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A review by mxsallybend
Tom Clancy Act of Defiance by Brian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson
4.0
Back in the day, I worked as a dishwasher in a greasy spoon diner that had an appointment-only bookstore attached. Whenever somebody was scheduled to explore the bookstore, I got to unlock it, tidy it up, and basically get it ready for shopping. That also meant I got to shop for myself, and that’s where I discovered authors like Craig Thomas, Robert Ludlum, Clive Cussler, and Tom Clancy.
The Hunt for Red October was, far and away, my favorite read to be plucked from those shelves, and the movie is one of my favorites as well, a must-watch viewing event whenever it shows up on TV. I haven’t read a lot of the Ryanverse/Clancyverse since Tom Clancy passed away, but when I heard that Act of Defiance was (1) a sequel to Red October, and (2) featured Katie Ryan, Jack’s youngest daughter, I knew I had to read it – and I’m glad I did.
At 560 pages, this is a far cry from the 1000-page doorstoppers that defined Clancy’s later days, and that works in its favor. It’s shorter, faster, and more intense. There are fewer characters, fewer side-plots, and much less technobabble info-dumping. It is indeed a direct sequel to Red October, and one that brings back some surprising characters from that book to help face the crisis, and presents us with a new adversary who has a personal connection to those events. Where it differs from the original is that its rogue submarine commander isn’t looking to defect, he’s looking to help a secret cabal with the Kremlin deliver a devastating nuclear blow to America.
Much to my delight (and relief), Katie is a true heroine, definitely following in her father’s footsteps, but very much her own woman. Like Jack, she’s less about out-fighting the enemy than out-thinking them, and she’s not afraid to speak her mind, even though she’s still green enough to be nervous before authority. The portrayal of women in the genre can often be problematic, but Andrews & Wilson hit the right balance here.
I raced through this, enjoying every moment, and I’ll happily be there for Katie’s next adventure. A great read and a worthy sequel.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2023/12/05/book-review-act-of-defiance-by-brian-andrews-jeffrey-wilson-thriller/
The Hunt for Red October was, far and away, my favorite read to be plucked from those shelves, and the movie is one of my favorites as well, a must-watch viewing event whenever it shows up on TV. I haven’t read a lot of the Ryanverse/Clancyverse since Tom Clancy passed away, but when I heard that Act of Defiance was (1) a sequel to Red October, and (2) featured Katie Ryan, Jack’s youngest daughter, I knew I had to read it – and I’m glad I did.
At 560 pages, this is a far cry from the 1000-page doorstoppers that defined Clancy’s later days, and that works in its favor. It’s shorter, faster, and more intense. There are fewer characters, fewer side-plots, and much less technobabble info-dumping. It is indeed a direct sequel to Red October, and one that brings back some surprising characters from that book to help face the crisis, and presents us with a new adversary who has a personal connection to those events. Where it differs from the original is that its rogue submarine commander isn’t looking to defect, he’s looking to help a secret cabal with the Kremlin deliver a devastating nuclear blow to America.
Much to my delight (and relief), Katie is a true heroine, definitely following in her father’s footsteps, but very much her own woman. Like Jack, she’s less about out-fighting the enemy than out-thinking them, and she’s not afraid to speak her mind, even though she’s still green enough to be nervous before authority. The portrayal of women in the genre can often be problematic, but Andrews & Wilson hit the right balance here.
I raced through this, enjoying every moment, and I’ll happily be there for Katie’s next adventure. A great read and a worthy sequel.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2023/12/05/book-review-act-of-defiance-by-brian-andrews-jeffrey-wilson-thriller/