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Jack Ryan Universe #33
Chain of Command
The United States has stared down many threats with President Jack Ryan at the helm, but what if he’s not there when we need him? That’s the question facing a nation in the most shocking entry in Tom Clancy's #1 New York Times bestselling series.A shadowy billionaire uses his fortune to further his corrupt ambitions. Along the way, he’s toppled democratically elected governments and exacerbated divisions within stable nations. The competitors he’s destroyed, the people he’s hurt, they’re all just marks on a ledger. Now, he’s ready to implement his most ambitious plan of all. There’s only one force standing in his way—President Jack Ryan.How do you compel a man like Jack Ryan to bend? He’s personally faced down everything from the Russian navy to cartel killers. It will take more than political headwinds or media disfavor to cause him to turn from his duty to the American people, but every man has an Achilles heel. Jack Ryan’s is his family.The answer is as simple as it is shocking. The billionaire has assembled an international team of the most ruthless mercenaries alive. Their mission—kidnap the First Lady.
509 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2021
1106 people are currently reading
1974 people want to read
About the author
Marc Cameron
44 books1,958 followersA native of Texas, Marc Cameron is a retired Chief Deputy US Marshal who spent nearly thirty years in law enforcement. His assignments have taken him from rural Alaska to Manhattan, from Canada to Mexico and points in between. A second degree black belt in jujitsu, he often teaches defensive tactics to other law enforcement agencies and civilian groups. Cameron lives in Alaska with his wife and BMW motorcycle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
December 1, 2024
This has been a very good read-keeping the suspense and action going from page 1. Loved it.
December 28, 2021
I can’t believe I’m giving a five stars to a dead guy’s book.
Everyone knows Clancy’s rags to riches story: insurance salesman, naval wannabe one day, author of the single best-selling book (“The Hunt for Red October”) ever printed by Naval Institute Press, the next. Several more “Jack Ryan” novels followed, along with successful (and good) movie adaptations (both “Red October” and “Patriot Games” are excellent) followed. Then Tom Clancy died.
But a good character is harder to kill off. Ghostwriters took over, and the series went to hell in a hand basket. Too much technobabble, or too much action—but not the right balance. You couldn’t have PAID me to read the last few.
Yet on the recommendation of a Twitter friend, I tried this one. They’ve upped their ghostwriting game. A little heavy on the technobabble, it’s an excellent book, one Clancy could have written. Unlike the previous ersatz Clancys, this book has characters you care about, beyond President Jack Ryan. And the last two chapters are a wild ride, with a perfect ending.
A perfect lose-your-head thriller.
Everyone knows Clancy’s rags to riches story: insurance salesman, naval wannabe one day, author of the single best-selling book (“The Hunt for Red October”) ever printed by Naval Institute Press, the next. Several more “Jack Ryan” novels followed, along with successful (and good) movie adaptations (both “Red October” and “Patriot Games” are excellent) followed. Then Tom Clancy died.
But a good character is harder to kill off. Ghostwriters took over, and the series went to hell in a hand basket. Too much technobabble, or too much action—but not the right balance. You couldn’t have PAID me to read the last few.
Yet on the recommendation of a Twitter friend, I tried this one. They’ve upped their ghostwriting game. A little heavy on the technobabble, it’s an excellent book, one Clancy could have written. Unlike the previous ersatz Clancys, this book has characters you care about, beyond President Jack Ryan. And the last two chapters are a wild ride, with a perfect ending.
A perfect lose-your-head thriller.
November 19, 2021
The Campus is recruiting. If you don't know about the Campus, you haven't been following the Clancy franchise very closely. It's hard to review a book like this without giving the plot away, but I'll do my best. A billionaire sets his sites on more money. The First Lady gets kidnapped. John Patrick Ryan steps down as POTUS (temporarily). The Campus narrows down its list of potential team members. That's about all I can say without ruining it for you. If you follow the series, pick this volume up. It's harder to put it down.
November 12, 2021
READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books
Chances are extremely high that if Marc Cameron is putting words on a page… I’m going to read that page. And once again… I’m happy that I did. The Tom Clancy legacy is alive and well in Chain of Command.
When a corrupt billionaire is hell bent on influencing American policy to enrich himself further, he employs a series of disinformation campaigns and then escalates into direct action against the President of the United States. The question is, how do you come at the most powerful (and protected) man in the world? The answer… is sideways.
