Without Remorse | Tom Clancy

Without Remorse | Tom Clancy | Great Tom Clancy Backstory for Great Characters

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Without Remorse

	Without Remorse Tom Clancy Berkley, 1994 - 768 pages average customer review:based on 299 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

In a harrowing tour de force, Tom Clancy shows how an ordinary man named John Kelly crossed the lines of justice and morality--to become the CIA legend Mr. Clark.

Excellent Book

If you have never read any of Clancy's books before, this is not a bad place to start. I have not read many of his works myself, but it appears to me that this is chronologically the first to take place in the series on John Clark and Jack Ryan. This book for me was one of those rare effortless reads where the pages turned on their own and I did not want to put it down. I found the story to be completely plausible - if you have ever wondered what would have to happen in the life of a normal, non-psychopathic person that would turn them into a highly-skilled, cold-blooded killer, this is the answer. I won't give away too many details of the plot, but it is basically a revenge motif - a decent guy seeking justice against some pretty bad people and the inner struggles he endures while doing this and trying to remain one of the "good guys." It kind of reminded me of Batman (without the cape and mask, and with Batman being an executioner). This is definitely a guys book, and if that's what you are in the mood for, you will not waste any time or money with this one. Truly satisfying.

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Great Tom Clancy Backstory for Great Characters

One of my favorites heroes, besides Jack Ryan, in Tom Clancy's books is John Clark. He is a dark figure with a mysterious past. He's a man admired for his action and his word. He works in black ops but has his own moral code. Clark is a man of action. This book essentially covers Clark's past. His girlfriend was murdered by Baltimore drug dealers who raped her while slowly asphyxiating her with a plastic bag. A horrific death that profoundly affects Clark. But he doesn't mope nor sit idly by. This ex-SEAL sets out upon a course of justice. He dispenses justice in the only way these murderous scum understand - by executing the drug dealers who peddle their death and addiction to adults and children. Clancy uses the story to give us greater backstory on Jack Ryan. His father, Emmet Ryan, is a detective trying to track down the killer of these drug dealers. But Clark keeps moving forward `Without Remorse'.

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John "Hannibal" Kelly

For this review let me first start off by thanking the positive reviewers of Without Remorse here on Amazon! This was quite a find. I am usually more prone to enjoy science fiction and some of the classics in my reading habits, but decided to branch out and try some of the more popular mainstream authors I've seen on the bestseller lists over the years. Knowing what a force Clancy is through movies and video games, plus seeing all the positive accolades here on Amazon, led me to find this book and it really hit the mark. Very engaging and entertaining read from start to finish. This one is personal and will put you into the shoes of someone facing some of the most horrific scenarios a human could ever imagine on multiple levels. From the tragic deaths of loved ones to Vietnam P.O.W.s and Cold War espionage, this book has a lot to offer. I liked that it showed how a good man confronts the harsh realities of the seedier, dare I say evil, elements of society and world events that most average people won't ever have to (or want to) face head-on. Clancy creates a sympathetic hero in John Kelly that I think most people would like to be like if faced with the same situations where corrupt, crime-infiltrated law enforcement won't cut it. It is truly sad that the situations presented in this book exist but it is good to know there are people like John Kelly out there willing to do something about them, if not as individuals then as the organizations and other institutions that protect our country and communities. Thomas Harris' book Hannibal Rising is quite similar in many ways. In real life justifying murder out of revenge isn't something I want to attempt, but it makes for great entertainment and catharsis. It's just like watching or reading about the good Jedis chopping the enemy down with lightsabers; symbolic of what most people would want to do to the evil or injustice in themselves or the outside world. Can't wait for the movie and won't forget reading the compression chamber scene in my tent while camping on a rainy surf trip to Baja last winter. My book is still bloated from soaking up the rain!

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3-1/2 stars for this book

This was the fifth Clancy book I have read but my first in many years. Without giving much away it is mainly a story of revenge. In this book you get to see how some of the regular characters in other Clancy novels come to be. I thought the book was fine & if you are just starting out the book does pick up the pace once you get one or two hundred pages in. I didn't rate this book higher because I feel the story could have been done with less than 750 pages, that's two pretty good sized books. Also much of the book takes place in Vietnam & details some Navy Seal / SOG action. I have recently read the book "SOG" by John Plaster & I have to say the action in that book is hard to beat - & it was hard for me not to compare the two. Without Remorse does finish with a bang just for me it took a little long to get there.

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