Book #14 in the Jack Jr series. It could definitely be read as a stand alone, everyone of the Jack Jr books is an event all by itself, but if you love political thrillers, Don Bentley has done an excellent job of carrying on the Clancy legacy.

Jack Jr has some big shoes to fill, Jack Sr was a homegrown hero reknown for his ability to get things done. Jr has the same abilities but he's facing today's enemies with a few more tools and a couple of gadgets thrown in. If you start reading this book expecting some serious action and lots of thrills, you're in the right place.

After having taken a break for a while from the Jack Ryan universe, I've jumped back in and I'm really enjoying these new books. Target Acquired is focused on Jack Jr. and it takes place in the middle east.

I don't know if there is really anything original I can say about the book. If you love the Jack Ryan series, then you won't be disappointed with this book. If you are looking for a covert operations thriller, then you should read this book - even if you have never read any book in the Ryan universe. Tom Clancy didn't publish the books in chronological order so his book could be read in any order and each stood well on its own. The writers who have taken over the franchise have continued this tradition.

There are several writers now who contribute stories to the universe and I've read at least one book by all of them (I think) and I can't really tell the difference so don't worry if you have read one writer and are afraid the characters won't seem like themselves.

If you have been reading this series for a while, you know what to expect. It is a great action-packed story with plenty of twists and turns and close calls. It is tightly focused on Jack Jr with very little mention of the other team members. There is some brief "catch up" on what the Campus is for those who haven't read the series.

My one complaint is how much violence Jack Jr. endures in the book. He is extremely beat up and I don't think realistically he would have still been standing - either the pain or the blood loss would have caused unconsciousness. The author probably thought the reader would be too wrapped up in the action to notice and/or care. But I prefer my human characters to be a bit more human and not SUPER human.

If you are looking for a book to read as a couple, then you can't go wrong with a Jack Ryan book and Target Acquired is very good.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Tuesday, July 13.

In Target Acquired, Don Bentley joins the ranks of the greats who have continued Tom Clancys’ visionary saga of the Jack Ryan universe. Bentley joins Mark Greaney, Mark Cameron, Mike Maden, and Grant Blackwood in continuing Tom Clancys’ vision of the Jack Ryan universe, and oh what a stellar job Bentley does in the 31st Jack Ryan novel! Fans who know Don Bentley from his own set of novels, the Matt Drake series, have come to love his blistering action scenes, world encompassing plots, and witty dialog, and Bentley does not disappoint in Target Acquired. This latest installment will create more diehard fans of the Jack Ryan universe chomping at the bit for more!

Target Acquired starts off with Jack Ryan Junior on a simple mission in Tel Aviv with the promise of some well deserved R&R at the conclusion of this simple task. As he sits at a street side cafe watching the city life unfurl around him, Jack sees a mother with her young son taking in the local sites. Something about the boy captivates Jack, but when an assassin comes up behind mother and son, bent on killing her, Jack jumps into action to save them both. This action puts Jack under the microscope of some dangerous actors, and what started off as a simple mission, turns into a mad dash to uncover a dastardly plot.

In the thriller world, the name Tom Clancy is synonymous with legend. Clancy created a world that diehard thriller fans know and love. That this series has continued long after his passing is a monumental testament to the world he created. Don Bentley is the latest author to take the baton that is the Jack Ryan universe and run with it. Bentley has added his twist to the Ryan universe creating a storyline that will be catapulted into the next generation of thrillers.

Reviewed for Best Thriller Books

Don Bentley, the author of the thrilling Matt Drake (WITHOUT SANCTION and THE OUTSIDE MAN) has taken over the reins of the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan Jr. series with a bang.

The book opens in Israel with Jack Ryan, Jr. doing a favor for mentor Ding Chavez. It’s supposed to be an easy exercise but things go south fast when saves a mother and her special needs son from an assassin finding himself on the run, trying to protect this woman and her young son, while getting himself in the middle of international intrigue in order to save the woman and her autistic child.

It’s an exciting and action filled book that makes a great addition to the series.

Fresh off his success as a solo author—his debut is up for an ITW award this year—Don Bentley sits behind the wheel of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan Jr. series with its latest installment, TARGET ACQUIRED. Bentley says the novel is a story about honor and duty and the lengths to which Jack Ryan Jr. is willing to go to satisfy both. It has everything Clancy fans love: exotic locales, edge-of-your-seat action sequences, military hardware galore, and most importantly, heart.

A quote that pops out from the page, attributed to President John P. Ryan, is, “Sometimes a good man has to be willing to pay the price for doing what’s right.” That sentiment, passed on to his son, is the driving force of the story.

Full article available at The Big Thrill

Don Bentley delivers the goods in a big way bringing his trademark unapologetic ludicrous speed pacing and relentless brawling action sequences to Target Acquired, his first foray into Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan universe. It’s an all-out, pedal to the metal, full tilt sprint from beginning to end, propelled forward with 40,000 pounds of thrust from the afterburners of a F-35.

