The Ryans are visiting London – something Jack and Cathy have done many times before. This is a working vacation for them: Jack is researching a paper and Cathy is taking their daughter shopping in the high end stores she loves so much. But when armed men storm a car in the middle of the street outside the palace, Jack’s Marine training kicks in and he runs to help the victims. Little did he know, this selfless act would change their family forever.
Patriot Games is the second book in the Jack Ryan series (or Ryanverse as fans describe it) by bestselling author Tom Clancy. While its release came after The Hunt for the Red October, the novel captures events leading up to the submarine expedition. Clancy explores the motivation behind Ryan officially joining the CIA and his relationship with his family and friends. This book shows a different side of Jack Ryan than what you find in later books, the movies, or even the recent Amazon Prime series.
I give Patriot Games 5 out of 5 stars. I am always in awe of how Clancy adds in humor and light conversations in the midst of dark events. The realistic conversations captured here give the narrative authenticity and kept me engaged. I did find some of the weapons and political aspects overwhelming, but I usually do. I also found some conversations and inclusion of The Prince and Princess of Wales characters to be off-putting given what we know about their relationship and character now, but I had to remind myself of two points: 1. This was a fictionalization and 2. This book was originally published 30+ years ago in August 1987.
If you have enjoyed any of the Jack Ryan movies or Amazon series, you will love this origin story for our hero. I would recommend this book for Annapolis graduates as well with a good portion of the book, and the final action scene, taking place there. With inclusions of terrorism, gun violence, and trauma surgeries, this might not be the book for younger audiences or those more sensitive to these subjects. However, if you like thrillers and military action novels, you should pick this one up!
I chose Patriot Games as my pleasure read for my birthday last week! I got hooked on the Jack Ryan series twice now – once as a kid when I watched the movies for both Patriot Games and The Hunt for the Red October, and now again recently after having the opportunity to review several ARCs for the more recent releases. I have also binged the Amazon Prime series several times in the past year, so my mental image when reading about Jack is really John Krasinski and Admiral Greer will always be Wendell Pierce. I have been picking up the books in this series at our local thrift and used bookstores and nearly have the complete set, even though I’m only on book two. Looking ahead to our schedule for the next few months, it may be a while before I can dig in to book three – The Cardinal of the Kremlin. Have you read any of the books in this series? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: The Magnolia Palace, Fiona Davis
- Current audio book: Finding Me, Viola Davis
- Book I’m most looking forward to: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, Kim Michele Richardson
Read With Lindsey 