Katie Ryan is a hotshot analyst, just like her dad. Where her siblings spend time out in the field, her job keeps her behind a screen in an office. Katie reviews data and build reports for her upline, but that’s taking a turn with this project – she just briefed the president and his staff in the Situation Room. And now the Director of National Intelligence is setting up private meetings with sources just for her. Katie’s done a great job of earning her own reputation and avoid relying on her family legacy, but that’s not easy when her dad is sitting in the Oval Office and her current case harkens back a few decades to the case that gave Jack Ryan the start to his long career – The Hunt for the Red October.
Tom Clancy Act of Defiance is the first foray into the Ryanverse for Jeffrey Wilson and Brian Andrews, picking up where Marc Cameron left off in Command and Control – President Ryan is leading the fight against terrorism and bad actors worldwide. This novel plays to Wilson & Andrews’ experience in the US Navy, particularly Andrew’s experience as a submarine officer and nuclear engineer. This book brings the Red October to a new generation and links the younger Ryan generation to the original Clancy storylines in an undeniable way. This book is about family legacies and the unintended side effects of the intelligence gathering industry.
I give Act of Defiance 4 out of 5 stars. I appreciate this storyline and the flashback to the Red October. I just recently read that book and it was interesting to read this one with so many similarities. The Jack Ryan novels have always included a lot of military and legal jargon, but this book takes it to a new level, almost distractingly so. While the authors went into almost unnecessary detail to explain some terms, others that needed explanation for the layperson like me had none at all. I know my ARC was an uncorrected copy, but I would have expected the authors to spell a main character’s name correctly, yet Katie’s name was misspelled several times early in the novel. These two authors have a long history together, so their writing should be seamless, however, it seemed obvious when the lead writer changed between chapters due to differences in chapter length, writing style, and phrasing. I understand these authors have at least one more Ryanverse novel to write together – I am hoping these challenges are worked out before it is finalized.
If you love the Ryanverse, you’ll love this book, too! As I mentioned, this book connects closely with The Hunt for the Red October. I’d like to think this could be read as a standalone, but I do think readers would benefit from reading the earlier book for context and plot points. With mention of nuclear warfare, military maneuvers, and assassinations, this book would be best directed towards audiences over 13.
I am a huge fan of the Ryanverse and jumped at a chance to read Act of Defiance when I saw it on NetGalley. This is the first book I’ve read from Andrews & Wilson, but I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in the Jack Ryan series from them due out late this year. Act of Defiance releases May 21st – preorder your copy today!
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