Rating: 
Summary: 800 pages of superb Clancy...
Review: ...however the book is over 1,000. It seems as if there were two Toms writing here, one with the exceptional movie-in-your-mind action and tight plotting of the first books but often another who repeats previously used quotes and comments and who uses an annoying quantity of dialog expletives (mostly the same anglo-saxon one) to fill space. One would at least expect the Russians and Chinese to use ethnic epithets.Further, some of the technology does not ring quite true. Even though it is all gee-whiz, it is today gee-whiz and not post-2000 gee-whiz with the assumption that both the Russian and Chinese intelligence community have been asleep the whole time and that their information security and compromise detection is non-existant. Still a steady read and lasted nearly four days. Despite apparently being proofread by a machine, when it was good, it was very, very good...
Rating: 
Summary: Objectionable Language
Review: I have been a Clancy fan ever since his first book. I eagerly awaited The Bear and Dragon because I had really gotten into these characters. I had to stop reading less than half way through the book. The language was consistently foul and just that, foul language. The story was extremely interesting and I did try to stay with it; the language intruded so much I finally quit because it was overriding the story. I have no objection to strong language when it helps the story; this does not. Language in the military and in government office circles is not as depicted by Clancy. I will not be buying another of his books (and I own all the others).
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Summary: The Bore and the Drag on
Review: Some how my previous lengthy review of this tome didn't make the list, therefore with public spirit in mind I will add my one star and suggest that Mr. Clancy hire an editor. No one should waste the time to read this regurgitated pap.
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Summary: TC, please pay attention
Review: I don't expect this to be read, but I have to agree with all the previous die-hard fans (have to go out and buy the book the same day of release). I've never come here to read a review of TC before, his quality was always high. I came here just to see if I was the only one with this sense of disappointment. Not by a long shot - too long (or too thin on story line), too many phrases repeated immediately afterward by another character, an enemy that never had a chance to be a good villian, and an ending that befitted a 60 minute TV program - the list is very long and casts doubt who is writing/editing his work. I will return here before I buy my next Clancey novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Bitter, bitter liberals
Review: The fact is, this is a good story; on par or above Clancy's average works. The fact is though, anyone of liberal persuasion HATES this book because much of what Clancy says through Jack Ryan (who has basically become his sounding board) makes sense. It doesn't bash on women, gays, or minorities despite what they are yelling to the rooftops. It is mainly a good yarn about a very intelligent and very principled Pres. Jack Ryan who makes decisions with his brain, instead out of knee jerk emotion (or in the case of a certain sitting president, his ... )
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Summary: Ghost Written by the Clancy Brothers
Review: The absolute WORST! Mr. Clancy needs to get off his soapbox and come back down to earth. We read you Mr. Clancy because your stories were often compelling, (a bit verbose and too technical at times), but the meat and potatoes of the story are well done. I could care less about your political agenda. If you need to speak about it, use another avenue.If you possess the political philosophy of a neo-facist John Bircher this book is for you.