Make sure to check out the full review
Chances are extremely high that if Marc Cameron is putting words on a page… I’m going to read that page. And once again… I’m happy that I did. The Tom Clancy legacy is alive and well in Chain of Command.
When a corrupt billionaire is hell bent on influencing American policy to enrich himself further, he employs a series of disinformation campaigns and then escalates into direct action against the President of the United States. The question is, how do you come at the most powerful (and protected) man in the world? The answer… is sideways.
Make sure to check out the full review
January 20, 2022
Best Jack Ryan Sr book since Clancy’s glory days.
April 1, 2024
I’m not going to lie, it was good but it wasn’t the real Tom Clancy. Marc Cameron is a very good author in his own right and deserves praise. The book is really long and has so many characters it was hard for me to remember who was who sometimes when I had to put it down.
January 5, 2022
Great novel
This is another huge win for Tom Clancy Chain of Command. These Jack Ryan novels are stellar and Marc Cameron just can’t be beat as an author!
This is another huge win for Tom Clancy Chain of Command. These Jack Ryan novels are stellar and Marc Cameron just can’t be beat as an author!
December 23, 2021
I feel cheated (proceed with caution, spoilers)
I actually stayed up last night in case it dropped at midnight. I have a huge red dot on today's date in my calendar. I even thought about finding an ARC. I'm at a loss as to what has happened to Marc Cameron. I was one of many who didn't care for Don Bentley's Target Acquired, but I sort of gave it a pass, because I knew we would be back on track with this book. Not so.
1. It's as if someone told Marc Cameron not to write personal interactions with characters any longer.
2. Some characters simply did not act like themselves.
3. Where is Lisanne?
4. I love new characters, but in this case, too much.
5. Are you kidding me? After wading through Cathy's abduction, her detail being slaughtered, feeling her fear and pain, we don't even get a reunion with Jack and Cathy and the kids? What was Jack's reaction when he first saw Cathy and that she had been beaten? What was Jack Jr's reaction to the beating and drugs she was given? How is Cathy doing after such an ordeal? Did she describe the spiders the drugs elicited? In fact, the next time we see Jack after Cathy is directed to the helicopter, he is back in the Oval Office talking with the VP. WHAT? I honestly feel like chapters have been left out of the book and IF they were edited out, FIRE THE EDITOR.
6.. What happened to Burt? Is Cathy seeing he gets the proper medical attention?
7. Why was the ending so rushed? She is grabbed while witnessing the deaths of her detail, drugged, beaten, is treated horribly by bad men, meets Burt, short rescue,..... is directed to a helicopter. Last we see or hear from her.
I actually stayed up last night in case it dropped at midnight. I have a huge red dot on today's date in my calendar. I even thought about finding an ARC. I'm at a loss as to what has happened to Marc Cameron. I was one of many who didn't care for Don Bentley's Target Acquired, but I sort of gave it a pass, because I knew we would be back on track with this book. Not so.
1. It's as if someone told Marc Cameron not to write personal interactions with characters any longer.
2. Some characters simply did not act like themselves.
3. Where is Lisanne?
4. I love new characters, but in this case, too much.
5. Are you kidding me? After wading through Cathy's abduction, her detail being slaughtered, feeling her fear and pain, we don't even get a reunion with Jack and Cathy and the kids? What was Jack's reaction when he first saw Cathy and that she had been beaten? What was Jack Jr's reaction to the beating and drugs she was given? How is Cathy doing after such an ordeal? Did she describe the spiders the drugs elicited? In fact, the next time we see Jack after Cathy is directed to the helicopter, he is back in the Oval Office talking with the VP. WHAT? I honestly feel like chapters have been left out of the book and IF they were edited out, FIRE THE EDITOR.
6.. What happened to Burt? Is Cathy seeing he gets the proper medical attention?
7. Why was the ending so rushed? She is grabbed while witnessing the deaths of her detail, drugged, beaten, is treated horribly by bad men, meets Burt, short rescue,..... is directed to a helicopter. Last we see or hear from her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2021
From a slow start to a glowing middle and conclusion this book hit the spot. Cameron continues the Clancy tradition with acumen. Intrigue, cliffhangers and all kinds of bangs add to the reading or listening joy of this novel. I’m ready and waiting for the next adventure.
