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Transfer of Power (Mitch Rapp #3)

by Vince Flynn (Goodreads Author)

4.26 of 5 stars 4.26 · rating details · 13,283 ratings · 869 reviews

What if America's most powerful leader was also its prime target? On a busy Washington morning, the stately calm of the White House is shattered as terrorists gain control of the executive mansion, slaughtering dozens of people. The president is evacuated to an underground bunker, but not before nearly one hundred hostages are taken. One man is sent in to take control of t...more

Paperback, 576 pages

Published October 1st 2005 by Pocket Books (first published July 1999)

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Feb 02, 2009 Toni Osborne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rafique Aziz, a notorious Arab terrorist finds a weak point in American politics. By posing as a wealthy campaign contributors he gains access to the White House. At the same time his group of thugs infiltrate the executive mansion, slaughtering dozens of innocent bystanders, taking numerous hostages, thus sealing off and taking control of the White House. President Hayes manages to escape to his underground bunker before the bloodbath.

Top CIA counterterrorism operative Mitch Rapp is sent in to...more

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Feb 26, 2009 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is my third book by Vince Flynn. It is absolutely fantastic. If you like the show 24, you'll love reading these books. Flynn writes like Tom Clancy, but without the lengthy digressions that Clancy puts in about submarines. Replace those with more action. Fantastic!

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Jan 18, 2009 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars

fantastic author that makes you really think about what is going on in the world now.

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Feb 26, 2013 Nolan Kermode rated it 5 of 5 stars

It is always a struggle to find a novel that hooks you right from the beginning, but when intelligence in the CIA finds a threat of an attack on the White House, I know I am in for a great book. The book "Transfer of Power" was written by fellow Minnesotan Vince Flynn. He is known for writing political thrillers, but the word thriller is an understatement for this book.

This book is the beginning of a series surrounding CIA operative Mitch Rapp, who is considered the best in the business. While i...more It is always a struggle to find a novel that hooks you right from the beginning, but when intelligence in the CIA finds a threat of an attack on the White House, I know I am in for a great book. The book "Transfer of Power" was written by fellow Minnesotan Vince Flynn. He is known for writing political thrillers, but the word thriller is an understatement for this book.

This book is the beginning of a series surrounding CIA operative Mitch Rapp, who is considered the best in the business. While in the pursuit of a highly ranked terrorist, he captures one of his right-hand-men who then leaks information regarding a terrorist attack on the United States, specifically, the White House. However, the information arrives too late as America is struck by the news that its most symbolic building has been taken over by terrorists, with the president inside. The rest of the novel covers Rapp's efforts, along with all the other agencies and politicians, to gain back control of its country. But foreign policies and corrupt polititians get in the way putting the president's head on the chopping block.

This is most likely one of the best books I have ever read. There was never a point in the book where I was bored or confused, thanks to Flynn's very clean-cut writing style, giving only useful information. The plot kept me biting my nails, never knowing what would happen next. One aspect of the book that kept me intrigued was the reoccurring theme of corruption in Washington D.C. "Our job here is to continue to walk this fine line, Sherman. If they can't give you solid proof that the president is in imminent danger, I wouldn't budge an inch" (409). This is the VP's chief of staff briefing the VP Sherman Baxter. What is corrupt about this is the fact that they know the president is in danger, yet they don't want to do anything if they don't have to because Baxter knows he is the next in command after the president, and that is all he is worried about throughout this crisis. Another theme is persistance. This is present in how the head terrorist is so close but can't quite get his hands on the president. It is also present in how all Rapp wants to do is kill the head terrorist, Rafique Aziz, but he can't do it unless his orders allow him to. "Next time, he told himself, just do it. Don't bother asking" (285). In this scenario, Rapp is just feet away from Aziz, but the chain of command barking in his headset tell him to not kill Aziz, which makes him furious, but he obeys orders and simply tells himself, next time I won't even think twice.
Both these themes make it very easy to like this book simply because the two aggrevate you and get you involved. Corruption makes you cringe and wish you could punch one of the characters in the face while persistence, in Rapp's case, makes you want him to shoot Aziz so bad, and when he chooses not to, you find yourself reading at an increasingly faster pace, dying to know what happens instead and how the main character persists through this adversity. These are two perfect examples of why I love the book, and couldn't drop it until it was finished, which is the characteristic of every good book.

