Marc Cameron is a retired Chief Deputy US Marshal, who served for 30 years in law enforcement. During this time, he travelled America and Canada in the process of solving cases. Apart from holding a second-degree black belt in Jujitsu, he is a keen adventure motorcyclist, so naturally several of his books feature motorcycles. He lives in Alaska with his wife, dog, and motorcycle.
Chain of Command is the 6th Tom Clancy book in the Jack Ryan series that the author has written. In the style of Tom Clancy, the book is a fast paced, action-packed thriller. Given the author’s background, the level of technical detail is high, which makes some sections seem drawn out, and not always necessary to the plot (in my opinion, that is.).
The story is based on a plot to stop President Ryan from pushing through a Pharmaceutical (drug) Independence bill that has upset many parties, particularly some of the wealthier players in this field.
The plot ranges from a cyber campaign to that of hijacking the First Lady Dr Cathy Ryan herself. The President steps aside and allows his newly appointed VP to take over, lest his emotions cloud his judgement when dealing with the kidnapping, as country comes before family in his moral code.
The new VP’s ideals are not all the same as the President’s, and the situation worsens for the captured First Lady. The motive of some of the Senators are also questionable, leading you to wonder how many are in on the plot, or secretly support it for their own ends? Most importantly to the President, will his wife be rescued and survive such a well-planned and executed attack? Will the baddies get their way and stop the new bill from being actioned?
The plot involves many elements, that have you wondering at times what they have to do with the main theme, but in the end it all comes together, as a Tom Clancy / Jack Ryan series fan would expect.
Overall, the book is a well-written, entertaining read to be recommended. Chain of Command is published by Penguin Random House UK – 2021. ISBN: 978-0-241-48168-4 - Christine E Hann
Other books by the author: Jericho Quin Thriller Series (eight books at this point), four Arliss Cutter novels and six Tom Clancy / Jack Ryan novels, including the latest - Chain of Command.
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