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Apr 27, 2015lisatofts rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Mark Greaney continues Tom Clancy’s legacy with character Dominic Caruso (Jack Ryan’s nephew). Jack Ryan was such a pivotal character in Clancy’s most notable books. The stories have now been passed on to his nephew. Not only does Greaney have to emulate Clancy’s writing and style, he has to follow the same mystery/thriller/suspense template all Clancy readers now rely on. Add in convert military operations and you have an instant Clancy hit. Greaney definitely has large shoes to fill and fulfills this role tremendously. Going forward, he must remember not to create a sleeper with the same general plot, with the same generic characters, and with the same ‘damsel in distress’ as his partner in crime. While this formula for writing creates familiarity, it also creates frustrated readers who follow series. (Even after completing two Clancy books, readers get annoyed with this same old story line). Clancy’s main characters are infamous for being over the top, impossibly macho, can do anything and everything super heroes. Dominic Caruso fits this description as Jack Ryan did in previous stories. This makes for a reliable tough guy protagonist who saves the world. This also makes for a great (imaginary boyfriend) object of desire for female readers. What woman doesn’t want a sexy, ripped, rugged, handsome tough man in their life? Greaney takes the reader on a great (albeit familiar) adventure in Tom Clancy Support and Defend (A Jack Ryan Jr. Novel). Readers who love stealthy, fast-paced thrillers will love this book. -- Tofts Reviews