Once again, Tom Clancy manages to add new twists to the alternate
U.S. history he initiated in The Hunt for Red October. In The Sum of
All Fears, the center of conflict is the perpetual hot spot the
Mideast, where a nuclear weapon falls into the hands of terrorists
just as peace seems possible. Clancy realistically paints an almost
unthinkable scenario--the bomb is planted on American soil in the
midst of an escalation in tension with the Soviet Union; the
terrorists hope to rekindle cold war animosity and prevent
reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Despite such a
dramatic story line, Clancy doesn't neglect the individuals who drive
his tale. Jack Ryan's problems are as much domestic as they are part
of the international crisis that is the ostensible narrative:
National Security Director Elizabeth Elliot has the president's ear,
and she has convinced him that Ryan's ethics are questionable. She
hints at marital infidelity and an insider-trading scandal. Of
course, both accusations are false, but her arguments have enough
evidence behind them (e.g. some photographs of an innocent embrace
with a friend) to cause a strain in the Ryans' marriage and a flurry
of media attention. While "Mr. Clark" tracks the terrorists, he also
provides some needed intelligence to heal the Ryan family. The Sum of
All Fears is the stuff of nightmares but contains enough
verisimilitude to terrify sober minds. Ryan has matured into a
complex protagonist as Clancy's writing, too, has matured. Ryan is
plagued by stress and self-doubts that test even his dauntless moral
compass and make him a more interesting subject for readers'
attention. Those fascinated by military hardware, from nuclear
submarines to atomic weapons, will find almost enough here to start
their own army. And Clancy's understanding of international politics
seems chillingly correct. --Patrick O'Kelley

RELEASE NOTES:

At Telus Phone Booth out front

GOOOOOOD!

CAUGHT IN 7-11 NORTH MOUNT DRIVE ALBERTA CANADA