Even though this book is perfect for my type of personality where I need for a book to be a thriller and very interesting, but an easy read, I think all types of people would love this book because it will be interesting for every reader. It involves the country's most symbolic building and person at risk throughout the story, and everyone can agree that those two things make for a very interesting story at the least. Overall this was an outstanding book, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the "Mitch Rapp" series.

Nolan

(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Dana Heyde rated it 4 of 5 stars

The unbelievable situation of the White House being taken over by terrorists in "Transfer of Power" suddenly becomes, well, believable. Flynn created an entire city of people all of whom are intricately involved with the hostage situation. There is just enough background for each character to make them a round and engaging person without weighing down the story. There was plenty of action to please everyone. The reactions of the American people to the hostages and terrorists, the Vice-President'...more The unbelievable situation of the White House being taken over by terrorists in "Transfer of Power" suddenly becomes, well, believable. Flynn created an entire city of people all of whom are intricately involved with the hostage situation. There is just enough background for each character to make them a round and engaging person without weighing down the story. There was plenty of action to please everyone. The reactions of the American people to the hostages and terrorists, the Vice-President's hesitation in making the wrong decision, and the FBI and Secret Service's strategic ideas for breaching the White House collide beautifully as the intensity of the situation rises.

The hero of the story is Rapp, the quintessential military operative who has no identity and has committed his life to taking town error. His goal is to break into the White House and identify a plausible strategy for saving the more than one hundred hostages. One hostage the novel focused on was Anna Riley, a reporter who has only been assigned to the White House for a few hours before she is thrust into the cafeteria with the other hostages. Riley and Rupp's paths cross in the midst of Rapp prowling around the residence. One thing that disappointed me was that the president wasn't more of a focal point. Although there really wasn't much opportunity for him to he when he is hidden in the bunker in the basement. The coolness of the conversations between all the politicos was a bit too realistic, and not exactly the highlight of the book for me. But the terrorists drilling through the bunker provided a suspenseful situation, and I was genuinely intrigued as to how the novel would end. With so much build up, I anticipated a slightly longer climax, but was still pleased with the culmination of events.

I am fully impressed with the dedication Flynn gave to this book. The clean writing and detailed plot that encompassed so many different aspects of Washington D.C was absolutely realistic. This is a light read that would appeal to anyone wanting an inside look into our government during a tense situation.(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Matt Ihli Ihli added it

In Vince Flynn's International Thriller "Transfer of Power", undercover CIA agent Mitch Rapp is tasked with retaking the White House from a group of Islamic Extremists. Mitch Rapp is a CIA agent that was recruited in College after a plane hijacking that killed his girlfriend. For years, he has been tracking an Islamic extremist, named Rafique Aziz, all over the world. Getting in through a back entrance while dressed as workers from a linen company, Rafique and his ragtag band of terrorist take o...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Mj rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, mystery-suspense-thriller

I waffled between giving the book 3 stars - due to its slow start or 4 stars - because the tension did really start to build half way through and kept me wanting to read more. I also preferred the second half as the characters and relationships were developed more by that time and character development even in a plot driven book, is something I really look for and enjoy.

Like Term Limits which I also read, there was more information than I needed to know about the weaponry, surveillance cameras...more

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Mar 16, 2012 Todd rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm giving this 3 stars, only because I read the book in a day, so it obviously kept my attention. The book definitely had its moments of suspense and excitement, I'll say that, but I was expecting a bit more. The characters were a bit vacuous and more caricatured than real, it's like the book was written by an obvious Republican who wants nothing more than to demonise Democrats as morons and narcissists. That part was really transparent.

