What do you think?
Rate this book
Jack Ryan Universe #37
Command and Control
A Russian plot to seize the Panama Canal plunges President Jack Ryan into a desperate fight for his life in the latest entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
For a century, the Panama Canal has served as the path between the seas. Control of this vital waterway is the difference between free trade and chaos in world markets.
So when Panamanian President Rafael Botero asks for a show of support against the socialist opposition, his old friend President Jack Ryan can’t turn down an invitation to visit the country, but what seems like an ordinary opportunity to preach the values of democracy quickly turns into a nightmare when a full-blown coup d’état erupts.
President Ryan and his Secret Service team are cut off and out of communication. In Washington, the Vice President is coordinating a military response, but there's still one more obstacle.
One of the main forces behind the coup is the ruthless criminal organization known as the Camarilla. They’ve had their tentacles deep inside the plot to overthrow the government. All of their hard work has just presented them with an unexpected opportunity they can’t resist—the chance to kill President Jack Ryan.
For a century, the Panama Canal has served as the path between the seas. Control of this vital waterway is the difference between free trade and chaos in world markets.
So when Panamanian President Rafael Botero asks for a show of support against the socialist opposition, his old friend President Jack Ryan can’t turn down an invitation to visit the country, but what seems like an ordinary opportunity to preach the values of democracy quickly turns into a nightmare when a full-blown coup d’état erupts.
President Ryan and his Secret Service team are cut off and out of communication. In Washington, the Vice President is coordinating a military response, but there's still one more obstacle.
One of the main forces behind the coup is the ruthless criminal organization known as the Camarilla. They’ve had their tentacles deep inside the plot to overthrow the government. All of their hard work has just presented them with an unexpected opportunity they can’t resist—the chance to kill President Jack Ryan.
462 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2023
1012 people are currently reading
1334 people want to read
About the author
Marc Cameron
44 books1,956 followersA native of Texas, Marc Cameron is a retired Chief Deputy US Marshal who spent nearly thirty years in law enforcement. His assignments have taken him from rural Alaska to Manhattan, from Canada to Mexico and points in between. A second degree black belt in jujitsu, he often teaches defensive tactics to other law enforcement agencies and civilian groups. Cameron lives in Alaska with his wife and BMW motorcycle.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
February 23, 2025
A really good book read by a great reader-Scott Brick--just made this over the top. Loved it.
December 10, 2023
Every single time I start one of these books, I say the same thing to myself: Self, you'll never be able to keep all the characters and storylines straight. And you know what? A few chapters into it, and I'm really INTO it - you know what I mean? The same thing happened here, with an added thought that I'm in awe of any writer who is able to even conceive of such complex concepts, much less weave them together so well. I'm sorry to learn that this is the last in the series he'll be penning.
Central to the plot this time out is Panama, where President Rafael Botero has asked his old friend, U.S. President Jack Ryan, to make an unscheduled visit to boost his image during a time of growing unrest. On the other sides of the equation are Botero's enemies (who at best want him deposed and at worst dead) and the Russians, who would love to swoop in and save the day.
In the midst of that, though, is another angle; a mission by members of the Campus, a secretive elite group that includes President Ryan's son, Jack Jr., took out a formidable murderer who, it turns out, has a sister who is even more lethal. Not happy with losing her brother, she sets out to get rid of the person who ordered his killing - none other than Ryan's Director of National Intelligence, Mary Pat Foley (and just for good measure, her elderly husband).
Both situations heat up fast with a coup d'etat in Panama that quickly threatens President Ryan and his small protective entourage. It extends to Mary Pat, who entered the country with her President but took off in another direction, and to Jack Jr.'s group, which seems to have garnered attention from some very nasty people all on their own. Of course, I can't offer more details except to say that they're all juicy. All told, another one well done, and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review it.
Central to the plot this time out is Panama, where President Rafael Botero has asked his old friend, U.S. President Jack Ryan, to make an unscheduled visit to boost his image during a time of growing unrest. On the other sides of the equation are Botero's enemies (who at best want him deposed and at worst dead) and the Russians, who would love to swoop in and save the day.
In the midst of that, though, is another angle; a mission by members of the Campus, a secretive elite group that includes President Ryan's son, Jack Jr., took out a formidable murderer who, it turns out, has a sister who is even more lethal. Not happy with losing her brother, she sets out to get rid of the person who ordered his killing - none other than Ryan's Director of National Intelligence, Mary Pat Foley (and just for good measure, her elderly husband).
