As you might expect this was massively overwritten, but not as bad as I thought it might be. It’s also wildly different than expectations because I had watched the TV show, and that show was nothing like this book. How weird is that? Maybe the main character has the same name and he’s a SEAL… everything else was pretty different. They both have a dude seeking revenge?

Anyway, this reads as quite antiquated already. Though, the main themes centering around trafficking women and drugs is basically eternal—and actually, the compassion for the sex workers was progressive for the time—and the major cross current is what you’d expect from Clancy: patriotism, white knights, women put in danger in service to the later. A lot of detail goes into the specificity of combat, air and ship mechanics, tactics, and weapons. They’re the
antithesis of this commercial formula. And there’s some appeal here.

But it’s also not what I’d describe as well written. With sections like, “…peopled by suspicious people”, you can be sure it’s a commercial work. There’s entirely too much detail in inconsequentially plot beats. Basically any woman that makes our sailor sing is in danger. Though, I guess it’s a step off of being fridged. It’s all very 90s, The Jackal, Tell Declan He Can’t Protect His Women. But I have a mood and I grew up with these movies, so it scratched the itch. The Hunt for Red October is much better, surprisingly. If you’re like me and thought the reading order started here, Jack Ryan isn’t even of consequence here it’s just in the same “universe”, or whatever. It’s the precursor to Rainbow Six, instead. Which, I guess isn’t the worst if you plan to read that and want background on SEAL guy.