Threat Vector

A Jack Ryan Novel

By: Mark Greaney, Tom Clancy

Narrated by: Lou Diamond Phillips

Length: 18 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

For President Jack Ryan, his son Jack Ryan, Jr., and the covert organization known as The Campus, the fight against America’s enemies is never over. But the danger has just hit home in a way they never expected in this #1 New York Times bestselling Tom Clancy thriller....

The Campus has been discovered. And whoever knows they exist knows they can be destroyed. Meanwhile, President Jack Ryan has been swept back into the Oval Office - and his wisdom and courage are needed more desperately than ever.

Internal political and economic strife has pushed the leadership of China to the edge of disaster. And those who wish to consolidate their power are using the opportunity to strike at long-desired Taiwan, as well as the Americans who have protected the tiny nation.

Now, as two of the world’s superpowers move ever closer to a final confrontation, President Ryan must use the only wild card he has left - The Campus. But with their existence about to be revealed, they might not even have a chance to enter the battle before the world is consumed by war.

©2012 by Rubicon, Inc. (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

intense!

many characters - many scenes- awesome research- learned some geography unknown before and quite real - very cool

Outstanding

Great story enjoyed. It from start to finish
Fast paced and Lou was a outstanding storyteller

Great performance

Excellent excellent read by Lou diamond Phillips. Amazing how Tom Clancy was able to forecast some of the difficulties. We are facing today.

Overkill in so many ways!!

Too many people died, too much confusion and too much detail! Long story. Ho hum!

Lots of action

Enjoyed this book very much. Some of the dialog less parts got a little drawn out, but I still liked the story.

Great book

Well written, well performed and fascinatingly detailed. The author and the performer are to be congratulated.

If you like action, you can do no better!

Would you consider the audio edition of Threat Vector to be better than the print version?

Absolutely, Lou Diamond Philips is a masterful narrator, his performances never disappoint. The material within these pages is so action packed and the stakes are so high that listening to the story from someone with directed intention elevates the material to an amazing height.

Who was your favorite character and why?

This is a silly question, Jack Jr. Is the perfect American hero. He is a perfect melding of Jack Ryan, Mitch Rap, and the Gray Man (Mark Greaney's breakout action character). He is a selfless hero that is willing to risk everything in order to protect his country and he doesn't leave men behind.

What about Lou Diamond Phillips’s performance did you like?

Everything, LDP is an amazing actor (See Southland for a recent role) and he is able to turn his skill into amazing narration.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book is adrenaline pumping, I felt excited! I finished this book 12/5/12, 24hrs after it was released. I couldn't put it down!

Any additional comments?

If you are on the fence about this book, let me explain my tastes so that you can gauge if we share common literary tastes for this genre.

I love:
Mitch Rap (Vince Flynn)
Dewey Andreas (Ben Coes)
Court Gentry (Mark Greaney)
Jack Reacher (Lee Child)
Tommy Carmellini (Stephen Coonts)
Carlos Guillermo Castillo (W. E. B. Griffin)

Ok, so those are some of my favorite action series that are in this similar espionage action genre. I found this book in particular to really mirror some of W. E. B. Griffin's early work melded with Flynn. That said, there is the signature Clancy storytelling in this book that jumps between several stories. I do not particularly enjoy the earlier Clancy novels that pertain to the elder Ryan, I found them amazingly slow and complicated with relatively low reward. This book mimics the same storytelling style but doesn't pull any punches when it comes to action.

I found myself wanting to spend more time with particular portions of the story and characters but the pacing was well thought out and I was never disappointed when prospective shifted. I have detected some of the Stephen Coont's syndrome, the seeming inability to set aside older characters and allow new ones to flourish but I think that Greaney's influence on this new series is helping breathe valuable life into the Clancy novels.

Jack Jr. is an amazing character, more lovable that Mitch Rapp and far more whole than Greaney's earlier two dimensional characters. This new younger Ryan is deposited brilliantly in a deep and rich fiction that creates a vivid backdrop.

I would strongly recommend that you start this cycle of the Jack Ryan Junior novels at their beginning, this story moves at a swift pace and you will love all of the returning characters so much more for your previous experiences with them!

On a side note, I want to tell you that I try to consume media that is character driven, not story driven! This particular genre has a tenancy to be heavily story driven but I think that this novel and series does a wonderful job of focusing on the characters! If you are looking for a quick action read this can satisfy you but it it is heavily enriched by knowledge of the characters. For example, if you aren't familiar with Tom Clancy's earlier "The Teeth of the Tiger" you might not have the richest or fullest appreciation for Haney and Associates and its remaining founders. Not a major issue but one that clearly supports a rich character development that honors faithful readers.

This is one of the good ones, they are few and far between and you should not hesitate to read this book immediately, or place it in your wishlist for your next credit!

An easy to read book for Clancy

Lou Diamond Phillips is getting better with each book he nararates. He does an excellent job with this one. It must have been quite difficult, especially with all the Chinese names and voices. He did it very well. The story was very believable and scary, because I think what Clancy portrays, is Very close to how this scenario would actually play out. It is not as complicated with multiple stories as most Clancy novels. If you like espionage and clancy novels, you will love this one.

where is the other half?

Debt of Honor, Executive Orders, the Bear and the Dragon, and Rainbow Six are all over what 36hrs long, with EO being 51. This is book 3? in Greaney's series and all of these books have been 17-19hrs long. Paying new book price, for 1/3rd to 1/2 of the content...

The story is good, but you signed on to a franchise with spoiled fans that had long books. It is written well, and I want more of it, but in the old format...

A Step Forward for Jack Ryan Jr.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot is more Clancy than recent novels, with more twists and sweeping story lines. Unlike other collaborations, this one feels more like Mr. Clancy actually showed up for the writing. The quality of research and the accuracy of the depiction of cyberwar was very well done. I found the Ryan Jr character more like able and less two dimensional than in previous books.

What about Lou Diamond Phillips’s performance did you like?

I've neverr heard Mr. Phillips as a reader before and I was very impressed. His pacing is great and he is always clear and easy to understand. He's not overly emotional but he very much fit the story. I look forward to hearing him again.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wouldn't say I wanted to listen n one sitting but I also never felt a need to step away for a few days.

Any additional comments?

It's still not real Tom Clancy, but it's the best co-written effort