Both situations heat up fast with a coup d'etat in Panama that quickly threatens President Ryan and his small protective entourage. It extends to Mary Pat, who entered the country with her President but took off in another direction, and to Jack Jr.'s group, which seems to have garnered attention from some very nasty people all on their own. Of course, I can't offer more details except to say that they're all juicy. All told, another one well done, and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review it.
December 27, 2023
Marc Cameron ends his tenure of helming the Jack Ryan Sr boat by floating the president into a surprise coup in Panama. How in the world? You see, what had happened was...they were trying to be sneaky-sneaky getting Ryan into Panama to show solidarity with the Panamanian president who is facing internal opposition with an assist from Russia. Good plan; bad timing.
Marc Cameron was a great choice to continue Tom Clancy's legacy and Command and Control feels like old school Clancy. Cameron is well known for character development and he used his skill to introduce readers to new characters that feel like they've been around since the beginning. It was also nice to read about something other than Ukraine, China or Islamic terrorism. It's a nice change of pace and I think Clancy would be proud.
My sincere gratitude to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Command and Control.
Share your review!
Marc Cameron was a great choice to continue Tom Clancy's legacy and Command and Control feels like old school Clancy. Cameron is well known for character development and he used his skill to introduce readers to new characters that feel like they've been around since the beginning. It was also nice to read about something other than Ukraine, China or Islamic terrorism. It's a nice change of pace and I think Clancy would be proud.
My sincere gratitude to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Command and Control.
Share your review!
November 27, 2023
I am tired of this site swallowing my reviews, damn it!
This isn’t anywhere near as good as the last one Cameron wrote. He’s coasting. It’s too short; it skimps on tech; and it’s a single, straight-line story, as opposed to two plots combining.
This isn’t anywhere near as good as the last one Cameron wrote. He’s coasting. It’s too short; it skimps on tech; and it’s a single, straight-line story, as opposed to two plots combining.
October 26, 2023
Jack Ryan #37 This is Marc Cameron's latest and last addition to this series. Set during Jack Ryan's Presidency, this is not a standalone. You really need to have read the books before his Presidency to understand the hand that he has been dealt and his background/backstory - it will just give the entire story so much more depth. Of course you have classic Jack Ryan and his moral compass and his need to protect the United States - and his need to go above and beyond what he is called to do. With Russian warships in the Panama Canal, you will get a new twist on the US/Russia relationship. This is a must read for Jack Ryan fans.
Read
July 18, 2024****5/25/24**** Just picked up a hardback copy of this at my local Los Angeles public library. This is my first visit there in a long time, but I'm trying to reset my book motivation by perusing the New Releases shelves which have basically ALL the great new books you're hearing about. Only problem is I can't read them in bed in the middle of the night like I can my kindle. LOL. I haven't read a Tom Clancy genre book in a long time (his writing legacy is being continued by a series of other authors - this one is retired US Marshall, Marc Cameron), but hopefully I can keep the plot straight and get through it. Review coming....
January 7, 2024
One of the better Clancy-stable books in the series, this one kept me turning the pages til the end. The plot centers around Jack Ryan Sr. and an unannounced trip he decides to make to Panama. While the book is violent, it is not overly so, like some of its predecessors. My favorite thing about the book: Jack Jr. has almost no lines. I'm not a Jack Jr. fan. Somehow amidst the holiday hubbub I missed the release of this novel. Luckily my sister found it at the local library!! A very good read.
January 8, 2024
Outstanding techno-thriller. I guess the thing that worries me the most is that some idiots or sociopaths out there might try use their story plots as a bluprint or template for their own brand of mayhem. They all seem possible the way good writers weave their storylines. But action packed from start to finish with your favorite characters, and some new ones.
January 14, 2024
It was a good realistic story.
March 27, 2024
- [ ] The 23rd novel of the Jack Ryan, Sr. series originated by Tom Clancy doesn’t disappoint his fans. Marc Cameron has done a great job of filling in for our late great author. As a novelist of his own series (Jericho Quinn), he made Jack Ryan come to life in the latest thriller. Jack is still President and the world still hates him in many corners. Yet Jack continues to fight the good fight against dictators and those who hate America. This latest novel finds the President traveling to Central America on what is supposed to be a peaceful support mission to an ally. But as usual, the bad guys see this as an opportunity to bring America to their knees by killing the one man who is loved in America, but hated by so many outside America.
The plot is familiar and the end is guaranteed, but it will keep you turning the pages. Probably the biggest negative to those partial to the original Clancy novels is the lack of so many backstories that Clancy was able to incorporate into one final crescendo at the end of his books. Cameron does a great job and I will continue to support his efforts in continuing the saga of President Jack Ryan.
