39th out of 1,069 books
—
1,563 voters
Patriot Games (Jack Ryan #1)
by
Tom Clancy
The bestselling author of Red Storm Rising and The Sum of All Fears brings Jack Ryan back in his to fight his deadliest battle yet.
From England to Ireland to America, an explosive wave of violence sweeps a CIA analyst and his family into the deadliest game of our time: international terrorism. An ultra-left-wing faction of the IRA has targeted the CIA man for his act of sa...more
From England to Ireland to America, an explosive wave of violence sweeps a CIA analyst and his family into the deadliest game of our time: international terrorism. An ultra-left-wing faction of the IRA has targeted the CIA man for his act of sa...more
Paperback, 503 pages
Published
May 1st 1992
by Berkley
(first published 1987)
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I'll do the same review for all Clancy's novels because they're all pretty much the same. Very long, very detailed, and after a while, very repetitive. If you stop after just a few of his books you'd probably give them 4 or 5 stars, but beyond that they start to grate. Especially where Jack Ryan is involved. I mean, Clancy spends hundreds of pages getting his details just right, the settings perfect etc., then he has Ryan dodging more bullets than James Bond! I finally threw my hands up and surr...more
Although an old novel, but this is a classic novel about Jack Ryan, a former US marines who was on a work/vacation to the UK. A day after his arrival, he finds himself in a gun battle with 3 terrorists attacking the prince of Wales, his wife and few months old baby.
They survived the attack, thanks to Jack who sustains an injury but got the Knighthood for his bravery.
After that comes trouble from... Hey! go read it yourself to find out what happened in the end.
I really like the plot. It's a clas...more
They survived the attack, thanks to Jack who sustains an injury but got the Knighthood for his bravery.
After that comes trouble from... Hey! go read it yourself to find out what happened in the end.
I really like the plot. It's a clas...more
The book Patriot Games, written by Tom Clancy, is an exciting adventure novel which I enjoyed very much. This book is part of a series about a former Marine and CIA analyst named Jack Ryan. Jack Ryan travels to London combining a conference meeting and a vacation with his family. Unexpectedly, a terrorist attack happens right before his eyes. Without any fear for his own safety, he jumps into action, thwarting the terrorist attack, but gets shot. When Jack wakes up in the hospital, he realizes t...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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First of all, way better than the movie. Harrison Ford is awesome, but there is so much emotion and thought process that can't be laid out as well when it is done on the big screen. Books are better, period. (having said that, I do see Harrison Ford in my mind's eye every time I think of Jack Ryan)
Second - not as good as the first book in the Jack Ryan series. This one really seemed to drag in the middle. Lots of detail and then some action. I must have read this book ten years ago and remember...more
Second - not as good as the first book in the Jack Ryan series. This one really seemed to drag in the middle. Lots of detail and then some action. I must have read this book ten years ago and remember...more
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I was in mood for some fast paced action thriller and what better than Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series books. I became his fan after reading “Executive Orders” where Jack Ryan becomes US president. Patriot Games is chronologically the first book in this series even before “The Hunt for the Red October”. In this book the fight is against Irish terrorist group who tries to kidnap British Royals and Ryan manages to save them. Now the terrorist group is after Ryan and hi...more
I was in mood for some fast paced action thriller and what better than Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series books. I became his fan after reading “Executive Orders” where Jack Ryan becomes US president. Patriot Games is chronologically the first book in this series even before “The Hunt for the Red October”. In this book the fight is against Irish terrorist group who tries to kidnap British Royals and Ryan manages to save them. Now the terrorist group is after Ryan and hi...more
The story started like a roller coaster in the middle of London where Jack Ryan, an American tourist, foils the attempted kidnapping of members of the Royal Family.
The book could not keep a steady pace from there and at times became so slow that I literally had to skip pages to get to the action. Tom Clancy's natural descriptive style and obsession to get the facts absolutely right almost spoiled what otherwise could have been a very good espionage book.
What works for the book is the character o...more
The book could not keep a steady pace from there and at times became so slow that I literally had to skip pages to get to the action. Tom Clancy's natural descriptive style and obsession to get the facts absolutely right almost spoiled what otherwise could have been a very good espionage book.
