If this is the first novel of his that you read, I still think you'll like the story but I would suggest reading some of his other novels in the Jack Ryan series before reading this one. In fact, if you haven't read any of his "Jack Ryan" novels, it would be a good idea to start with the first one and work your way through each one and finish with Teeth of the Tiger. That way you won't be jumping ahead in the series and end up missing previous timelines. The only exception to this would be Red Rabbit. It was the last novel released before Teeth of the Tiger but since it's place in the Jack Ryan timeline is before everything else, it would be best to read it first. Also, don't skip the 4 stories that have been made into movies. The books are a lot better!Ok, I've kind of gotten away from Teeth of the Tiger. In closing let me say that it is a very well written story and very much worth reading. Read it and judge for yourself. Darin Tucker
Indianapolis, IN
Rating:
Summary: Not A Good Performance
Review: "The Teeth of the Tiger" - Tom Clancy on a bad day. The book was not typical Tom Clancy and generally an unsatisfactory read. I imagine that had Mr. Clancy combined this book with possibly his next two one would have come away with a feeling of fullfillment.
Rating:
Summary: Wanted to enjoy this book on Tape, BUT!
Review: I have read or listened to most of Tom Clancy's books and, while this book is a good typical book, it seems to me to be lightweight in terms of plot and length. There are unmistakeable plot lines from "Without Remorse" in this book, having to do with a retribution or "an eye for an eye" philosophy. This book does have a very timely plot and storyline, but it ended short of being a complete story. It just stopped way too soon in the process of rooting out the terrorists' and drug dealers' networks. The characters in the book, as in all of Clancy's books, seem very real and are well developed. It looks like this book is the first of a series about Jack Ryan, Jr and his cousins, which could really be interesting. The book is a good read or listen, and I would recommend it to all fans of Jack Ryan and John Clark characters. I cannot give it 5 stars because it ends before an appropriate resolution.
Rating:
Summary: Start of a new era
Review: Let me first start off by saying I was a bit surprised that the book is far shorter in length than his previous works. As usual, Tom has created a premise that is extremely plausible given our current world environment, and sets the stage with a moral and ethical dilemma. I'm not going to say anything regarding the book, except for the fact that the premise is believable, the characters are great, and Jack Ryan Jr. is a welcome addition to continue on to the next level of the Jack Ryan Sr. series. The ending of the book gives the definite impression that this is the start of a series. There are several mentions of Rainbow Six and Clark which give the impression that they could be folded into the next book in some way. I'd certainly like to see it!
Rating: 
Summary: A vacation mistake by an old Tom Clancy fan
Review: I hope Tom Clancy reads his first reader review on Amazon. I'm your target reader. On vacation, an old fan (fromt the Hunt days), looking for an easy read -- not high art, but a satisfying page turner that leaves you thinking, at least a bit. I am sorry to report that Mr. Clancy has missed the mark in every way that one can imagine. In this work, Clancy tries the laudable task of introducing a series of new characters to replace his old workhorses. The result is a first 75 pages devoted almost entirely to the introduction of three skin-deep characters with numerous attempts to draw life from their well-developed predecessors. If there is a polar opposite to Jack Ryan jumping off the page in Hunt, Clancy has succeeded. All the usual words are there -- the links to the past, the search for their souls, the distaste for the Establishment, the call to action -- but they add up to characters that would never make it into print were it not for Clancy's reputation. Unfortunately, the plot rivals character development for lack of imagination. Pitting Islalm against America, it is standard post 9/11 fare with one dimensional enemies and little intrigue. The so-called twist (on the jacket, I'm not giving anything away), linking Arab terrorists with the Columbian cartel, brings little to plot or character development. Finally, the greatest disappointment of all: the book brings none of the legendary sense of "watching from the inside" and attention to detail that drove Clancy's prior works. I'll concede its accuracy, but it lacked depth, insight and punch. I'm not sure I know any more about the workings of the intelligence community than from a careful reading of the Sunday newspapers. The details were carefully drawn out, but lacking in intrigue. I'm not exactly shocked that government agencies monitor the internet traffic of alleged bad guys and suspect that my teens could provide me better education about the finer technical points of hacking. All in all, a keen disappointment. One never confused a Tom Clancy novel with great literature, but he always managed to deliver a good, sometimes great read. Mr Clancy, I commend you for trying to break out of the past, but I urge you to revisit your original works to find out what made you such a satisfying writer.
Rating:
Summary: Not a tiger burning bright
Review: As a Clancy fan who actually took vacation to coincide with the books release, this new installment was looked forward to and I am sure all will enjoy it. Sadly, it looks like the days when a Clancy plot required all five fingers to keep track of the plot threads are over. Perhaps his publisher or editor wants it simplified and dumbed down to sell more or to a wider audience, perhaps The Bear and the Dragon sold badly, perhaps it is the influence of a new audience introduced to Clancy from the movies, but Red Rabbit and now Teeth of the Tiger have the plot complexity of a Hollywood Blockbuster. No "sting" factor, no complex action. I foresaw the actions of the twins in the mall and then could not believe that the obvious reaction of the press to hound them was ignored and how it avoided unexplained. Gone too are the detailed insider elements. With a cover of a currency trading operation, no details on how it works. The characters too have been simplified to black and white. I found the character of Ryan's son just another rich kid, self-righteous and arrogant and allowed to be always right; the other members of the white hat team vanilla, nothing like the mentors Ryan Sr. had, no new Clark. The black hats too are boring, vulgar, and crude. No gray characters at all, no insider agendas, no third man, no potential traitors, nothing to betray. It looks like there is no longer any enemy worth engaging with anything but raw violence. Ethics are handled with the intellectual complexity of a talk show. These are catholics educated in Jesuit institutions. Where is Aquinas, Busenbaum, and MacIntyre when you need them? One now can only hope that there is a Moriarty, possibly female, in Ryan Jr.'s future.
Rating: 
Summary: Half a Book, Half a Plot
Review: I love Tom Clancy. Rainbow Six is one of all time favorite novels. Executive Orders and The Bear and the Dragon are so huge in scope it boggles the mind. Herein lies the problem with The Teeth of the Tiger. It has an interesting plot, the rise of Jack Ryan Jr. and the partnership between a drug cartel and a terrorist group. However, at just over 400 pages or some 700 pages shorter than most other Clancy novels, it never really takes off. The terrorist attack in this book seems minor when compared to the bio-attack from Executive Orders, or a plane crashing into the capital from Without Remorse, and a nuke heading toward the US from The Bear and the Dragon, and a virus capable of killing everyone on the planet or any number of terrorist attacks from Rainbow Six. Lots of things are left hanging in this book (so what happens to the cartel, who is heading up the Organization). I hear Tom is taking a break to play golf, I hope he finally finishes this book we he returns.
Rating:
Summary: Promising Restart to Aging Series
Review: With a whole new cast of characters this is a promising restart to the Jack Ryan, (Jr. this time) franchise. The writing is clear, and crisper than it seems to have been in Clancy's last few novels. Shorter than most Clancy novels this one's pages will roll off of your fingrtips faster than you want them to, and leave you wanting more of Jack Jr., much more.
|