The plot is familiar and the end is guaranteed, but it will keep you turning the pages. Probably the biggest negative to those partial to the original Clancy novels is the lack of so many backstories that Clancy was able to incorporate into one final crescendo at the end of his books. Cameron does a great job and I will continue to support his efforts in continuing the saga of President Jack Ryan.
January 8, 2024
The Russians want to seize the Panama Canal, so working with dissidents and mercenaries, a coup is planned. President Jack Ryan is about to find himself stuck in the middle, literally, can he survive and abet disaster?
Not quite a full ensemble novel, the Campus are involved but have a minor part. The main focus is on President Jack Ryan and Mary Pat Foley. It’s a slow starter, with a lot of build up before the climatic ending, but it’s all worth it. This is a proper thriller which keeps you turning the pages, wanting to read the next chapter. Excellent.
Not quite a full ensemble novel, the Campus are involved but have a minor part. The main focus is on President Jack Ryan and Mary Pat Foley. It’s a slow starter, with a lot of build up before the climatic ending, but it’s all worth it. This is a proper thriller which keeps you turning the pages, wanting to read the next chapter. Excellent.
November 30, 2023
I loved how everything worked together! We saw Jack Sr and MP doing their thing along with Ed and Cathy - and still got to see the Campus with John and Chavez. Great book for anyone who loves the Clancy Universe!
May 20, 2025
In the 1980s, Tom Clancy reshaped the landscape of the literary bestseller by bringing the technothriller to the fore. Something he continued to do in the early 21st century and, even a decade after his passing, the characters he created live on as part of a vast media empire. Among Clancy’s licensed heirs has been Marc Cameron, himself a successful novelist, who penned perhaps the best of the post-Clancy Ryanverse novels, Red Winter. So it seemed that Cameron would make a triumphant departure from the Ryanverse with a surprisingly topical novel about President Jack Ryan, a coup in Panama, Russian moves into the American sphere of influence, and the risk of blowback from intelligence operations.
At least, that’s what Command and Control promised with its blurb.
Cameron starts the novel off with a bang, sure enough. A quick re-introduction to Jack Ryan’s Vice-President that becomes the start of an international crisis. A thrilling start, to be sure, and one that promises a thrilling read ahead.
Which makes it a shame that Cameron never delivers on it. Employing a flashback that lasts nearly nearly three-quarters of its length, the novel instead turns into a slow burn. One that emulates some of Clancy’s own later works by introducing a large cast of characters and plot strands from at least one earlier novel before slowly starting to bring them together. If you’ve not read previous books, don’t fret: Cameron quickly brings readers up to speed. It’s something that keeps the reader engaged even as the novel moves at the pace of a glacier, promising that the strands will all come together for a worthwhile finale.
Which, suddenly and without warning, it suddenly appears to do. Unfortunately, that change in pace turns the last 150 pages or so into a rushing torrent of changes in point of view, plot strands that are dispensed with as quickly as their brought up again, and ultimately leave its protagonist with very little to do except eventually get on an airplane, get threatened, and need a way out of his predicament. Something which might be helped if the characters, including its villain, were more memorable than they are. Instead, it’s perhaps telling that the villain’s demise happens so quickly in such cliched circumstances as to be the literary equivalent of a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment. Indeed, that’s true of Command and Control’s overall ending that it’s ultimately unsatisfying when everything is wrapped up in the space of a handful of pages without any real sense of consequences on the world stage or for the characters.
All of which is a shame as Cameron looked set to exit the Ryanverse with a topical book that offered a slow burn but satisfying narrative. Instead, Command and Control is focused too much on setting-up something that it never actually delivers. The result is an unsatisfying read that almost totally wastes a strong premise.
At least, that’s what Command and Control promised with its blurb.
Cameron starts the novel off with a bang, sure enough. A quick re-introduction to Jack Ryan’s Vice-President that becomes the start of an international crisis. A thrilling start, to be sure, and one that promises a thrilling read ahead.
Which makes it a shame that Cameron never delivers on it. Employing a flashback that lasts nearly nearly three-quarters of its length, the novel instead turns into a slow burn. One that emulates some of Clancy’s own later works by introducing a large cast of characters and plot strands from at least one earlier novel before slowly starting to bring them together. If you’ve not read previous books, don’t fret: Cameron quickly brings readers up to speed. It’s something that keeps the reader engaged even as the novel moves at the pace of a glacier, promising that the strands will all come together for a worthwhile finale.
