- Paperback: 816 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins; (Reissue) edition (2 Feb 1998)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0425122425
- ISBN-13: 978-0006177302
- ASIN: 0006177301
- Product Dimensions: 17.5 x 11.2 x 4.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
105,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #81 in Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Law & Disorder > Issues > Drugs
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
At the end of the prologue to Clear and Present Danger Clancy writes, "And so began something that had not quite begun and would not soon end, with many people in many places moving off in directions and on missions which they all mistakenly thought they understood. That was just as well. The future was too fearful for contemplation, and beyond the expected, illusory finish lines were things fated by the decisions made this morning-- and, once decided, best unseen." In Clear and Present Danger nothing is as clear as it seems.
The president, unsatisfied with the success of his "war on drugs", decides that he wants some immediate success. But after John Clark's covert strike team is deployed to Colombia for Operation Showboat, the drug lords strike back taking several civilian casualties. The chief executive's approval ratings plummet. He orders Ritter to terminate their unofficial plan and leave no traces. Jack Ryan, who has just been named CIA deputy director of intelligence is enraged when he discovers that has been left out of the loop for Colombian operations. Several of America's most highly trained soldiers are stranded in an unfinished mission that, according to all records, never existed. Ryan decides to get the men out.
Ultimately, Clear and Present Danger is about moral conscience, law and politics, with Jack Ryan and CIA agent John Clark as its dual heroes. Ryan relentlessly pursues what he knows is right and legal, even if it means confronting the president of the United States. Clark is the perfect soldier, but a man who ultimately values his men higher than the orders of any careless commander.
Along with the usual, stunning array of military hardware and the latest techno-gadgets, Clear and Present Danger further develops the relationships and characters that Clancy fans have grown to love: Admiral James Greer passes the CIA torch to his pupil, Ryan; Mr Clark and Chavez meet for the first time; and other recurring characters, like Robert Ritter and "the President", add continuity to Clancy's believable, alternate reality. This is Clancy at his best. --Patrick O'Kelley
Review
From the reviews of Clear and Present Danger:
‘A jump ahead of the headlines – moves with the speed of light.’
New York Times
‘Clancy’s most politically sophisticated and philosophically complex thriller.’
Time
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you've seen the movie and are thinking of reading the book- DO IT! The plot is much more complex and far superior than that of the film. Don't be daunted by its size it's a great read. You'll want to read the entire set of Clancy's Jack Ryan novels after reading this. The Character build up is superb as are the action scenes. It is thoroughly thought provoking and ethical. Polilically sophisticated - Clancy at his Best
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The book begins like modern headlines and top stories in the news: a Coast Guard boat discovers several dead bodies on a drifting boat out at sea ... piecing together the scenes ... the Captain and his crew understand the grisly details which became all too clear. Before the discovery, they announce their intention to board the boat, only to find two Columbians who speak little and look guilty as sin. The Captain and crew have the presence of mind to record on film permanently what the encountered. They nearly gag at what they find. Contrary to usual procedure, they create a "justice at sea" bogus trial based on some ancient mariner's manual. It is just the right scenario to create fear in their prisoners which extracts a confession from them that the Coast Guard believes will stand up in court and get them prosecuted.
In Washington, DC clandestine operations are executed for a secret American plan to use the most talented night warriors the US Army has ever produced to fight the drug cartel in Columbia, on their own turf. The select group all have Spanish roots and were salvaged from a life on the streets, where they would surely work against the system, to build a clean life in the Army ... the better alternative.
This book shows how power politics, secret hand-shake decisions, and behind the scenes operations occur which could shake up the core values of a country. Clandestine activities work outside the boundaries of national and international law. If they were made public, there would be a huge outcry from USA citizens and of the world judgement. It is at this time that Jack Ryan becomes Acting Director of the CIA. The CIA Director is in the hospital with a terminal illness ... The current president has not a clue of how the drug war is being fought and won. He is only aware of the results: drug cartel airplanes are being shot down and the US is winning. It is an election year, his main concern is gaining a positive standing in the polls and with world opinion. He knows very little of reality ... Meanwhile when the second in command of the drug cartel is discovered to have acted on *highly* classified information, known only to a *select* few, the accusations in Washington, DC fly. An insider investigation begins to discover where the leaks occured ... This book is nonstop action and difficult to put down. Each chapter reveals another complex episode which adds another layer of under-handed deals and shady activity, all of which make this a most satisfying reading experience.
Although at times this novel is difficult to follow, the subject matter is contemporary and the unfolding events are highly plausible, making it one unstoppable page turner. The planning and execution of the ninja-styled warrior commandos is superb, the covert operations highly ingenious, the political subterfuge and communications are labyrinthine, shocking in their believability. Expect only the best from Tom Clancy ... you will never be disappointed.
Erika Borsos (bakonyvilla)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Clancy introduces the reader to the moral ambiguity of a pre-Jack Ryan-led US government. On the one hand, the government wants to destroy the flow of illegal drugs into the US. However, the methods adopted to achieve this breach international law and when things go wrong, a scramble ensues amongst senior politicians, including the President, to "hush things up". Ryna's strong moral code kicks in and he sets out to save the lives of the soldiers deserted in Columbia, with little regard for his own career.
The introduction of Ding Chavez takes the strain off Clark being the only 'Superman' at Ryan's disposal in later novels and is a welcome addition to the cast in Clancy's novels.
The unpleasant nature of those at the top in government only serves to make us slighly wary of who really is leading us.
All in all, another excellent novel from Clancy, provoking us to wonder what actually goes on at the top levels of government as much as in the war against drugs.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Earlier Clancy so very good
This is one of Clancy's earlier Ryan books and at this stage he was still producing books of very high quality, with complex inter-woven plots all building steadily to a true... Read more
Published 1 day ago by Stephen Bishop
A brilliant book, unputdownable.
Tom Clancy does it again. The US President initiates a personal vendetta against the Columbian Medelin Drug Cartel. Read more
Published 2 months ago by BookWorm1
Brilliant book
This was one of the few Clancy books I hadn't read and it was absolutely brilliant!! A real page turner with many a stressful situation. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Iron Brick Head
Excellent Thriller
Another from the Jack Ryan series, although he isnt the main charactor in the book.
Concerning Drug Cartels in Columbia and a secret mission to stop and disrupt the drugs... Read more
Concerning Drug Cartels in Columbia and a secret mission to stop and disrupt the drugs... Read more
Published on 20 April 2009 by Glosblue
Another great Clancy book
If you've read another Clancy book before and like his style, and haven't for some reason read this one yet then Clear and Present Danger is very much worth a read. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2007 by Mr. S. C. Lamb
The best Jack Ryan book.
Clear and Present Danger takes us to the war against the Colombian drug cartels but at heart its a moral about the abuse of power, and corruption. Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2005 by "rasam23"
Tom Clancy at his best
As the title say Tom Clancy at his best. Clear and Present danger is a fantastic book in which Jack Ryan has to overpower a secret mission in Columbia. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2003 by John Wilson
Stunning!
The only other Clancy book i had read before this was "Rainbow 6" and i thought that no other book would be as exciting, but this book prooved me wrong. Read more
Published on 12 Nov 2001
the film is rubbish compared to the book
when i first saw the film i thought it was great when i read the book i realised the film was all that good comparing the book to the film my only critism is that when hollywood... Read more
Published on 6 Sep 2001 by Phil
Excellent!!
This book is absolutley brilliant. I was a bit daunted at first by its size but once I had started reading I couldn't put it down. Read more
Published on 10 Jun 2001 by matt84walker@yahoo.co.uk
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