Tom Clancy Firing Point

By: Mike Maden

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

Jack Ryan, Jr. is out to avenge the murder of an old friend, but the vein of evil he's tapped into may run too deep for him to handle in the latest electric entry in the number one New York Times best-selling series.

While on vacation in Barcelona, Jack Ryan, Jr. is surprised to run into an old friend at a small café. A first, Renee Moore seems surprised to see Jack, but then she just seems irritated and distracted. After making plans to meet later, Jack leaves, only to miss the opportunity to ever speak to Renee again, as the café is destroyed minutes later by a suicide bomber. A desperate Jack plunges back into the ruins to save his friend, but it's too late. As she dies in his arms, she utters one word, Sammler.

When the police show up, they are initially suspicious of Jack until they are called off by a member of the Spanish Intelligence Service. This mysterious sequence of events sends the young Campus operative on an unrelenting search to find out the reason behind Renee's death. Along the way, he discovers that his old friend had secrets of her own - and some of them may have gotten her killed.

Jack has never backed down from a challenge, but some prey may be too big for one man.

©2020 Mike Maden (P)2020 Random House Audio

I just want to know one thing...

... How long has Jack Ryan Sr. been the President? Seriously , he must be in his 4th term by now!
This is an excellent addition to the Jack Jr. series. I mean there is action right from the very beginning. Jack is guarding a prisoner, fighting with him and trying to make sure the rest of his team gets there to take him into custody when he throws himself to his own death. For time to recoup he goes to Barcelona where he runs into an old friend and former lover.
The publisher’s summary gives a very comprehensive overview.
This book is so well written. The characters are fleshed out and believable, though at times you have to wonder why.
I’ve heard that Mike Maden will be leaving this series as a contributing writer. I am sorry to hear that because I do believe he has added so much to the character development and some very unique scenarios.
Scott Brick’s narration is as always superb.
This book has my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION.
If you found this review helpful please indicate so.
Thank You.

Author Mike Maden does a great job!

FIRING POINT is the 7th novel in the Jack Ryan Jr. series and the third since Mike Maden took over the series from Grant Blackwood. Maden is turning the series from just espionage to espionage + techno-thriller. He does a marvelous job with this novel just as Scott Brick does a great job narrating. Much of the novel is set in Barcelona which is my favorite city.

In her review Audible listener Shelley asks how long has Jack Ryan Sr. has been US president. It does seem like a long time. Debt of Honor, released in 1994, ended with the president being killed during a State of the Union address which made newly appointed VP Ryan president. Executive Orders, released in 1996, is the first Ryan series novel with him acting as president. So he has indeed been president longer even than FDR!

Clancy wouldn't be happy

I am obviously the minority view on this one. Like every XY chromosome carrying human with a pulse that I know, to me Tom Clancy stories are the gold standard. But this one was long-winded and truthfully had some pretty big logic gaffes that Clancy (or Mark Greaney for that matter) would not have allowed. For me, the biggest and most obvious in this book is this: All the brilliant people in this story, ones that can build micro this and undetectable that and can deduce and intuit the other sides move based on a decades old photo or a shell casing, Can't Figure Out That John "Jack" Patrick Ryan Junior., a guy running around Spain screwing up bad guys' evil plans, is the son of John "Jack" Patrick Ryan Senior. - President of the United States and former CIA Director. I know, proof is a bit thin... Jr. lives in Alexandria VA which is... at least 10 miles from Washington DC... not like it's in the same zip code as POTUS. And Jr. has that dang JR after his name... now if it were SR, well instant connection. And of course this would be a minor point IF NOT for the fact that it is a plot device that the AUTHOR stresses "They might find out who he is" "Hope his cover holds" and multiple references to the fact that so far Jack hasn't been found out because A) He tells everyone he is a banker on vacation and B) His parents (POTUS and Dr. Ryan) painstakingly scrub Facebook and Social media of all references to their kids. Really? The bad guys can run DNA. The bad guys have access to advanced facial recognition equipment that can identify a Middle Eastern terrorist or a CIA agent in the middle of an Afghan training camp from a drone or satellite images. BUT - scrubbing Facebook of all mentions of your kids thwarts all attempts to identify them?
There were many other such silly things and it just seemed to drag for me. All in all, I felt is was a poor imitation of books I have loved for decades. But that's just me.

This was going to be my last Clancy novel

I was spoiled by the earlier books, with their layering plots. Watching them slowly collapse together chapter by chapter. The last several books didn't have anything like that but this one absolutely met and exceeded my expectations. It was fantastic. I also really enjoyed the character time between junior and senior. Toss in a little more Mr C and I'm done

Good Story But

I enjoy the Jack Ryan books, but the dialogue has been departing from something that I can listen with my children around. The foul language doesn’t enhance the story. I also enjoy the stories that include the entire Campus more. Too much of Jack, can be too much.

Profanity

Perhaps a little bit too much profanity from Mr Maden. Not really Mr Clancy's style.

Jumbled Storyline Augmented by Poor Writing

This had to be the worst Jack Ryan book I have ever experienced. The plot had no focus. the characters were poorly developed. It seemed like it was written in a big hurry, and then suddenly ended with a dull thump. Scott Brick's narration struggled to put life into the dislocated chapters, but even his talent couldn't save this mess. Don't waste your time.

Not impressed!!

Needed much more of Jack and definitely more of John Clark and the CAMPUS! I wasted my time listening to this book. I kept expecting it to get better and it did not.

Jack Ryan JR has jumped the shark with me.

Too much of Jack JR cowboying and not nearly enough of the rest of The Campus team.
They make a couple of cameo appearances.

Scott Brick does his usual admirable job reading the Ryan series.

More fine work, from both author and narrator.

The late Tom Clancy has great authors continuing his work. Scott Brick does an excellent job at narrating. 10/10.