Which, suddenly and without warning, it suddenly appears to do. Unfortunately, that change in pace turns the last 150 pages or so into a rushing torrent of changes in point of view, plot strands that are dispensed with as quickly as their brought up again, and ultimately leave its protagonist with very little to do except eventually get on an airplane, get threatened, and need a way out of his predicament. Something which might be helped if the characters, including its villain, were more memorable than they are. Instead, it’s perhaps telling that the villain’s demise happens so quickly in such cliched circumstances as to be the literary equivalent of a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment. Indeed, that’s true of Command and Control’s overall ending that it’s ultimately unsatisfying when everything is wrapped up in the space of a handful of pages without any real sense of consequences on the world stage or for the characters.
All of which is a shame as Cameron looked set to exit the Ryanverse with a topical book that offered a slow burn but satisfying narrative. Instead, Command and Control is focused too much on setting-up something that it never actually delivers. The result is an unsatisfying read that almost totally wastes a strong premise.
December 31, 2024
A solid thriller from the Tom Clancy universe. Cameron may be my favorite from the Clancy stable of writers right now. His introduction of Chilly & Cobb to the team is much needed. Good character additions to the Campus.
This story is mostly set in Latin America & centered on an upcoming visit to Panama by President Ryan. (Now in his 8th or 9th term of office. Lol) Panama is ripe for a coup though & the pieces are in motion. Heavy doses of Jack Ryan, Mary Pat Foley, Chilly, Cobb, & Clark. Almost no action from Ryan Jr - which is good for me.
The story has some good tension, heroes & heroines. Villains. Drama at the nation level also. The book isn’t great but it is good.
This story is mostly set in Latin America & centered on an upcoming visit to Panama by President Ryan. (Now in his 8th or 9th term of office. Lol) Panama is ripe for a coup though & the pieces are in motion. Heavy doses of Jack Ryan, Mary Pat Foley, Chilly, Cobb, & Clark. Almost no action from Ryan Jr - which is good for me.
The story has some good tension, heroes & heroines. Villains. Drama at the nation level also. The book isn’t great but it is good.
April 30, 2025
I never bothered with any of the post Tom Clancy books in the Jack Ryan series, partly because I wasn't sure what the quality would be like without Clancy, and partly because I didn't think there was much that could be done with the character once he became President. Turns out I was probably right on both counts. Jack Ryan is barely even in this book, not to mention there are way too many characters, and very little story for 80% of it. It's not unreadable, and when something finally happens there is some entertainment. I would say I'm one and done on post Clancy novels, but the story for the next one seems mildly interesting, so maybe I'm just too optimistic and a sucker.
January 21, 2024
I'm so sad to see the Marc Cameron reign as a "legacy" author carrying on the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan story come to an end…I loved his other work on his own Jericho Quinn series and the Arliss cutter series, so it's no surprise his work on the Jack Ryan series has been exceptional...Central to "Command and Control" is Panama, as Jack Ryan, in an attempt to shore up a US friendly leader, falls into the maw of a coup de état...All of the great characters are marshalled to save Jack from the clutches of narco-mercenaries and Russian plotters...Just good fun!
May 23, 2024
Another stellar thriller in what seems to be Cameron's last contribution to this series. The Campus find themselves in more of a supporting role as Jack and Mary Pat are the featured characters.
Once again Jack goes against the advice of his Secret Service contingent and puts himself in unnecessary danger. But that's the fun of it, wondering how it will work out.
Once again Jack goes against the advice of his Secret Service contingent and puts himself in unnecessary danger. But that's the fun of it, wondering how it will work out.
March 3, 2025
I do enjoy Marc Cameron books and this one is no exception writing under the banner of Tom Clancy, hard hitting, none stop action, good characters (much prefer the president in this series than the real one the US have). Cracking good story.
October 2, 2023
READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books
Make sure to check out the full review
Make sure to check out the full review
December 15, 2023
Marc Cameron’s last contribution to the Tom Clancy - Jack Ryan universe was outstanding!
Loved this book from start to finish!
Loved this book from start to finish!
February 4, 2024
Wow. All of the major players, Jack Jr. for a minute. Great book. Learning a little geography along the way. Great story. I read a majority of this on New Year’s Day. I could not put it down.
April 25, 2025
This was really, really fun, and very topical. It's not as revelatory as the original Tom Clancy novels, but that's a very high bar.
It's read expertly in the audio version.
It's read expertly in the audio version.
December 1, 2023
long on setup short on plot
75% of this book has gone before the story got into gear. It was dispatched with only a few of the normal characters and a lot left unsaid. This was not a normal Jack Ryan story.
75% of this book has gone before the story got into gear. It was dispatched with only a few of the normal characters and a lot left unsaid. This was not a normal Jack Ryan story.