Rating: 
Summary: An Open Letter to Tom Clancy
Review: Dear Mr. Clancy, I have been a consisent reader of your books since you started and have without exception enjoyed your stories. Several years ago I picked up a Tom Clancy compendium that included some of your essays. Reading them, I realized what strong political ideas you believe and admired the fact that you were able to keep your novels apolitical, not favoring a party or major political issue. But your current novels reads like the politics I read in your compendium put into book form. Many of us do not agree with your politics but love your stories. By trying to integrate your politics with your stories, you are cornering some of your fans. With the publication of this book during the campaign season and the many references to Clinton and White House interns (which, by the way, seriously compromises the consistency of the "Jack Ryan Universe") you cross the line into Republican propoganda. The over-riding pro-life message alienates a large portion of your readers. I thank you for the novels you have written but The Bear and the Dragon will be my last Tom Clancy book. Sincerely, Joel Bittle
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible plot, but flawed characterization of Ryan
Review: I'm a great fan of Tom Clancy's "Jack Ryan" books, and when I learned that a new one was about to be published, I could not have been more thrilled. However, after reading "The Bear and the Dragon," I'm afraid to say that while in some ways the book fulfilled my (high) expectations, in other ways, it was quite disappointing. First, the good: As usual, Clancy paints a compelling picture of a world that seems stable, but is, in reality, just a few steps away from political destabilization. Once again he shows us how seemingly disconnected events have the potential of snowballing into world-threatening crises. In "The Bear and the Dragon," Clancy asks the following questions: What would happen if the Chinese economy were at the breaking point? What then if a tremendous oil field and gold mine were discovered in Siberia, a seeming answer to Russia's own financial difficulties? And what would be the result if China were so backed into a corner by both their economic problems and a series of international public relations disasters that their government felt it had no choice but to invade Siberia to steal the newly found assets discovered there? The answer: an unstoppable slide into World War III, with America caught in the middle, trying to support her allies while maintaining world peace. It's an interesting story, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. However, as much as I enjoyed the story itself, I was very disturbed by the way Clancy portrays Jack Ryan in this novel. In every other Clancy book I've read, Ryan is portrayed as a fair, open-minded man who serves his country and all of its people with courage and honor. But in this novel, while Ryan still does his best to lead America through her crises, he is inexplicably portrayed as being racist, misogynist, and homophobic. I was stunned by the number of racial slurs and "she's just a girl" comments uttered by our fictional Commander in Chief, as well as the not-too-subtle anti-pro-choice and anti-homosexual passages. The Ryan of old was a hero that could be admired by all, no matter one's political affiliation, lifestyle or beliefs... but this one is rather intolerant. I used to take pleasure in picturing Jack Ryan sitting in the real Oval Office... but I'm not so sure anymore. I don't know why Tom Clancy has so drastically changed the characterization of his most popular hero, but if this is the direction he plans on taking this franchise, I may not be a fan for much longer. The only other major criticism I have with "The Bear and the Dragon" is with how the novel ends - literally five pages after the story's breathtaking climax. Why is there no denouement? Clancy carefully builds his story for 900 pages, gives us a full 100 pages of prime excitement followed by a 10-page climax that will get your heart rate up as you read it, but then.... nothing! The book just ends, without much of a wrap-up. Reading the last page of the novel, I wondered to myself if perhaps my copy was missing a chapter or two. I'd only wished Clancy would have wrapped up the few loose ends in his story and had given us a chance to visit with Ryan's staff and family one last time. I do recommend "The Bear and the Dragon," and I certainly am looking forward to another installment in the "Jack Ryan" series, but next time, I hope Clancy's characterization of Ryan returns him to more nonjudgmental ground. In his past few novels, Clancy has developed Ryan into a character loved by many people around the country. I'd truly hate to see this character veer off track and become intolerant, bigoted... and not particularly worth reading about.
Rating:
Summary: Vulgarity and style
Review: I, too, have read and bought all of Tom Clancy's books and enjoyed them. However, this novel was full of unnecessary vulgarity. His previous novels kept me riveted and expectant; I usually finished a book within 1 to 2 days. It seemed to me that he was trying to bring in another audience, maybe younger readers who like this type of vulgarity in their movies. It took me over a week and a half to read the book because it simply did not keep me expectant or anxious to follow all of the subplots and characters. This novel was way below the standard of Tom Clancy who I had considered the best novelist of our time. The ending left me irritated. I felt cheated out of his usual style and angry with the last few lines of text. I will, however, be awaiting another release by him and give him another chance to return to the top of my list.
Rating:
Summary: Boring, too Long, Short on Story, Lots of Whining
Review: Gosh, after 450 pages I was bored to death. Still no story, plot-line just a bunch of "gee- why am I president" muses by the main character. It did get better after page 500 - but the remaining book was a rehash of earlier books. Nothing interesting here. Wait for another author - Clancy is just milking the reputation he built (deservedly on his first 6 novels). His last two books shows he's past his prime.
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