This book is for commando fans, commando wannabes and comm...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Jenny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

It was a long time coming, but I finally forayed into the renowned (at least in my family) Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn. I figured I might like it because second to books that take place in NYC, I really enjoy reading books that take place in Washington, D.C. There's just something so significant and powerful about stories that take place in our nation's capital, even if they're fiction. But the renowned issue... Mitch Rapp (well, okay, the series in general and of course, author Vince Flynn...more It was a long time coming, but I finally forayed into the renowned (at least in my family) Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn. I figured I might like it because second to books that take place in NYC, I really enjoy reading books that take place in Washington, D.C. There's just something so significant and powerful about stories that take place in our nation's capital, even if they're fiction. But the renowned issue... Mitch Rapp (well, okay, the series in general and of course, author Vince Flynn) are an absolute favorite in my family. Both my parents have read the entire series to date and my husband just finished the seventh (of eleven). And they all RAVE about them. In fact, the four of us just recently returned from a vacation to Washington, D.C. and can I tell you how many times Mitch Rapp came up into conversation? LOL! Flynn's books are an absolute must read for them so I knew I eventually needed to try it out.

The first book in the series is Transfer of Power (not to be confused with Term Limits, Flynn's first book that is a stand alone). In it we are introduced to Mitch Rapp (as well as some ancillary characters who I assume may reappear in later books??) who is essentially a CIA counterterrorism bad ass. A well known terrorist, whom Rapp has been pursuing, physically takes over the White House, while taking over a hundred hostages. His men lace the White House with bombs and began making demands of the United States. President Hayes is evacuated to his bunker in time, leaving the Vice President to take over as Commander in Chief. But bureaucracies are everlasting, even during a time of crisis when on-the-spot decision making is most needed, and the vital decision makers cannot agree on whether they should take the White House by force or negotiate with the terrorists. Either way, they put the hostages and/or the President at risk. Mitch Rapp manages to enter the White House to spy on the terrorists and gain intelligence that can help the Vice President decide what to do next. But with the Vice President worried more about how to appeal to the American public so he can win the next election, Rapp and his cohorts take some matters into their own hands.

Transfer of Power was an absolutely addicting and thrilling read. It was, however, scary considering the experiences our country has had in the last decade which made the fictional scenario seem more real. Besides that, though, the political drama, the tension, all of it was so thrilling. I imagine that to enjoy this book, you'd have to have some interest in the government (or at least the drama of it) because of course it's flooded with governmental terms and titles. In the beginning it seemed to switch from one scene to another fairly quickly in an effort to set the scene regarding all the players. But I caught on quickly and it was fascinating from there. Definitely one of those books that constantly calls to you until you're done reading it. Only problem is the series itself has the same effect. I have so many other books to read but I'm dying to read the next one already! (Good thing I have all 11 books in the series so far waiting on my TBR). If you enjoy the show 24 (at least one season of which the author actually co-wrote) then you are sure to enjoy Transfer of Power.(less)

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May 31, 2011 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was nice to listen to the first in the Mitch Rapp series, having already gone through Consent to Kill. I had no idea that Anna Riley was also introduced here, so that was nice.

The story was pretty good. I have a hard time distinguishing issues regarding poor writing or poor editing when the audiobook is abridged (another reason why I just prefer unabridged audiobooks). The reader is pretty good, but there was little room for confusion when the conversation rarely drops the "Mitch whispered" o...more

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Oct 02, 2010 Jack rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes you want a break; just a good read, a page turner.

Transfer of Power gets great reviews and it fills the bill. But once I started reading I was surprised to find a full throated jihadi terrorist attack on the White House written in 1999, before 9/11.

I hope Flynn got royalties from the TV show "24".

I have a few minor quibbles with the writing which flirts at times with descent into "Aw Shucks!!!" cliches.

Also, Vince, as a lifelong resident of Ohio, I must point out that there is no Democ...more

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Mar 06, 2010 Glenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Transfer of Power" by Vince Flynn is an exceptionally well written, well paced action novel that is literally impossible to put down. "Can't put it down" is one of the most overused cliches in publishing but in this case it happens to be true. I devoured it in a handful of sittings. Rarely have I enjoyed a political thriller more.
The plot, which in a post September 11 world takes on new significance, involves the capture of the White House by a group of Middle Eastern terrorists and the effort...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Vinit Nair rated it 5 of 5 stars

Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn is probably one of the most interesting novels I have read this year. It is an action packed political thriller which will keep you on the edge of your seat and compels you to keep reading until you reach the last page.