December 28, 2021
1. Entertaining
2. Actually better than some of the previous books. Introduced new people, less Boring Jack Jr.
3. Extra Midas
The First lady is kidnapped and the search is on.
Some continuity issues, nothing too bad.
Over All One of the better of the recent books in the series.
2. Actually better than some of the previous books. Introduced new people, less Boring Jack Jr.
3. Extra Midas
The First lady is kidnapped and the search is on.
Some continuity issues, nothing too bad.
Over All One of the better of the recent books in the series.
February 22, 2022
Not worthy of Tom Clancy name.
Over detailed explanations, especially for the "bad guys". Quick scenes when the "good guys" win, witness the ending. Toatally disappointing. Off my reading radar!
Over detailed explanations, especially for the "bad guys". Quick scenes when the "good guys" win, witness the ending. Toatally disappointing. Off my reading radar!
December 7, 2021
This is the first Clancy book I've read in many years, and I'll admit a few things in this one that confused me a bit would have been obvious, I think, if I'd read at least the last couple of entries. That said, I was able to get into the swing of things rather quickly and, like the others I've read, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
At this point, Jack Ryan is President, his wife Cathy is holding her own as FLOTUS and son Jack is out in the field trying to keep America safe for democracy as part of a heavyweight clandestine organization. Ryan's pet annoyance at the moment is that generic drugs imported to America come from faraway and largely unregulated manufacturing facilities in foreign countries and are being counterfeited. His plan, for which he's pushing passage of a bill, is to build a U.S.-owned plant much closer to home and much easier to inspect.
Needless to say, that doesn't sit well with the owners of those foreign facilities, one of whom has decided to take matters into his own hands and squash the President's plan (if not the President himself). He and his dastardly henchmen and women have concocted a plan they think will do the trick: They'll kidnap the First Lady when she makes a keynote address at a medical convention in San Antonio.
Of course, there's much more going on here; sub-plots, like a couple of do-good physicians who have gone missing in a remote part of the world, a big and unexpected shake-up in Ryan's cabinet and cybersecurity attacks traced to a specific country provide diversion for readers. Overall, it's nonstop action, with just about all the loose ends wrapped up by the end one way or another - perfect encouragement for me to look forward to the next one. Meantime, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me a pre-release copy of this one. Well done!
At this point, Jack Ryan is President, his wife Cathy is holding her own as FLOTUS and son Jack is out in the field trying to keep America safe for democracy as part of a heavyweight clandestine organization. Ryan's pet annoyance at the moment is that generic drugs imported to America come from faraway and largely unregulated manufacturing facilities in foreign countries and are being counterfeited. His plan, for which he's pushing passage of a bill, is to build a U.S.-owned plant much closer to home and much easier to inspect.
Needless to say, that doesn't sit well with the owners of those foreign facilities, one of whom has decided to take matters into his own hands and squash the President's plan (if not the President himself). He and his dastardly henchmen and women have concocted a plan they think will do the trick: They'll kidnap the First Lady when she makes a keynote address at a medical convention in San Antonio.
Of course, there's much more going on here; sub-plots, like a couple of do-good physicians who have gone missing in a remote part of the world, a big and unexpected shake-up in Ryan's cabinet and cybersecurity attacks traced to a specific country provide diversion for readers. Overall, it's nonstop action, with just about all the loose ends wrapped up by the end one way or another - perfect encouragement for me to look forward to the next one. Meantime, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me a pre-release copy of this one. Well done!
February 6, 2022
Tom Clancy’s Chain of Command had Jack Ryan, POTUS, trying to keep non effective pharmaceuticals out of the United States while those who could have become billionaires with a deal went so far as capturing the First Lady in order to have leverage over the President to get the pharmaceutical deal through Congress.
Action, action and more action had one pouring through these pages to see what Tom Clancy would come up with to win the day for the good guys.
Good read for those of us who like action that wins the day.
Action, action and more action had one pouring through these pages to see what Tom Clancy would come up with to win the day for the good guys.
Good read for those of us who like action that wins the day.
September 3, 2022
A shadow group plots to kidnap the First Lady. And it looks like they're going to do just that. Other storylines pepper the book like a couple is doing eye surgery in another country and they are kidnapped. Campus members are picked to find the first lady. It's another all-over-the-place Clancy book even though it is written by Marc Cameron. Scott Brick narrates and is very good.