Breathing new life into the iconic series, Don focuses Target Acquired almost entirely on Jack Ryan Jr with minimal cameos from the team at The Campus. Jack is in Israel for what should be a milk run observational operation with the CIA, but as you might expect the proceedings go sideways and Jack gets swept into the middle of a multi-faceted operation that threatens the security of Israel, the world, and an American scientist and her innocent son. Not one to back down from doing what is right, Jack throws caution to the wind – and throws more than a handful of haymakers – in a bloody attempt to rescue the Americans from the clutches of evil.

The brilliance in this book is concentrating the story on Jack Ryan Jr to give us a glimpse into his growth as an operator. Jack exhibits ceaseless Energizer Bunny persistence with savage close quarters hand-to-hand fighting the likes we haven’t seen from him before, further evolving his character into a bona fide badass and putting more distance between his conflicting personas of clandestine operator and being the President’s son. He still has a lot to learn before he’s at the level of John Clark and Ding Chavez, but he makes a quantum leap in that direction in Target Acquired.

The Jack Ryan Jr. series is in amazing hands with Don Bentley, a tremendous writer who by all accounts is a fantastic dude to boot. He promises to continue bringing a fresh take to the Tom Clancy realm that is sure to delight long time Clancy fans as well as bring a new generation into the fold. I can’t wait to see what he has in store for the next installment. But if Target Acquired is any indication, you better start strapping in now because it’ll blow your socks clean off.

Target Acquired, Book 8 in Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Jr. series, is one more of the burgeoning collection of series continued even after the original author's death (for example, Ann Hillerman writing Tony Hillerman's Navajo Mystery series and Sophie Hannah writing Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot). This is done by hiring good authors who agree to write in the style of the original author. With Tom Clancy, that is extremely difficult. He's a master of international intrigue and known for including prodigious detail but making it interesting. There aren't a lot of authors who can do that. Many have tried--Mark Greaney (famous for his Gray Man series), Grant Blackwood, Mike Maden--with mixed results. This particular series about the son of a president who works in dangerous fields is even more challenging. 

In this story, Jack Ryan Jr (the President's son) does a favor for a friend by helping a CIA team complete an easy job that gives him an opportunity for a vacation in the beautiful country of Israel. It might have been simple until Jack helps a woman and her special needs child to escape a kidnapper (or worse) and finds himself wrapped up in something much more dangerous than  originally planned.

Don Bentley does an excellent job of matching Clancy’s ability to create non-stop drama and characters you can't get enough of. My only complaint is he includes a little more detail than needed and maybe to the point of being distracting (this is something Clancy did with strategic perfection). Many times, the action was interrupted by backstory and to flesh out details that were fascinating but to me distracting from the plot's drama. By the time I was done with the diversion and returned to the life-and-death situation, I didn't care nearly as much. Maybe that's just me.

Overall, I give it a 4.5/5 (which is what Goodreads awards it) and I’ll round up to 5/5. If you enjoy this series, you'll like this installment also.

One of the best books I've read this year. Brutal, emotional, action packed, topped off with a solid dose of intrigue and misdirection.

Bentley is already one of my favorite authors and he continues to improve both in his storytelling, writing style, and plotlines. He was a FANTASTIC choice to pick up the Jr series.

Just... well done. Congrats all around to all involved.

Target Acquired immediately captures your attention with stunning characters, an unconvoluted and elegant storyline, amazing action sequences, and an aura of intrigue that sets in from the very first chapter. Don Bentley introduces his badass rendition of Jack Ryan Jr. while sticking true to the character development seen in the previous books.
Jack Ryan Jr. is in Tel Aviv on a simple mission when he comes across a Chinese assassin trying to kill a mother and her child. Spinning quickly into action, he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game of catch-up with American, Chinese, and Russian forces amongst others along with the cunning commander of Iranian Quds Force who has a few aces up his sleeves up to no good. There is no shortage of vicious action sequences that are sure to make you wince. Don Bentley’s highly regarded proclivity for striking a wonderful balance between realistic and grand action sequences pays off as Ryan Jr. takes quite a beating but also dishes out vengeful punishment of his own whether with his own fists or with lead in gritty sequences of pure awesomeness. I really enjoyed reading Ryan Jr. trapped in a situation with little to no support and having to navigate through some unsavory parts of the world relying on his skills as a Campus operative. The setting provided a great opportunity for Ryan Jr.’s character development out of his father’s shadow and into his own persona.
On a sidenote, there is an excellent aerial sequence with F-35 fighter jets described with a panache so much so that I could picture the G-Forces attacking the pilots maneuvering the jets at high speeds on an interception plot. I loved it and I am sure readers will be enthralled by it.
Without spoiling too much, I’ll say that Target Acquired is an excellent continuation of the Jack Ryan Jr., keeping the iconic franchise kicking with superb action and highly likable characters in a fast-paced setting. There isn’t a single dull moment throughout the story. Don’t worry if you haven’t read all the previous Jack Ryan Jr. novels because Don Bentley ensures the readers can quickly catch up with utmost ease. Read it ASAP!