What works for the book is the character o...more
So I was looking for a book that was going to be easy to read -- a real "page turner." I've never been one to read what I guess could be characterized as popular fiction, save for a Michael Crichton book or two when I was in high school. But, I was lamenting to a friend how I felt that a fair amount of my reading had been relatively heavy recently and he recommended Tom Clancy.
Admittedly, I felt like I was regretting the decision about 50 or 75 pages into the book. the Jack Ryan character/person...more
Admittedly, I felt like I was regretting the decision about 50 or 75 pages into the book. the Jack Ryan character/person...more
This was the first Tom Clancy novel I ever read. I thought it was a very taut, enjoyable thriller, but something frustrated me—an element I was only able to identify years after that initial reading. While the terrorist plots and political intrigue are entertaining, the real hook is Jack Ryan’s story. His C.I.A. credentials notwithstanding, Ryan is the perfect everyman; he makes a difficult decision during a violent situation, and is forced to deal with the consequences. I found his struggles to...more
Aug 23, 2010
rabbitprincess
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to rabbitprincess by:
browsing on dad's bookshelf
Shelves:
borrowed,
elementary-school
I read this one in elementary school, yes. I needed long books that I wouldn't accidentally finish in the middle of the Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) period, because we weren't allowed to leave our desks. Here's my review from that period (and yes the star rating is reflective of this review, not the benefit of hindsight):
"The author is trying to create a lot of suspense and action/adventure. He does this by centring his story on a group of terrorists who try and kill the Prince and Princess w...more
"The author is trying to create a lot of suspense and action/adventure. He does this by centring his story on a group of terrorists who try and kill the Prince and Princess w...more
Tom Clancy’s Patriot Games
4.5 stars
Tom Clancy is known around the world for his fast paced action books. (Several of his books have been made into movies, and one has even been made into a video game series!) This is one of his earlier books, and I anticipated a book just like those who have made him famous with his writing style, such as Hunt for Red October, Red Storm Rising, and others. I wasn’t disappointed. This book, Patriot Games, is a great book, as most of his others were.
The Theme of...more
4.5 stars
Tom Clancy is known around the world for his fast paced action books. (Several of his books have been made into movies, and one has even been made into a video game series!) This is one of his earlier books, and I anticipated a book just like those who have made him famous with his writing style, such as Hunt for Red October, Red Storm Rising, and others. I wasn’t disappointed. This book, Patriot Games, is a great book, as most of his others were.
The Theme of...more
Patriot Games is a roller coaster of a book. There are twists and turns at every turn of the page and events build up to create very dramatic drops every so often in the book until the very end. The characters seem real and will make you want to know each of their life stories. The book is James Bond meets Robert Langdon. Patriot Games will grab your attention from the very begging and not let go until the very end.
The story starts off in London. The protagonist of the story, Jack Ryan, is vis...more
The story starts off in London. The protagonist of the story, Jack Ryan, is vis...more
The Patrot Games can make you feel like your right in the book. Tom Clancy's Patriot Games was amasing book. As tention builds and climax rise the book gets better and better. Like when the terrorists attack John's family and are sent ramming into a bridge post. John Ryan an ex-marine is threaten for his life. When he saves the lifes of the heirs to the English throne, by stopping an assination attempted by Irish terroist. Ryan must now protect him and his family from having the fate the heirs...more
It was better than I expected, I have to admit. Not that I really followed (I don't mean in a I-don't-comprehend sense, I mean in a I-was-bored-and-zoned-out sense) a lot of the tactical stuff about attacking and fighting and escaping, but overall it was entertaining enough.
However, his attempts at making sure he's seen as non-misogynistic just come off as condescending. Cathy Ryan might be an eye surgeon, but more than that she is beautiful, pretty, and pregnant. And beautiful. It's like he th...more
However, his attempts at making sure he's seen as non-misogynistic just come off as condescending. Cathy Ryan might be an eye surgeon, but more than that she is beautiful, pretty, and pregnant. And beautiful. It's like he th...more
I read this when it first came out, back when I was in my thriller phase. It's my favorite Clancy book - probably because there's more to the characters than in his previous submarine books.