Mitch Rapp, the primary protagonist, is a CIA operative who has spent much of his career hunting down Rafique Aziz, an extremely dangerous Islamic terrorist. In a bold plan, Rafique Aziz, takes over the White House and holds everyone in the white...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Cathy DuPont rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My favorite genre is mysteries and noir with a sprinkling of great fiction such as Kite Runner and House of Sand and Fog and classics. Towards the bottom of least favorite is a political thriller because most of them, to me, seem geared for men with an intimate knowledge of guns, aircraft, parachuting, etc. So when authors are describing a MP-5, the reader can visualize what it looks like. I can’t, so that was one of my problems that I can’t blame the author.

With that said, the book was just ok...more My favorite genre is mysteries and noir with a sprinkling of great fiction such as Kite Runner and House of Sand and Fog and classics. Towards the bottom of least favorite is a political thriller because most of them, to me, seem geared for men with an intimate knowledge of guns, aircraft, parachuting, etc. So when authors are describing a MP-5, the reader can visualize what it looks like. I can’t, so that was one of my problems that I can’t blame the author.

With that said, the book was just ok for me but can understand how it would and did get many four and five stars because it was indeed a ‘thriller’ in all sense of the word. Something exciting happening (mostly) from the beginning to the end. However, there was plenty of tunneling and hanging out in a closet as well which for me got pretty boring. Also, the book lacked insight as to who the protagonist Mitch Rapp really is. How did he become an umber-macho man? A character who men, I’m sure, simply love.

My concern is not with the possibility of whether the plotline is conceivable--fiction is fiction, possible or not, it’s fiction, folks. Flynn’s writing just seemed to get bogged down at times with some of the descriptions of guns, ammo and equipment that I am not familiar with at all and had a hard time visualizing. And the dialog was just sometimes plain sappy with the back and forth between especially between Rapp and Rielly, Rapp’s female interest. Time for romance in the middle of all the chaos, pretty unlikely but hey, it’s fiction. Making ‘goo-goo’ eyes at each other touch when killers are just feet away, heh, it’s fiction.

The ending was simply, in my mind, just “aw, shucks, ma’am” moments and the dialog sounded just like that. Also, there were a couple of loose strings such as the insider’s bad guy who befriended an enemy, was he finally found out? It’s never stated.

Again, men in particular should not look at my two stars, as a ‘don’t read’ because it was just ok. Men would like it or love it, I’m sure, much more than I did. And some women would love it, I’m sure but they’re probably much more knowledgeable with guns and such than I am and that would make a difference in the books’ likability.’ I just didn’t think it was an “amazing” five star book in the same category of The Grapes of Wrath or a more contemporary book such as Cutting for Stone.

Tell you what though, I sure was glad I was out of that tunnel and on terra firma once again! (less)

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Oct 07, 2012 karl rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have read most of Flynn's books, but this one escaped me. Written in 1999 the plot is amazing and believable. It just came out in paper, so maybe that is why somehow I found it for my Kindle.

Flynn was "really" good in his early books describing details of guns, rockets, bombs, communication devices, and using acronyms from Delta Force or Seals. I think Flynn coasted on some of his later books - just same old, same old, and a chance to coin more money.

The essence here is: Bad Arab and his gang...more

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Feb 07, 2011 Kyle Pennekamp rated it 3 of 5 stars