January 2, 2022
Great story and. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
February 12, 2022
An action festival, more bullets, more bombs...but wait there's more, more destruction, more people less breathing. Quite a nice piece of work that keeps you wanting to listen more (or read if you're into that stuff).
January 26, 2024
Marc Cameron’s Chain of Command is a novel that tried to do too much and came up short. An excellent literary look into secret service details, strategic kidnappings and covert ops was ruined by a plot that tried to do too much.
In this novel, we’re taken through the kidnapping of the First Lady by a paramilitary group funded by a wealthy billionaire. This member of the wealthy elite makes for a weak villain hidden away in his Indian ivory tower. Cameron wastes pages with overly obtuse descriptions of one of the weakest villains I’ve ever encountered in literary fiction. He then adds fuel to the fire with a pointless twist.
That isn’t the only mistake Cameron makes. He chooses to focus on the kidnapping of American doctors in Afghanistan only to have the storyline go nowhere. He strings you along only to end it with next to no reword.
If this novel went through proper editing, it’d be four stars. But considering I had to waste 150 pages of my life on needless detours, it only gets two. Next time Cameron picks up the pen, he should start by writing, “Less is more.” and pinning it to his storyboard.
In this novel, we’re taken through the kidnapping of the First Lady by a paramilitary group funded by a wealthy billionaire. This member of the wealthy elite makes for a weak villain hidden away in his Indian ivory tower. Cameron wastes pages with overly obtuse descriptions of one of the weakest villains I’ve ever encountered in literary fiction. He then adds fuel to the fire with a pointless twist.
That isn’t the only mistake Cameron makes. He chooses to focus on the kidnapping of American doctors in Afghanistan only to have the storyline go nowhere. He strings you along only to end it with next to no reword.
If this novel went through proper editing, it’d be four stars. But considering I had to waste 150 pages of my life on needless detours, it only gets two. Next time Cameron picks up the pen, he should start by writing, “Less is more.” and pinning it to his storyboard.
December 22, 2021
Very good entry into the world of Jack Ryan. Lots of suspense and action. There is a plan to kidnap the First Lady to help push one of Jack Ryan Sr.’s new policy’s to the side. Full disclosure, this took me a bit to finish, so the first part of book was read almost a month before I finished. Still very fun read. Only negative is it felt like it took a long time to build up. Last 150 pages were really good. Overall worth the read.
February 13, 2022
My rating 4.0
Tom Clancy’s rags to riches story: insurance salesman, naval wannabe, author of the highly successful book, “The Hunt for Red October." Several more “Jack Ryan” novels followed, along with successful (and good) movie adaptations of "Red October” and “Patriot Games." Then Tom Clancy died.
But a good character is harder to kill off. Ghostwriters took over, and the series deteriorated; too much technobabble, or too much action—but not the right balance. I didn't enjoy the last one I read.
Yet on the recommendation of a friend, I tried this one. They’ve upped their ghostwriting game. A little heavy on the technobabble, it’s an excellent book, one Clancy could have written. Unlike the previous "fake" Clancys, this book has characters you care about, beyond President Jack Ryan. And the last two chapters are a wild ride, with a perfect ending. This was the perfect book to read beside the pool (and otherwise)--finished it in two days! That says something. And I will try the next Tom Clancy written by Marc Cameron if Jack Ryan is still around.....
President Jack Ryan is used to dealing with military threats to the American people, but how do you protect them against perfectly counterfeited pharmaceuticals? Patients in hospitals, clinics, and at home are dying when the drugs they need for survival turn out to be ineffective copies.
An corrupt pharmaceutical billionaire has spent millions supporting radical groups while using the chaos they engender to cover his money-making schemes, but for a man with such towering ambitions, the only real goal is power. To get that, he'll have to eliminate the only impediment in his path - Jack Ryan. The question is, how do you attack the most closely guarded man in the world?
For a man who has built his fortune on underhanded dealings and misdirection, the answer is as simple as it is shocking: he'll have to kidnap the First Lady.
Tom Clancy’s rags to riches story: insurance salesman, naval wannabe, author of the highly successful book, “The Hunt for Red October." Several more “Jack Ryan” novels followed, along with successful (and good) movie adaptations of "Red October” and “Patriot Games." Then Tom Clancy died.
But a good character is harder to kill off. Ghostwriters took over, and the series deteriorated; too much technobabble, or too much action—but not the right balance. I didn't enjoy the last one I read.
