Rating: 
Summary: the bear and the dragon
Review: Wow! He's back. 62 of 1028 pages makes me a believer. I guess the lawyers have come to terms with threatened internet death of Jack Ryan because he's back too.So far, no doubts that Clancy has failed to seize upon the current impact of current geo-politcal realities and in so doing, weaves a spiders net that seduces the reader and suspends disbelief. Thanks, Mr. Clancy for bagging the "OpNet" disasters and getting back to what you do better than the rest.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty disappointing
Review: Let me preface this review with the proviso that I'm a huge Clancy fan. Debt of Honor and Clear and Present Danger are books I could read once a year for the rest of my lfe, and still enjoy them every time. In Tom Clancy's new thriller, you need to know what everyone's motivation is, before they make any kind of a move. Mr. Clancy spends most of the 1000+ pages in his new book setting up a very short war. Now, I'm sure that's how things will go from now on, with the technological superiority the US showed in the Gulf, but seven hundred pages of motivation, background and surveillance of ex-KGB officers gets to be a bit much. I can understand wanting to know why the Chinese act as they do, and the Russians, and even President Ryan. I like the details of the Moscow Militia detective's life, and the story of the CIA officer's adventures in China. But I wish Mr. Clancy would give these small characters more to do, preferrably with a suppressed .22 or an MP-10. Some of the characters even seem just to have been added for continuity from the books that came before. This book to me seems the reverse of Sum of All Fears, in that, when I re-read that, I sometimes skip the last parts, because the tension isn't there. With this one, I wish he'd written for more than a quarter of the book about the war. That would have grabbed my attention. He's shown he can do a large conflict using intimate characters with Red Storm Rising. That might have been a better idea here.
Rating: 
Summary: Good news and bad news for Clancy fans
Review: Tom Clancy's fiction has always combined crackling, fast-paced action with a chilling degree of realism; even when the overall plot seems too over-the-top for words, the details ring so true that you can't help but believe that the world could work that way. The good news for Clancy fans is that The Bear and the Dragon delivers action in Siberia-sized chunks. President Jack Ryan, Vice President (!) Robby Jackson, Rainbow superspooks John Clark and Ding Chavez, and the rest of the crew have to deal once again with Chinese Minister-Without-Portfolio Zhang Han San and his neverending quest for Siberian riches. The bullets, bazookas and ballistic missiles fly fast and furious. Unfortunately, the details just don't cut it this time. Some might be nitpicks (Ryan's salary would be $400,000 rather than $250,000) but some are serious (the Navy has been working on using Aegis missiles for ballistic defence for years now). The biggest problem, though, is that the entire plot hinges on Russia being the good guys, with a competent (if woefully underequipped) military and a willingness to ask the West for help. Between the chaos in Chechnya and the loss of the Russian submarine Kursk (one week before the release of The Bear and the Dragon), that's awfully hard to swallow. Oh, well. It's still a fun read, even with the flaws. But Clancy needs to let President Ryan retire.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't put it down
Review: I got this book on Monday and finished reading it at 2AM this morning. Once I opened it, I couldn't put it down. For once, Clancy did not spend pages and pages covering technical data until the eyes glazed over. My eyes glazed over, but from fatigue since I couldn't stop reading it. This is a story that once you get into it, you won't want to stop until it is over. I do not know it the hardware described in it is either available or in development, but if it is available, war just won't pay in the future for anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Truth, deception, and secret agents...a great mix!
Review: Tom Clancy's newest title belongs in the same category as his previous works, without a doubt. Ryan hasn't been in any of Clancy's books since Executive Orders, so this is a welcome change. As a continuation of the Jack Ryan series, all of the old characters are there- even Chet Nomuri, the CIA spook who spied on Japanese businessmen in Debt of Honor. I always like Clancy's commentary on the various issues of the world...as the amazon.com reviewer notes, there are several general lessons in all of his books: upgrade and expand the military, defeat communism, hire more people who know the street instead of those who are wannabes, and use the earth for human benefit instead of worrying about environmental impact too much. Clancy's newest book does not disappoint!
Rating:
Summary: Classic Clancy style
Review: The long wait for a new book featuring Jack Ryan is over. This book, long and filled with multiple subplots, is classic Tom Clancy. Of course, Clancy's books are not literature at its best, but they are thrilling reads with some food for thought about politics, the military, world relations, and various other topics. If you have read and enjoyed the previous books that feature Jack Ryan, you will be happy with this new installment. Favorite characters from previous books are back. Once again, Clancy's forays into many topics provide great inspiration for thinking about the presidency and politics, especially in an election year (even if you do not always agree with Clancy's personal politics). This is a fun read. While some of Clancy's early books are tighter and better reads, this one will satisfy hungry fans.
Rating:
Summary: Tom Clancy's Still The Master!!!
Review: As an avid Clancy fan since _The Hunt for Red October_, I was almost hesitant about reading this book because I was afraid my expectations were too high after _Rainbow Six_. Fortunately, my fears were completely unjustified! Clancy just keeps getting better and better. I read all 1000+ pages in one day (and night). The entire book was so incredibly suspenseful that I just couldn't put it down. The technology featured in the story is absolutely fascinating. All of my favorite characters from previous books were included, and the newer characters were very well drawn, especially Lian Ming and Nomuri, the CIA spy who seduces Lian Ming into surrendering the contents of her computer...and other things, of course. The inside look at the functioning of the White House is like the TV show "The West Wing" would be if the President were a conservative independent, which is to say it's very entertaining but without the liberal bent. This is an absolute must-read for Clancy fans and a great first-time choice for those few who still don't see what all the fuss is about.
Rating:
Summary: Read it in 2 days. Good, but no Hunt for red October.
Review: I wont give away the details but it should be read by all Clancy fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Each book just gets worse...
Review: I remember the "good old days" when picking up a new Clancy book was an event to look forward to. But now I find myself dreading the first few pages on any new Clancy volume, especially after the disaster that was Rainbow Six. It seems that as the threat of the cold war recedes, Tom finds it more difficult to develop interesting storylines which are relevant (and realistic). It was always Tom's portrayal of the battle or espionage, and the realpolitik which motivates governments and the military alike, which captured my imagination. I can't maintain interest in a thousand page book if it reads like a soap opera!
Rating:
Summary: Great out of the blocks
Review: I have grown tired of Clancy over the past few books. His stories are great, but whoever is editing his books is asleep. He repeats things over and over and uses cute little names (such as Potus and Flotus) and their entire names way too much. However while there is much of that in this book, it is a good storyline, and if you have read the rest of his books, the characters in tbatd will keep you interested.
| 
