Full Force and Effect by Mark Greaney

This was probably the longest novel I've read in quite a while.  It clocked in at 674 pages.  To begin with it was worth it.  The author took much needed time to go into detail in regard to the storyline.

When we lost Tom Clancy in 2013, we lost one of my favorite authors.  He was a  force to be reckoned with.  His stories captivated my interest and always motivated me to read more.  From The Hunt for Red October  to Support and Defend,  there is not one story that fell short of conveying contemporary issues.  His character development was broad and he made his characters believable and intense.  I think that Mark Greaney has done a fine job picking up the torch and running with it.

This latest entry, published in 2014 re-introduces us to President Jack Ryan and his son Jack who works for a covert operation known as The Campus.  As the story opens, a CIA officer is murdered in Ho Chi Minh City and a package of forged papers goes missing.  This story focuses on the nation of North Korea and a web of subterfuge which connects other nations.  It also includes a carefully planned intent to assasinate the President of the United States.

As I have continued to read action-packed novels over the past decade, I must admit that the stories are becoming frighteningly realistic.  They continue to draw readers into the story effectively and no longer seem implausible.  It makes for good reading and also causes the reader to become more aware of what is happening in the world around them.

Keep up the great writing Mr. Greaney.

Ladybookbug!