Jack Ryan is a CIA analyst and ex-Marine who unintentionally gets caught in the fight for Northern Ireland. His actions foil an attempt by a factional group to kidnap a member of the royal family, and makes him a target of terrorists. Jack's family becomes the one in danger as the war crosses the Atlantic and...more
Jack Ryan is a CIA analyst and ex-Marine who unintentionally gets caught in the fight for Northern Ireland. His actions foil an attempt by a factional group to kidnap a member of the royal family, and makes him a target of terrorists. Jack's family becomes the one in danger as the war crosses the Atlantic and...more
I have to just quote another review I just read, because it is exACTly what I think about Clancy:
"I'll do the same review for all Clancy's novels because they're all pretty much the same. Very long, very detailed, and after a while, very repetitive. If you stop after just a few of his books you'd probably give them 4 or 5 stars, but beyond that they start to grate. Especially where Jack Ryan is involved. I mean, Clancy spends hundreds of pages getting his details just right, the settings perfect...more
"I'll do the same review for all Clancy's novels because they're all pretty much the same. Very long, very detailed, and after a while, very repetitive. If you stop after just a few of his books you'd probably give them 4 or 5 stars, but beyond that they start to grate. Especially where Jack Ryan is involved. I mean, Clancy spends hundreds of pages getting his details just right, the settings perfect...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Patriot Games was written second, but chronologically the events portrayed occur before The Hunt for Red October. These two novels kicked off a series that continues today, and remain among the best technothrillers ever written. The true passion that Clancy has for his subject matter shows through, and his strong personal belief in the values portrayed by Jack Ryan, widely considered to be his fictional alter ego, make these books among the best I have read,
These are also two of my favorite movi...more
These are also two of my favorite movi...more
This book started and ended with a bang but lost me in the middle. After the quick start with lots of action, the next 150 to 200 pages felt like filler pages. A lot of them could have been taken out or condensed down and the book would have been better. The last part of the book really picked up though and made for a good ending.
If you are looking for a deep intellectualy book then Patriot Games probably isn't for you. The book focuses on terrorism and is a complete work of fiction. Ryan Jack i...more
If you are looking for a deep intellectualy book then Patriot Games probably isn't for you. The book focuses on terrorism and is a complete work of fiction. Ryan Jack i...more
Apr 10, 2013
Hassaan Bin Tariq
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Racists
Well what can I say, my 2nd Tom Clancy book (which I came across by chance & unwillingly) wasn't much better than the 1st, unsurprisingly! Although I have to admit it was somewhat less biased than "Dead or Alive". Apparently Mr. Clancy likes the Irish better than Pakistanis. Because he does mention two irish characters who aren't axe murderers (lucky them). But the funniest thing is how he portrays the British Royal family like the Brady bunch. So humble & down to earth, mingling with co...more
This was, I guess, the first book Clancy wrote, even though it was published after The Hunt For Red October. After October's publication, though, Clancy must have gone over Patriot Games again (probably with an editor), because this novel is much, much stronger than October was.
It's not perfect; Clancy's ultra-conservative views still intrude, sometimes amusingly, sometimes irritatingly. His characters are heavily stereotyped based on their gender and/or ethnicity, almost to the point of being o...more
It's not perfect; Clancy's ultra-conservative views still intrude, sometimes amusingly, sometimes irritatingly. His characters are heavily stereotyped based on their gender and/or ethnicity, almost to the point of being o...more
This is the only Clancy book that I really like, enough so that I've read it twice in highschool, once in college and once in "adult" life :)
Probably a "once a decade" kind of book for me.
The world has certainly changed since this book was written. Is Ireland still dealing with the North/South/England issue? I don't even know! If it is, it has been overshadowed by the likes of 9/11, Iraq, Iran and the Arab spring.
And airport security. And cell phones. What a difference the internet and cellphone...more
Probably a "once a decade" kind of book for me.
The world has certainly changed since this book was written. Is Ireland still dealing with the North/South/England issue? I don't even know! If it is, it has been overshadowed by the likes of 9/11, Iraq, Iran and the Arab spring.
And airport security. And cell phones. What a difference the internet and cellphone...more
Now' this book is a classic, no wonder why they are still printing it. I think it's becasuse Clancy is the master of spionage thrillers. I've read "Red Octuber" first, since then, I became a follower of Jack Ryan adventures.
