Without Remorse

Rating:
Summary: Drug- pushers are for shooting
Review: Tough combat vetran kills drug-pushers left and right, because they killed his girl friend. In between killing gangsters at home he slips (actually swims) into North Vietnam to help save the lives of American POWs.
I had to read this big book to the end to find in what creative way he kills off all the pushers, but I could only do it by skiping and skiming over and through detailed build-up that was just too long and slow for me.
I prefer, for example, Dan Brown's more concise method of crafting thillers -- due to this prefrence of mine -- I take one star away from Mr. Clancy.

Rating:
Summary: A departure from Jack "Boy Scout" Ryan
Review: First, I have no real problem with Ryan's Boy Scout virtues. It's simply nice to see a counterbalance to that. From reading most of the Ryan books, I have a good idea of what makes him tick. I didn't really have much of a clue as to what made John Clark tick - until I read this book. Establishing some of his driving forces and telling how he wound up in the CIA seem to be the goals of this book, and those goals are accomplished. I didn't really see much of how he became a "CIA legend," though - I would very much like to see another book that covers some of his early ventures with the CIA, to better establish that.

The Vietnam segment seemed slightly out of place, but in order to achieve the goal of telling how he was recruited into the CIA, was necessary. It also seems to me to have been written the way it was (no pitched battle for the prisoners) because it would have detracted from the main story, and because it served to link to the involvement of the traitors, the elimination of which served as a sort of induction into the Company. At least, that's how I saw it.

I only have so much space, so there are a lot of reviews I can't address. However, I want to focus right in on the complaints of Kelly being able to kill so coldly, without remorse as it were.

If you read Dave Grossman's book On Killing, you will come upon a certain item - in combat, it's estimated that 2% of soldiers are what have been deemed "aggressive sociopaths." The label does not specifically mean that they're sociopaths in all aspects - but they are able to kill without hesitation, and without suffering the mental trauma that other soldiers often carry when they kill.

The character of John Kelly fits the characteristics of an aggressive sociopath. He can kill when he deems it necessary and feel no regrets about it, yet also feel compassion for others. It is paradoxical, but Kelly is such a man, and such men do not only exist in fiction. They exist in the real world as well, only in such a small percentage of the population that we basically don't know they're there.

I don't say killing drug dealers is right or wrong. Not my call to make. But I do feel that a man who can turn his attention from simple revenge to helping girls who are, to put it simply, in bad situations is not simply a stone cold murderer.

I don't think Kelly saw killing other drug dealers as excessive, either. I think he treated the whole thing as a military operation and acted accordingly. Right, wrong, I can't say, it's just what he did.

As for the mistake of bringing Pam to her home turf undisguised, with no real protection - he'd survived Nam, and so was probably a little cocky at the thought of dealing with what he considered basic thugs, and understandably so. And he had no idea how violent the streets had gotten in his time away. The jungles of Vietnam were what he was used to - he just wasn't ready for Baltimore to be a different kind of jungle.

Would I do the same thing Kelly did? No. I would cry out for punishment and vengeance, but I wouldn't have the skills to obtain it. Kelly did, as well as the mindset.

Ultimately...it's a book. A collection of pages with words on them, nothing more, nothing less. So I'm going to leave it at that.

Rating:
Summary: The cream of the crop
Review: Tied with "Red Storm Rising" for my absolute favorite Clancy novel. A compelling read delving into the shady past of John Clark, probably any true Clancy fan's favorite character (with the possible exception of Mr. Ryan).

Some of the most satisfying moments I have ever experienced from a book came from "Without Remorse" - the villains are so repugnant, so disgustingly subhuman, that it just makes your day a little brighter when they get theirs.

The ending is simply the best I have ever read, period.

Rating:
Summary: The Best of the best
Review: Clancy has driven us far with his morally right and do good Jack Ryan. But what about the darker side, the side of the CIA that Jack tries to keep clean? The side where people like John Clark come from. What makes men like John Clark? Without Remorse takes us to this side with gruesome detail in the wonderous novel Without Remorse. It's gripping story line, heart wretching charators and explosive, heart pounding action that just leaves you stunned with your jaws hanging, makes it Clancy's best work to date.

Rating:
Summary: Huge disappointment-and I'm a Clancy fan!
Review: I've read all of the books in Tom Clancy's "Ryanverse" ( Jack Ryan continuity)
and was sorely disappointed in this.
The publisher must have counted on Clancy's name to sell it to make a fast buck.

Having the main character John Clark make not one but two incredibly stupid errors in a row, getting
his reformed hooker girlfriend killed and him wounded is unbelievable and unfair to the character.

John Clark was supposed to be a smart, street-wise warrior, and his mistakes are something a
5 year-old could have seen and avoided.
Not to give anything away but some dark glasses, a wig or even a hat plus not stopping for anything until the
police station was in view at least would have saved his girlfriend.

The rest of the book is the standard revenge theme with human scum (all Male) are hunted down and eliminated.
We get a cameo of young Jack Ryan and his father but that's the only thing that's notable about this book.

I'd love to see more details on his early training and meeting up with Ding Chavez.

Avoid this one !

Claw

Rating:
Summary: Clancy at his best.
Review: This book is pure masterpiece. The story though gets boring at certain point keeps you interested enough to read to the next page. Clancy makes you really care for the characters and what happens to them. the book is based on a love story but that is what makes it so great, the fact that it can be around a love story and still appeal to action lovers. there is also a Sub- plot which doesnt involve the love story which is very, very good. if you are a Clancy veteren or a first timer i highly reccomend pick this up.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Clancy Ever, The BEST book EVER
Review: This is Clancy at his best and there is no better they say. Focusing on John Clark or John Kelly, this book is the best of Clancy's. Its storie hits so many great points. From the avening angel himself Kelly, to the great three admirals. It speaks of missions in vietnam, POWs, treason, and pride of the military and country. It is also about love, Kelly is a man that is fed up and plans to seek his revenge against people who have taken that love away. The detective story is great and well written. the suspense is great and will leave you wanting more. Simply Go Read It, You'll Love it!!!!

Rating:
Summary: On the edge of your seat thriller
Review: While I usually do not read fiction, I was pleasantly surprised by how good this novel is.

The novel follows the story of John Kelly (also known as Mr. Clark). Kelly is an ex-Navy SEAL who is now an underwater demolitionist. The book takes place in the early 1970's during the fading years of the Vietnam War. Kelly's wife is killed in an automobile accident. The book begins by describing his dealing with the loss of his wife. Kelly then falls in love with Pam, a prostitute, who has escaped from her pimp, who works for an up and coming drug lord. The pimp/drug lord has a hit done on Kelly and kidnaps Pam. Though Kelly is left for dead, he is taken to the hospital and recovers. In the meantime, Pam is brutally tortured and murdered. As I do not want to give away the rest of the book, all I will say is that the rest of the book deals with vigilante justice.

The length of the book is extremely intimidating when you first start reading. However, the book reads like an excellent movie. The story is told from three main viewpoints, Kelly's , the police, and the drug ring's. Clancy does an excellent job of tying the three views of the same story together at the end. The chapters get a little lengthy at times, thus not leaving a convenient place to stop reading.

I would highly recommend anyone who likes reading fiction revolving around the military or vigilante justice. The book gets a little lengthy, but stick with it. I though the ending was a little predictable, but it was still a splendid read. The book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I read it.