January 5, 2024
One of the better recent offerings in the Clancy universe. A good story with a lot of action and just enough intrigue to keep you turning the pages.
I swear, though, they kill off the Secret Service with every new entry in the series. They must have a great training pipeline to refill the ranks in time for another Jack Ryan novel.
I swear, though, they kill off the Secret Service with every new entry in the series. They must have a great training pipeline to refill the ranks in time for another Jack Ryan novel.
November 27, 2023
Command and Control brings the Jacks together in Panama. So much military and maritime history in Panama. The Campus adds some new members with some history with Clark and Ryans. A man, a plan, a canal-Panama.
March 28, 2024
A great read as always and great to have Jack Ryan SNR back in the field and the introduction of some new Operators from Henley and Associates.
February 28, 2025
All the fun stuff wrapped up in a chapter. Would have liked to see that drag out more.
November 28, 2023
Cameron started out slowly in the addition to the Jack Ryan Series but he ended with a bang. From not liking the book I ended up loving it. Give it a go. You won’t be sorry.
November 4, 2023
Another heart pounding thriller is delivered by Marc Cameron in the Jack Ryan series. This time the Russians are planning to take the Panama Canal. Jack Ryan agrees to head to Panama to support the current Panamanian President against growing socialist sediment in the country. While he is there a coup d’etat happens and the whole country is thrown into chaos. Meanwhile, Jack Junior and the Hendley and Associates team is, with the help of the CIA, continuing the fight against Camarilla, the criminal organization behind the kidnapping of the first lady in the last novel.
Marc Cameron has become an expert at weaving a complex and enthralling story. The characters are numerous as are the locales. It is a big story, yet I found it very easy to follow. This book seemed to have a bit more Jack Ryan Senior in it, and with the visit to Panama and the coup d’etat, he is more directly involved in the action. I like that Adam Yao of the CIA is involved in this book as he is a strong character that seems to be rising within the ranks of the CIA.
Overall this is a great thriller. It is complex, yet easy to read. The las5 quarter of the book has a ton of fast paced action that brings the book to a climactic close. Thank you to NetGalley, Marc Cameron, and Penguin Group Putnam for a free advance copy for an honesty review.
Marc Cameron has become an expert at weaving a complex and enthralling story. The characters are numerous as are the locales. It is a big story, yet I found it very easy to follow. This book seemed to have a bit more Jack Ryan Senior in it, and with the visit to Panama and the coup d’etat, he is more directly involved in the action. I like that Adam Yao of the CIA is involved in this book as he is a strong character that seems to be rising within the ranks of the CIA.
Overall this is a great thriller. It is complex, yet easy to read. The las5 quarter of the book has a ton of fast paced action that brings the book to a climactic close. Thank you to NetGalley, Marc Cameron, and Penguin Group Putnam for a free advance copy for an honesty review.
February 24, 2024
It is entertaining. However probably not the best book in the series. That said, definitely not The worst book in the series.
I've been reading the Jack Ryan universe books for 30 plus years. I find them generally entertaining, and some are better than others.
Sadly, sometimes they do appear repetitious.I still see Harrison Ford in my mind as Jack Ryan Senior. I'm not totally convinced that Air Force One is not a Jack Ryan movie. 😁
75% of this book is building up to 25%. The dust cover talks about how Ryan is cut off and in trouble. It makes a big deal about how the vice president is in control overseeing the search.
His part of the story is minimal. Ed Foley gets more book time.
Whoever writes these dust covers needs to be a little more honest. The dust cover indicates the book is going one direction and it goes somewhere else.
Interesting premise, as usual many people die.
While I do understand this is fiction, It just seems to maybe have some holes in the plot.
I'm trying not to overthink it and just enjoy the story.
However it is escapism and generally a fun read.
I've been reading the Jack Ryan universe books for 30 plus years. I find them generally entertaining, and some are better than others.
Sadly, sometimes they do appear repetitious.I still see Harrison Ford in my mind as Jack Ryan Senior. I'm not totally convinced that Air Force One is not a Jack Ryan movie. 😁
75% of this book is building up to 25%. The dust cover talks about how Ryan is cut off and in trouble. It makes a big deal about how the vice president is in control overseeing the search.
His part of the story is minimal. Ed Foley gets more book time.
Whoever writes these dust covers needs to be a little more honest. The dust cover indicates the book is going one direction and it goes somewhere else.
Interesting premise, as usual many people die.
While I do understand this is fiction, It just seems to maybe have some holes in the plot.
I'm trying not to overthink it and just enjoy the story.
However it is escapism and generally a fun read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews