Rating: 
Summary: Amazon is making me give it 1 star
Review: Clancy's THE BEAR AND THE DRAGON debacle stands out in the sad decline of an author who doesn't write novels so much as squeeze blood from turnips. Reading Clancy is no longer to be introduced to a gripping story - the only appeal of techno-thrillers - but rather to be exposed to a sterile fantasy world of atrocious dialogue, bad similes, bizarre racial slurring, and a mind-numbing plot of little content. Throw in the puerile blatherings of the Ryan character's internal monologue, and I actually felt awkward on Clancy's behalf. The plot--what little there is--is an artificial mockery of what Clancy gave us with RED OCTOBER and CARDINAL. His characters have always been tedious, but the sad schmuck that is our dear President Ryan is one of the most ridiculous this side of an Ayn Rand novel. The Hero President's speech is delivered in the most contrived "aw shucks" attitude it becomes almost embarrassing. Ryan's self-indulgent odes to himself and his monotonous world are supposed to impress the reader with his noble detachment from the filth of politics, but instead we become teeth-grindingly tired of his pompous self-directed homages after about the ... oh ... thirtieth time. I certainly wouldn't recommend anyone read this book, but if you do, have no fear in skipping the often multi-page internal monologue of the characters Clancy uses to deliver a vapid political ideology, you will miss nothing of the rather elusive (yet predictable) plot. The characters are only able to communicate to each other in cliché, and each adopt an attitude of the most obnoxious condescension to each other that it is impossible to believe they would be able to interact civilly. The real target of the characters' snooty explanations of "reality" is really the reader, who ought to rightly feel offended by Clancy's repetitive and very exhaustible source of ideas. His treatment of the Chinese is one of the weirdest and most uncomfortable aspects of the book. Clancy historically has nothing but denigration for his "tree-huggers" and any media figures unless they submit to the bland ideology of our heroes. There is little but contempt for those who disagree with him, and he uses his characters to engage in their dismissal through epithets, rather than any kind of encounter with their ideas. However, the insistent reference of his American heroes to the Chinese as "slant-eyes," "klingons," "chinks" etcetera is not a man challenging PC oppressions, which is what he thinks he is doing. Rather, Clancy is presenting heroes who suffer from the same dogmatisms and closed-loop learning patterns with which he stereotypes his absurd and self-gratifying sense of Chinese psychology. The blind superiority he mocks in his villains is the mirror image of the self-validating world he creates. However, the outcome is never in doubt, no one of any consequence suffers. What little action there is is telegraphed to us in a routinized recitation of glorious acts. If fact, though a couple of F-14s get shot down, it is once again a bloodless and triumphant ride to glory for Clancy's America. It's very tedious, since Clancy is skillful at showing he has read a lot of Popular Science articles, and not at much else.
Rating:
Summary: Yawn
Review: Apparently 1 star is the lowest ranking you can give. This is a real waste of time. I wasted enough to read over 200 pages. No plot. No character development. Just a continual summary rehash of the events of previous books. Plenty of Clancy's ultra-conservative political viewpoint expounded from many characters - mostly Ryan. And if you didn't get the utterly predictable and unimaginative drift of Clancy's social wisdom the first time, don't despair, he will repeat it several times. This is the product of a writer who has obviously lost his muse, forgotten his audience, and delights only in listening to himself drone on.
Rating: 
Summary: Well done, but could be 500 pgs lighter...
Review: It seems that Mr. Clancy must produce books that are over 1000 pages (or 5 pounds) or he donates the script to the "Network" series. It is too bad, but I have to wade through way too many pages to figure out the story line. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a twisting story line, but the whole book is resolved in less than 100 pages or so which leaves me wondering why I read the other 900 pages. I will still read Mr Clancy's book, but now I beleive I will wait for the paperbacks and save about 4.5 pounds.
Rating: 
Summary: A page turner? Definitely.
Review: Although I found some of the same plot elements of Red Storm Rising in this book(i.e. oil attracting an aggressor (neighbor)nation that is economically strapped for cash), I was able to sit down and definitely enjoy this book. I was a bit dissappointed at the predictable usage of Clark and the Rainbow team, but I found the political dynamics, economical considerations, and social/cultural factors at work in the book addictive, and too compelling to ignore. This book was a remarkable piece of fiction that takes a close look at how ideology sometimes gets in the way of what's really important. It could have used a slightly better ending, one that didn't have the ubrupt ending comparable to a roller coaster ride coming to a screeching halt. While the story did have it's peaks, and it's lows, it takes the reader on a fantastic ride nonetheless. Definitely a worthwhile book to read.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Clancy
Review: I find it amazing how upset liberals get when reviewing novels which dare look at the events in the world today and call them for what they are. In this book, Clancy looks at the relations or lack thereof with China and the utter barbarians that run that country. If your looking to complain, complain about how they treat their people which is described acurately throughout the book. If you're a regular Clancy reader this book has what you want: military action, political intrigue, foreign policy and action. Because Clancy dares bring about some of his own points of view in the story line, i.e. abortion, is only criticized because it is from the conservative point of view. It's not as if other writers of fiction (John Grisham) have never brought their own values (liberal) into their works. The bottom line is that if you enjoy Clancy's books for their entertainment and do not erupt into hatred when a conservative thought is expressed, you will enjoy this book.
Rating:
Summary: And over a year later!
Review: Overly long review in honor of overly long book: I never thought it would come to this. Tom Clancy has written some of the greatest books of all time. "Without Remorse" and "The Cardinal of the Kremlin" are all time favorites. After "Without Remorse", his books started to lose a little quality, but they were still an enjoyable read. And then this came out. Wow, what a boring book. It took me over a year to finish this one. Tom Clancy has built up the US Military so much that he is unable to create a powerful enough opponent to make any kind of suspense. We always defeat the enemy is less that 100 pages. Which would be fine, if it didn't take 900+ pages (or 2 Michael Crichton books) to build the plot. The next problem is the editing. There were many scenes and conversations in this book that happened twice. At one point it repeated a section that was building up to something that had already happened. How many time do I have to hear the same turtle joke? There are also conversations and subplots that serve no point and could be removed, allowing us to get to the "grande" finale in a few hundred less pages. There were also section where Clancy seemed to be demonstrating his technical knowledge and personal views. Save those for your Non-fiction books. The next problem is the editing. There were many scenes and conversations in this book that happened twice. At one point it repeated a section that was building up to something that had already happened. How many time do I have to hear the same turtle joke? But as with "Sum of All Fears" all would be forgiven with a killer ending. To me, there are times and places to get the best seat in the house, but ground level at the destination of a nuclear missile, any sane man would pass. What Ryan did wasn't heroic, or serve any greater purpose, it was just stupidity. If he doesn't like the Presidency that much, why is he running for reelection? But that's OK, I'm sure he knew ahead of time, as I did, that the last defense missile always works. Come On. That isn't suspense!
Rating:
Summary: Racially contemptuous right wing ranting
Review: I originally bought this book to get a clearer perspective on Sino-USA relationships. Boy, how wrong I was to think I would get anything out of this book. After a thousand pages of an overly simplistic plot, and several dozen irrelevant subplots, every page is a chore to turn. The only clear message delivered by the end of the book was Clancy's contempt for everything Chinese. Several characters comment on the low quality of the food in China. It's laughable how a Japanese-American agent takes a Chinese girl to a European restaurant and she exclaims that this was the best food she had ever eaten in her entire life. Thankyou for showing me the superiority of white people's food. Jesus Christ. All Chinese are racist. A black man walks down the street in Beijing, and I can't remember how he put it, but he said something like all the Chinese looked at him like an alien or a monkey or something. Isn't it great to be in a place where blacks are treated as equals--like the USA?... Is this character here being Clancy's mouthpiece? The entire plot hinges on a high level Chinese government minister who gets his secretary to transcribe every single discussion he had with the other ministers. Surprise surprise, the secretary has been wooed by great Euro food (kicked Chinese food...), so why not give all these transcripts to the American agent? THe Americans are thus able to read the Chinese government's mind. Makes no sense at all. This book has no worth at all. It is inaccurate politically, militarily, and culturally. The plot is a joke, and to put it simply, it's just republican bitching (mainly about China, incl the usuals-e.g. abortion etc)the whole way through. Unless you just like to collect Clancy books for the sake of completion, don't buy this book.
Rating:
Summary: Too long and a bit obsolete
Review: This is my second Tom Clancy novel. I have read the first 700 of the 1000 pages and expect to finish in a day or two. Tom Clancy is full of interesting information on the operation of the NSA, CIA, KGB and the US, Russian and Chinese military. Very interesting. But the book contains too much small talk that does not contribute to character development. For example, you are told about almost every cigarett that the hero, Jack Ryan, lights up. This book would be much better if it was condensed to 500 pages by eliminating the small talk. Also, even though the book was copyright in 2000, key aspects of the plot related to China are already obsolete. China is now a "most favored nation" for trade purposes. China is also accumulating a huge foreign currency reserve. So, it no longer makes sense for Jack Ryan to deny China "most favored nation". And it no longer makes sense for China to begin a war because it runs low on foreign currency reserves. But the idea of a large find of gold and oil in northern Siberia is still a little romantic and keeps this novel firmly in the fiction/fantasy genre.
Rating:
Summary: writing is ok but story is boring and stupid
Review: just another one of clancy's "could happen" stories that could never happen. he is obviously talented at writing but his ideas and stories are so boring and pointless. some of his stories like the op center series and rainbow six are alright, but stories like these are trite and shouldn't even be considered "thrillers" they should be put together nostrodomous's [ideas] and labeled as wild prognastications. if you are looking into police or government books, i suggest you look into rainbow six and op center series. some of his earlier novels such as the hunt for red october is ok too
Rating:
Summary: Very Good
Review: If you are a seasoned Clancy reader you will enjoy this book. A new reader of the author may have trouble with its length and style. As with most of his books it is a plot that is feasable. Many of previous character are back, such as Nomuri from Debt of Honor. If you are a Clancy fan, read this book.
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