by Tom Clancy
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Product Description
In a world at peace, Jack Ryan is the President's National Security Advisor-but the wages of peace are as complex-and devastating-as war itself.
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Razio Yamata is one of Japan's most influential industrialists, and part of a relatively small group of authority who wield tremendous authority in the Pacific Rim's economic powerhouse. He has devised a plan to cripple the American greatness, humble the U.S. military, and elevate Japan to a position of dominance on the world stage. Yamata's motivation lies in his desire to pay off a Debt of Honor to his parents and to the country he feels is responsible for their deaths: America. All he needs is a catalyst to set his plan in motion. When the faulty gas tank on one Tennessee family's car leads to their fiery death, an opportunistic U.S. congressman uses the occasion to rush a new trade law through the system. The law is designed to squeeze Japan economically. Instead, it provides Yamata with the leverage he needs to put his plan into action. As Yamata's plan begins to unfold, it becomes clear to the world that someone is launching a fully integrated operation against the United States. There's only one man to find out who the culprit is: Jack Ryan, the new president's National Security Advisor.
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 great service, 2008-07-31
Very pleased with the prompt service I received when I ordered this book. Will order from you again.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Couldn't put it down, 2008-02-05
Debt of Honor is the next book in the Jack Ryan series, after The Sum of All Fears, and it was so much better. The book has a faster pace and the suspense builds up nicely from the beginning. The book is pretty long, more than 900 pages, but the story moves along quickly and it was very hard to put down.
In this book, a wealthy Japanese industrialist decides it's time for Japan to be a superpower and bring America to her knees. He convinces a small group of his peers to his scheme for dominance and power for Japan, takes control of the Japanese government, and goes on the offensive, first economically and then militarily. For this man, crippling the United States as a superpower is a personal revenge (that goes back to World War II and his family's death on the Mariana Islands), and it's this debt of honor he feels obligated to deliver payment by sowing chaos in America.
I read some of the negative reviews and some complained about going into too much detail on the financial side of things, how Wall Street operates, and using Japan as the main (although not the only one, India and China play minor roles) enemy was incredulous.
I didn't find reading about the financial markets and how they worked to be tedious and dull, it was quite fascinating to read how complex and intertwined the global markets were and how a disaster in one country, in this case America, could lead to a snowball effect in Europe and elsewhere. That is all very realistic and Clancy being the type of writer he is, he goes into meticulous detail about how the financial markets work. I thought the background information was necessary, because it makes more sense when you later learn about how the Japanese were able to intentionally hurt the American economy.
Then there was Clancy's decision to use Japan as the enemy in this book. Of course, if one were to compare this fictional world to our own real world, it does sound pretty crazy that a staunch U.S. ally such as Japan, a major trading partner, would suddenly become America's number one enemy. Well, if we look at a few of America's allies today, Germany and Japan are good examples of how not too long ago both countries were enemies. So while I'll admit Clancy's premise sounds outrageous, a strong U.S. ally becoming an enemy later, it's naive thinking to think it could never happen. I thought Clancy did a superb job of showing a "what if" scenario. Something that could happen as the world is always changing, leaders come and go, and no one can accurately predict who will be an enemy or an ally tomorrow.
This was a highly entertaining political thriller and Clancy sets up the story for the next book, Executive Orders, very well (there are certain parts where I could see some minor players that were introduced in Debt of Honor playing a key role in the next book). The ending of Debt of Honor ends on a major cliff-hanger so you best have the next book handy.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
one of his best, 2008-01-25
I have read every Clancy book and this one has got to be one of my favorites. A complex tale that reads so quickly, it is an interesting, plausible tale of how one man's dedication and determination to right how he was wronged, or at least thinks so, can loose hell upon the owrld. Again, Clancy seems to know what is going to happen, or at least I think bad guys get their ideas from him.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Gripping from start to finish, 2008-01-09
I am a big fan of Clancy's novels, and although I have to say that he's had a lot of great ones, "Debt of Honor" is one of my favorites. Clancy's plot development is superb, always giving you just enough information to both keep your interest and pique your curiosity about what will happen next. As always, the tactical details and elements of setting (economic, political, etc.) are impeccable.
As to those readers who criticize Clancy for "picking on" Japanese culture or government, I've lived in Asia for several years and happen to think he's not that far from reality. But that discussion aside, keep in mind that this is a work of fiction, not a predictor of imminent political developments. The subject matter shouldn't be too much of a problem for anyone who's not a pedantic scholar of East Asian studies.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Must read!, 2007-10-09
This is an awesome read! I disagree with any reader who claims it's length is imposing! This is typical of Clancy but his page count is always justified. His writing is so well-researched and dependent on finely crafted intricacies that it has to be this way!
I love that Clancy chose an unlikely enemy. It's extremely unsettling to think of Japan as an antagonist for many obvious reasons. Clancy is extremely bold and you have to love him for it!
If you like Clancy you will likely enjoy up and coming author Richard Friar's futurist vision, "The Keepers: WWIII." The Keepers: Part 1: WWIII
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