My second Vince Flynn novel... went back to the beginning of the Mitch Rapp series for this one. Like it says on the back of the books: "Mitch Rapp kills with impunity and tortures without repercussion... all in the name of America's Freedom." Which is pretty fucking hysterical / amazing. These books are the right wing successor to Dirty Harry. They might come off as simplistic and self-satisfied with their "it's their fault, we have to fight by their rules" approach to the War on Terror... but...more My second Vince Flynn novel... went back to the beginning of the Mitch Rapp series for this one. Like it says on the back of the books: "Mitch Rapp kills with impunity and tortures without repercussion... all in the name of America's Freedom." Which is pretty fucking hysterical / amazing. These books are the right wing successor to Dirty Harry. They might come off as simplistic and self-satisfied with their "it's their fault, we have to fight by their rules" approach to the War on Terror... but I have to say: I read a lot of cheap spy novels, and most of them blend together, and try and impress you with competing "Oh, my God, what if..." scenarios. Flynn adds to his this sense of moral certitude, a true (if simplistic) political POV. And that's what makes these books stand out, and makes them so much fun to read. Mitch Rapp believes what Dirty Harry believed: if the bad guys aren't going to play by our rules, then we can't let our rules get in the way of stopping them. What keeps them from rising above cheap paperback level to, say, the level of Tom Clancy's best geopolitical technothrillers is Flynn's interminable second acts. First 50 pages is Mitch Rapp doing something badass. Next 75 is a bad guy doing something badass. Then there are 400 pages of bureaucracy and indecision before Rapp is set loose. If this sounds effective... it's not. The reader is way ahead of way too many of the characters for it to stay propulsive, and when Rapp is finally set loose, the resolution's action tend to be too technical to provide the catharsis we're seeking.

Still, the moral clarity is refreshing and clear. Why does the White House fall under the control of the terrorists? Because the fat, greedy bastards at the Democratic National Committee decided that if an Arab Prince donates half a million dollars to their party, they can circumvent the Secret Service's background check protocol and get him in for a personal meet and greet with the President. Those Dems just have no respect for the hard work of the men and women serving this country with their lives!

All that said... I can't wait to read the next one. I hope Mitch waterboards some towelhead.(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Scott Rhee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Back in the days of the Cold War and the Evil Empire, Tom Clancy was king of the military techno-thriller. I'll be honest, I stopped reading Clancy after "Rainbow Six", which was a lot of right-wing garbage about eco-terrorists who want to release a poisonous gas at the Olympics because they were pissed off people weren't recycling aluminum cans... or something like that. Nowadays, Clancy doesn't even write his own books. He just puts his name on the cover to sell copies, much like other "franch...more Back in the days of the Cold War and the Evil Empire, Tom Clancy was king of the military techno-thriller. I'll be honest, I stopped reading Clancy after "Rainbow Six", which was a lot of right-wing garbage about eco-terrorists who want to release a poisonous gas at the Olympics because they were pissed off people weren't recycling aluminum cans... or something like that. Nowadays, Clancy doesn't even write his own books. He just puts his name on the cover to sell copies, much like other "franchise" authors: James Patterson and Clive Cussler, to name two. Don't get me wrong: Clancy wrote some great books. To this day, I still think "The Hunt for Red October" and "Patriot Games" are still among the top 20 best books I have ever read. Thankfully, Vince Flynn has kind of taken over the throne that Clancy once sat in. In 1999, Flynn published his first book, "Transfer of Power", in which radical Islamist terrorists take over the White House in an attempt to take the President hostage. Keep in mind that this was two short years away from September 11. It's a bit creepy when one reads it with a post-9/11 knowledge (obviously unavoidable), but it is a riveting and suspenseful thriller nonetheless. Basically "Die Hard" in the White House, with a little "24" thrown in, "TOP" pits CIA counter-terrorism expert Mitch Rapp against an intelligent, conniving Hezbollah leader named Rafique Aziz. In one of the most exciting hostile takeover scenes ever written, Aziz and his men infiltrate the White House grounds and proceed to take over the most security-laden building in the country. The ensuing firefight between the Hezbollah warriors and the Secret Service and U.S. Marines stationed in the White House rivals any of the best action scenes Clancy ever wrote, and I say that with the greatest respect for Clancy's skill at creating suspense and writing superb action scenes. Once in, Aziz takes the survivors hostage. President Hayes, along with an aide and several Secret Service agents, have made it safely to the underground bunker beneath the White House, but communications with the outside world has been cut off. No one outside the White House knows if the President is even alive, although they must operate under the assumption that he is. Meanwhile, because the President is not around to fulfill his duty, the Vice-President must step in. VP Baxter is an incompetent with a campaign-mentality. He is driven by the polls and not what is necessarily right or the best for the country. With the advice of a conniving and self-aggrandizing aide (I can't help but picture Karl Rove in this role), Baxter takes steps to ensure that President Hayes and the hostages stay in the White House for as long as possible. I'm not lying when I say that this is one of this books that was incredibly difficult to put down. It is literally non-stop action from beginning to end, and I look forward to reading more books by Flynn.(less)

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Apr 05, 2008 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, i-own-it

I just can't put these books down. This one was great. It was like the ultimate episode of 24 - if they haven't made this into a movie already they should. The politicians in these books are believably despicable, the action is intense, and you completely root for the "good guys." I couldn't wait until the copy of the next book came back to the library so I ran out and bought the next one immediately. This guy can write!