Yet on the recommendation of a friend, I tried this one. They’ve upped their ghostwriting game. A little heavy on the technobabble, it’s an excellent book, one Clancy could have written. Unlike the previous "fake" Clancys, this book has characters you care about, beyond President Jack Ryan. And the last two chapters are a wild ride, with a perfect ending. This was the perfect book to read beside the pool (and otherwise)--finished it in two days! That says something. And I will try the next Tom Clancy written by Marc Cameron if Jack Ryan is still around.....
President Jack Ryan is used to dealing with military threats to the American people, but how do you protect them against perfectly counterfeited pharmaceuticals? Patients in hospitals, clinics, and at home are dying when the drugs they need for survival turn out to be ineffective copies.
An corrupt pharmaceutical billionaire has spent millions supporting radical groups while using the chaos they engender to cover his money-making schemes, but for a man with such towering ambitions, the only real goal is power. To get that, he'll have to eliminate the only impediment in his path - Jack Ryan. The question is, how do you attack the most closely guarded man in the world?
For a man who has built his fortune on underhanded dealings and misdirection, the answer is as simple as it is shocking: he'll have to kidnap the First Lady.
February 13, 2022
I can’t give the five stars that so many Jack Ryan stories have warranted. This was not a bad story. The setup was dragged out a lot, and then the denouement was blasted through in the last 10 pages.
I like the new bad guys - "The Camarilla". The name seems a bit overused (vampires, witches, and political histories) and not entirely appropriate in this context, but they do look like a great antagonist, so I say we overlook the name.
The Campus seems to spend a lot of time looking for new
members. Unless our heroes retire it is going to get too big for its clandestine mandate.
If you are a fan of the Jack Ryan oeuvre, you need to read this. The background is really solid. But, in terms of all the books in the series, three stars is the best I can do.
I like the new bad guys - "The Camarilla". The name seems a bit overused (vampires, witches, and political histories) and not entirely appropriate in this context, but they do look like a great antagonist, so I say we overlook the name.
The Campus seems to spend a lot of time looking for new
members. Unless our heroes retire it is going to get too big for its clandestine mandate.
If you are a fan of the Jack Ryan oeuvre, you need to read this. The background is really solid. But, in terms of all the books in the series, three stars is the best I can do.
January 15, 2022
Big Reveal...I'm a huge Marc Cameron fan...I love his Arlis Cutter series, his Jericho Quinn series and all of his efforts to keep the Tom Clancy franchise moving forward, so anything he puts down on paper, I find the time to read...All of the Jack Ryan characters, Campus and White House, contribute to THIS story of a corrupt billionaire, seeking even more, targeting Jack Sr. by disrupting his Presidency through coordinated personal attacks, using mercenary hackers and military units...Loved it!!!
December 31, 2021
Next installment of the continuing Jack Ryan saga. In an attempt of intimidation, FLOTUS, the First Lady has been kidnapped. Spend time with several local and federal agencies as they kick the brush trying to find her. True to the series and jam-packed with nonstop action adventure. Does not disappoint.
February 16, 2022
Another in the Clancy franchise. Well written and will keep you turning the pages.
March 20, 2022
Great book…loved it. Mark Cameron gives us exactly what we want.
November 13, 2022
Action packed thriller. Another Clancy masterpiece.
December 8, 2021
A fun easy read
August 2, 2024
This one broke from the norm. It had 4 different stories taking place. Really liked it
November 24, 2021
Exceptional
Typical Mark Cameron. Spellbinding from page one. Informative, instructive, with beautiful character development. Totally enjoyable. Makes reading a pleasure. Looking forward to more.
Typical Mark Cameron. Spellbinding from page one. Informative, instructive, with beautiful character development. Totally enjoyable. Makes reading a pleasure. Looking forward to more.
October 16, 2021
Overlapping stories keep this book moving quickly. The regulars are back along with a new group of baddies. Everything gets tied up nicely in the end.
November 21, 2021
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Brilliant. I've always been a fan of Marc Cameron - Jericho Quinn novels are immediately must-read for me - so I was thrilled when it was announced he would be taking over the Jack Ryan novels. Each book has been better than the one before and 'Chain of Command' was a belter. Just like reading Clancy himself. Cameron is the perfect guy to carry on the Jack Ryan universe.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews