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Book Reviews of Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2)

Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2)
Patriot Games - Jack Ryan, Bk 2
Author: Tom Clancy
ISBN-13: 9780425109724
ISBN-10: 0425109720
Publication Date: 1988
Pages: 503
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 232

4 stars, based on 232 ratings
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

24 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

Ariadnae avatar reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 356 more book reviews
An excellent thriller featuring Jack Ryan, one of Clancy's best characters.
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 14 more book reviews
Collection of stories by the great American short story writer.
Dixie avatar reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 179 more book reviews
A professor of history at the U.S. Naval Academy and a former Marine, Jack Ryan is in London with his family researching a book. While dining in a restaurant, the Ryans find themselves in the middle of an assassination attempt by the ULA, a violent Irish terrorist group. Jack's old instincts kick in, and he manages to thwart the criminals and save their intended targets: the British Royal family. Lauded by the British and the Americans, Jack is invited to join the CIA. Meanwhile, the ULA have sworn vengeance against him.
roarlady avatar reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 24 more book reviews
Jack Ryan, Tom Clancy's hero kills a IRA? or was he assassin to protect English Royals. The evil doe not remain suppreessed, it follows Jack & his family back home in a story that will draw you into a deeper and deeper thriller ... great climatic ending...
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 187 more book reviews
A really good book, Clancy at his best.
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 10 more book reviews
Great book, better than the movie.
jollymoon avatar reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 36 more book reviews
Fast paced Clancy. Like the movie with Harrison Ford.
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 8 more book reviews
This novel is a prequel to "The Hunt for Red October. Patriot Games is worth reading today because even 20 plus years after the fact this book has something to say to all of us about the true nature of terrorism.
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 101 more book reviews
IRA versus the CIA; international terrorism tale taht is timely.
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 32 more book reviews
Who doesn't love Clancey!
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 28 more book reviews
Third book in the Jack Ryan series. Better than the movie
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 164 more book reviews
From England to Ireland to America, an explosive wave of violence sweeps a CIA analyst and his family into the deadliest game of their time: international terrorism. An ultra-left=wing faction of the IRA has targeted the CIA man for his action of salvation in an assassination attempt. And now he must pay...with his life.
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 34 more book reviews
Good standard Clancy thriller.
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 22 more book reviews
I'm reading it now i'll be done in a few days!
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 31 more book reviews
Great action,climax
TakingTime avatar reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 1072 more book reviews
England, Ireland and America are the back drop for this CIA thriller on international terrorism... written in 1987...before the general population really knew terror...
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 73 more book reviews
Awesome read! This is a classic series.
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 12 more book reviews
I like Tom Clancy and enjoyed this one.
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 3 more book reviews
A friend recommended Tom Clancy's Patriot Games and I wasn't disappointed. Plenty of excitement and suspense. Can't wait to read my next Jack Ryan series.
scrapbooklady avatar reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 472 more book reviews
"Patriot Games" is a fast-paced book about the world of international terrorism. Terrorists try to strike targets in the states. This was unheard of when this book was first published. "Patriot Games" is worth reading today because even 20 plus years after the fact this book has something to say about the true nature of terrorism and how they win by stealing away our small freedoms
scoutmomskf avatar reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 2616 more book reviews
This was a reread of a book I read when it first came out and several times since then. It starts with a bang as Jack, on a working vacation in London with his family, witnesses a kidnapping attempt on the royal family. His instinctive reaction stopped the attack and put him in the bullseye of revenge.

One of the things I enjoy most every time I read this book is the deft mixture of action, darkness, and humor. The opening attack sucked me into the story and kept me on the edge of my seat as Jack rushed into action. Clancy's descriptions are vivid enough that I can picture the events as they happen. The confusion at the scene felt realistic, and I could feel Jack's worry that he'd end up "stuck like a pig" when the good guys showed up. I always laugh at the scenes in the hospital as Jack deals with the doctors (including his wife) and other medical personnel. The scenes with various law enforcement personnel show Jack what he inadvertently got involved in and reveal his razor-sharp mind as he processes what he learns. The scenes with multiple royal family members are good, but my favorite is when he helps the prince work through his feelings about what happened. Though not particularly realistic, it is still a great scene.