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Jan 14, 2013 Nick Dines rated it 4 of 5 stars

My first Vince Flynn/Mitch Rapp book and I am sure that throughout 2013 I will read the series.

Actually ticks the box of something I have been looking for over the past few years: a replacement for vintage Tom Clancy.

Up until Rainbow Six, I loved his books. I found it fascinating to see the world through America's eyes and learnt more about the Cold War from these books than anywhere else.

However, I have not been able to find any decent novels that cover the rise of Islamic terrorism and America...more

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Jul 27, 2012 caroline rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm listening to this on Audible, which I enjoy since it makes LA traffic go faster. I'm about halfway, and it's definitely engaging, but I wonder if the culture of the terrorists is an excuse to write some really insipid female characters and some scarier violence toward women than I'm used to in these sorts of series. I am enjoying the story, and the plot is well done, but Daniel Silva still has a firm place as my favorite espionage novelist, with his love of art history and great female char...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Josh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Having listened to all the Mitch Rapp stories after "Consent to Kill", I wanted to catch up with the earlier novels in the series. I listened to the abridged version of this story, and I didn't feel like I missed much because the story is on a smaller scale. You can definitely tell that this is one of Flynn's earlier books as the writing quality and story complexity just aren't as high as later novels. Also I noticed that the personality of the main character doesn't have nearly as much depth as...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Wayne Smallman rated it 5 of 5 stars

I must admit, I never imagined myself as a reader of political espionage thrillers. Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn is — and was — an excellent introduction to this triumvirate of genres.

Mitch Rapp is a man on a mission — to find and kill his nemesis, Rafique Aziz, a known terrorist and master planner of many a daring dirty deed. Aziz orchestrates a fabulously ambitious assault on the White House, in an attempt to seize the President and hold the American nation to ransom. But like almost every...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Peter rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller

Review: The plot kept my attention, but that's about it. I wonder if the series gets better or if I was in a less critical mood when I read Consent to Kill, but this book had very little depth: characters are one dimensional, complex issues are treated simplistically (eg. Under what circumstances, if any, is torture morally acceptable?), and the romance between the two lead characters was superficial. On the other hand, I appreciated that there wasn't too much gratuitous gore or ridiculous sex (...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Robert H rated it 4 of 5 stars

A friend of mine suggested that I read this, and I picked it up because he'd compared it to Tom Clancy. Hoping for something more like Clancy's original books I found that this wasn't the case, but that the book was definitely enjoyable.

As Flynn's first foray into this sort of story, he painted a very interesting picture of how a significant terrorist attack on the White House might occur. Of course the book was written back in 1999, so there have been significant changes in the way not only muc...more

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Jan 15, 2012 heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: freebies, my-ebooks, favorites

I normally detest political thrillers.

I cannot even say exactly what it was about the brief description of this book that caused me to download it. I can say with the utmost confidence that if it hadn’t been free, despite whatever it was that enticed me, I would not have purchased the book simply because of my historical and statistical dislike for the political thriller.

This having been said, I am deeply confused by what I am about to say.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!

The story itself is simple and uncom...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books

On a busy Washington morning, the stately calm of the White House is shattered as terrorists gain control of the executive mansion, slaughtering dozens of people. The president is evacuated to an underground bunker, but not before nearly one hundred hostages are taken. One man is sent in to take control of the crisis. Mitch Rapp, the CIA's top counterterrorism operative, determines that the president is not as safe as Washington's power elite had thought.