In this one Jack happens to be in the right place at the right time to save Prince of Wales from a terrorist attack planned by Irish revolutionaries. Getting involved in terrorism activities draw the hate for the terrorist cell, and they planned a revange to kill Ryan and fa...more
In this one Jack happens to be in the right place at the right time to save Prince of Wales from a terrorist attack planned by Irish revolutionaries. Getting involved in terrorism activities draw the hate for the terrorist cell, and they planned a revange to kill Ryan and fa...more
It feels as if Red October and this book were written by two different authors. Red October's plot was tight and the action moved along quickly. Here however, we are treated to a really exciting start, then the action inexplicably grinds to a halt. Page after page, we are reminded of what a truly selfless hero our protagonist is, how he continues to be bemused by his timely and opportune actions, and his overwhelming love for his wife. Gah. I liked the Ryan dude, but the self indulgent and long...more
Dude books. I call them "palette cleansers" because sometimes I just get tired of reading about FEELINGS and EMOTIONS and THOUGHTS.
This book didn't have any of those other things.
It had intrigue, machismo, swearing, guns, and violence. Pretty much pg-13 level, nothing too too much.
But it also had bravery, mystery, and for reals: the main guy likes his wife and kid. And he doesn't cheat on her. Two thumbs up.
So, in all, a bit more insight than the movie version, but pretty much the gist of it....more
This book didn't have any of those other things.
It had intrigue, machismo, swearing, guns, and violence. Pretty much pg-13 level, nothing too too much.
But it also had bravery, mystery, and for reals: the main guy likes his wife and kid. And he doesn't cheat on her. Two thumbs up.
So, in all, a bit more insight than the movie version, but pretty much the gist of it....more
This was an amazing book, a political thriller at it's best while maintaining a human factor that I think was crucial to the story line. Jack Ryan (main character) is a former marine now American tourist in England who happens to be in the wrong place at the right time (yes I said that correctly) as he ends up breaking up a terrorist attack against the Prince of Whales, heir to the throne.
Jack's intervention saves the heirs life but unfortunately it turns the terrorist attention on him and his...more
Jack's intervention saves the heirs life but unfortunately it turns the terrorist attention on him and his...more
A communist splinter group from the Provisional IRA attempt to kill Jack Ryan and his family in this highly entertaining book. There are only three major actions scenes, but the intervening narrative is well-paced. Occasionally, the repeated descriptions of Ryan and his wife as paragons of professional expertise feel tiresome, but one never sympathises for the heartless terrorists. The predictable final showdown is helpfully adorned by a text-book application of pathetic fallacy, and Ryan's inte...more
Good movie, not as strong memories of the book itself. I remember things, but not a lot of things.
I read most all of the early Clancy in the pre-9/11 time. I wonder if it's worth re-reading now just to see how it's aged. It's strange thinking back to a time when you could imagine the big bad guy is some Irish terrorist or whatever. No ephemeral multinational organization, no holy war, no culture clash, just a cat and mouse game.
Different world now, but that shouldn't take away from how Clancy ca...more
I read most all of the early Clancy in the pre-9/11 time. I wonder if it's worth re-reading now just to see how it's aged. It's strange thinking back to a time when you could imagine the big bad guy is some Irish terrorist or whatever. No ephemeral multinational organization, no holy war, no culture clash, just a cat and mouse game.
Different world now, but that shouldn't take away from how Clancy ca...more
Ketika berada di London,United Kingdom untuk mengumpul bahan bagi buku terbarunya,Jack Ryan terlibat dengan sebuah percubaan menculik Putera Wales,isteri dan anak baginda. Akibatnya,dia tercedera ketika cuba menyelamatkan keluarga diraja tersebut. Sean Miller,salah seorang dari dua pengganas Ulster Liberation Army (ULA) yang terlibat di dalam cubaan culik itu berjaya diberkas. Namun begitu,Miller berjaya melarikan diri dengan bantuan anggota-anggota ULA yang lain di bawah pimpinan Kevin O'Donnel...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriot Games | 25 | 82 | Apr 24, 2013 07:42am |
From www.loc.gov: Best-selling author Tom Clancy was an English major at Baltimore’s Loyola College and he had a dream of writing a novel. As a Maryland insurance broker with a passion for naval history, his dream came true with his first effort, The Hunt for Red October (1984). He has since written more than a dozen novels, which have a blend of realism and authenticity, intricate plotting, and r...more
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Oct 08, 2010 09:23am