Review: Patriot Games by Tom Clancy

Jack Ryan was first introduced in The Hunt for Red October and has since been the central character of many of Tom Clancy's works, called "Ryanverse" or the Jack Ryan series. Patriot Games is his second book but acted as the first of the Jack Ryan Series.

Ryan was a former US Marine teaching history at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. On a trip to London with his wife and daughter, he saved the Prince of Wales and family from a kidnapping attempt by the Ulster Liberation Army (a fictional Irish terrorist group)

This courages act earned him the admiration of many new friends, mainly the British Royal family, as well as from some old friends, the CIA. Ryan once did consulting work for the CIA and was even offered a job there though he declined. When the ULA later retaliated on his family badly injuring his daughter, Ryan joined the CIA as an analyst to help in the hunt for the terrorists. Putting his life, and some moral values into question as he begins his career with the CIA.

Patriot Games remains as one of my favourite books with Jack Ryan as the central character, and started me on reading all of the books in the series. Jack, the CIA guy with a conscience might strike you as boring, but no, Clancy managed to infuse anticipation in every chapter, and the thrill and action kept on coming. Jack Ryan is a conscience driven version of Jack Bauer of the TV series 24, working to serve and save his country. Definitely a must read for all thriller lovers.