My husband is a huge Vince Flynn ( MItch...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Oglaigh na hEireann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Don't know who mitch rapp is ? OK lets take a soldier ,...cia op,...who cant stand politicians,...and wants to see the downfall of America's enemies hunted down with extreme prejudice. He is the modern day john wayne who simply takes no SH*T from anyone. Every single novel has so much action that page turning becomes as automatic as pulling the trigger on Saddam Hussein. Mitch is one of my favorite characters of all time,...and not because he played la cross for Syracuse ( rockin by its own righ...more

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Mar 06, 2009 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, own, political

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 23, 2012 Linda Munro rated it 5 of 5 stars

Some day I swear I will reread the Mitch Rapp series in order, for now I am simply happy to read them all!

In this book, Flynn brings Islamic Terrorists upclose and personal, when they take over the White House with everyone inside as captives. Okay, not everyone; the President is herded into a safe bunker located beneath the White House; of course, how safe is yet to be seen!

While for many it would appear that it is up to Rapp to save the day, as in real life, there are no superheroes! Rapp...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Vince Flynn book and as I understand it I am behind the times since he has been writing for a long time now. I picked the book up on a recommendation of my now defunct book club. I wasn’t sure if it was something I would be able to really get into but since my dad already had it on his shelf I was game.

Boy was I in for a surprise. I now understand why people really like Flynn. The story starts right away with action to bring you right in. There is good character development but...more

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About Vince Flynn

The Vince Flynn Story

The fifth of seven children, Vince Flynn was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1966. He graduated from the St. Thomas Academy in 1984, and the University of St. Thomas with a degree in economics in 1988. After college he went to work for Kraft General Foods where he was an account and sales marketing specialist. In 1990 he left Kraft to accept an aviation candidate slot with the...more The Vince Flynn Story

The fifth of seven children, Vince Flynn was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1966. He graduated from the St. Thomas Academy in 1984, and the University of St. Thomas with a degree in economics in 1988. After college he went to work for Kraft General Foods where he was an account and sales marketing specialist. In 1990 he left Kraft to accept an aviation candidate slot with the United States Marine Corps. One week before leaving for Officers Candidate School, he was medically disqualified from the Marine Aviation Program, due to several concussions and convulsive seizures he suffered growing up. While trying to obtain a medical waiver for his condition, he started thinking about writing a book. This was a very unusual choice for Flynn since he had been diagnosed with dyslexia in grade school and had struggled with reading and writing all his life.

Having been stymied by the Marine Corps, Flynn returned to the nine-to-five grind and took a job with United Properties, a commercial real estate company in the Twin Cities. During his spare time he worked on an idea he had for a book. After two years with United Properties he decided to take a big gamble. He quit his job, moved to Colorado, and began working full time on what would eventually become Term Limits . Like many struggling artists before him, he was a bartender at night and wrote during the day. Five years and more than sixty rejection letters later he took the unusual step of self-publishing his first novel. The book went to number one in the Twin Cities, and within a week had a new agent and two-book deal with Pocket Books, a Simon & Schuster imprint.

Term Limits hit the New York Times bestseller list in paperback and started a trend for all of Flynn's novels. Since then, his books have become perennial bestsellers in both paperback and hardcover, and he has become known for his research and prescient warnings about the rise of Islamic Radical Fundamentalism and terrorism. Read by current and former presidents, foreign heads of state, and intelligence professionals around the world, Flynn's novels are taken so seriously one high-ranking CIA official told his people, “I want you to read Flynn's books and start thinking about how we can more effectively wage this war on terror.”

October 2007 marked another milestone in Flynn’s career when his ninth political thriller, Protect and Defend, became a #1 New York Times bestseller. A few months later, CBS Films optioned the rights for Flynn’s Mitch Rapp character with the intention of creating a character-based, action-thriller movie franchise. Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who previously launched the Harry Potter and Matrix films as head of production at Warner Bros., and Nick Wechsler (We Own the Night, Reservation Road) will produce the films.

Flynn lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and three children.

Works by Flynn include Transfer of Power, The Third Option, Separation of Power , Executive Power , Memorial Day, Consent to Kill, Act of Treason, and Extreme Measures.
-- Atria Books (2008)

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Transfer of Power (Mitch Rapp #3)

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