As the book continues, we get the viewpoints of both the bad guys and the good guys. Jack and his family return home, secure in the knowledge that the bad guy is in jail and terrorists have never attacked on American soil. But the tension ramps up as the bad guy escapes and assorted good guys get a bad feeling about what might happen. Jack is lured into the CIA's sphere as he tries to get a handle on the group behind the attack. Their fears are realized when Jack's wife and daughter are nearly killed in an attack, and only luck prevents Jack from being attacked too. I ached for Jack as he dealt with his feelings of guilt and fear by getting more involved in the case. Jack goes through a lot of self-examination as he tries to reconcile his need for justice with the anger and desire for revenge that he also feels.

The tension builds as the book follows the terrorists as they make plans for their next attack. The attention to detail and insights into the various players' motivations were intriguing. At the same time, we see the good guys trying to assemble the puzzle pieces in time to stop whatever is planned.

The final confrontation was a nail-biter. It started easy, with the royal visit and some amusing banter between Jack, Robby, and the prince. The chaos of the attack was described so vividly that I felt as though I was there. The escape by boat was exciting, and their arrival at the Academy was tense but also had a few lighter moments. The pursuit of the last of the bad guys had me on the edge of my seat until it was all over. Jack faced a crossroads in his life, and it was interesting to see how he handled it. I loved the ending.

One of my favorite lines is as the Superintendent asks Robby who is aboard the ship: "Chief Znamirowski and the duty boat section, Captain Peters and some Marines, Doctor Ryan, and, uh, Captain Wales, sir, of the Royal Navy" "Is that where he is?..."
scoutmomskf avatar reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 2616 more book reviews
This was a reread of a book I read when it first came out, and several times since then. It starts with a bang as Jack, on a working vacation in London with his family, witnesses a kidnapping attempt on the royal family. His instinctive reaction stopped the attack and put him in the bullseye of revenge.

One of the things I enjoy most every time I read this book is the deft mixture of action, darkness, and humor. The opening attack sucks me into the story immediately, on the edge of my seat as Jack rushes into action. Clancy's descriptions are vivid enough that I can picture the events as they happen. The confusion at the scene felt realistic, and I could feel Jack's worry that he'd end up "stuck like a pig" when the good guys showed up. I always laugh at the scenes in the hospital as Jack deals with the doctors (including his wife) and other medical personnel. The scenes with various law enforcement personnel show Jack what he inadvertently got involved in and reveal his razor-sharp mind as he processes what he learns. The scenes with multiple members of the royal family are good, but my favorite is when he helps the prince work through his feelings about what happened. Though not particularly realistic, it is still a great scene.

As the book continues we get the viewpoints of both the bad guys and the good guys. Jack and his family return home, secure in the knowledge that the bad guy is in jail and terrorists have never attacked on American soil. But the tension ramps up as the bad guy escapes and assorted good guys get a bad feeling about what might happen. Jack is lured into the CIA's sphere as he tries to get a handle on the group behind the attack. Their fears are realized when Jack's wife and daughter are nearly killed in an attack, and only luck prevents Jack from being attacked too. I ached for Jack as he dealt with his feelings of guilt and fear by getting more involved in the case. Jack goes through a lot of self-examination as he tries to reconcile his need for justice with the anger and desire for revenge that he also feels.

The tension continues to build as the book follows the terrorists as they make plans for their next attack. The attention to detail was intriguing and as were the insights into the various players' motivations. At the same time we see the good guys as they try to assemble the pieces of the puzzle in time to stop whatever is planned.

The final confrontation was a nail-biter. It started easy, with the royal visit and some amusing banter between Jack, Robby, and the prince. The chaos of the attack was described so vividly that I felt as though I was there. The escape by boat was exciting, and their arrival at the Academy was tense but also had a few lighter moments. The pursuit of the last of the bad guys had me on the edge of my seat until it was all over. Jack faced a crossroads in his life, and it was interesting to see how he handled it. I loved the ending.

One of my favorite lines is as the Superintendent asks Robby who is aboard the ship: "Chief Znamirowski and the duty boat section, Captain Peters and some Marines, Doctor Ryan, and, uh, Captain Wales, sir, of the Royal Navy" "Is that where he is?..."
ORION9 avatar reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 56 more book reviews
Another Jack Ryan story in which he does heroic deeds and eventually triumphs. Tom Clancy seems to always be consistent in producing a good BIG read. The usual cast of characters shows up here, plus a few new ones. Jack rescues some of Britain's royals in an assassination attempt and the story line comes from that event. Good read.
reviewed Patriot Games (Jack Ryan, Bk 2) on + 13 more book reviews
Boxed set that includes this book plus The Hunt for Red October and in original box. Good but not perfect condition.