(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Dominic Caruso. Nephew of President Jack Ryan. FBI agent and operator for The Campus, a top secret intelligence agency that works off the books for the U.S. government. Already scarred by the death of his brother, Caruso is devastated when he can't save a friend and his family from a terrorist attack
Ethan Ross was a mid-level staffer for the National Security Council. Now he's a wanted fugitive on the run with a microdrive that contains enough information to wreck American intelligence efforts around the world. The CIA is desperate to get the drive back, but so are the Russians and various terrorist groups all of whom are closer to catching the fugitive. Only Caruso stands in their way, but can he succeed without the aid of his Campus colleagues?

I have to admit from the start that I stopped reading Tom Clancy long before his sad death. I found that his work was starting to get a bit stale and repetitive. The writing was still exemplary - just I wanted new stories and ideas. And I wasn't getting that so I went looking elsewhere for new authors...

...and that's how I stumbled over Mark Greaney.

I was introduced to The Gray Man series by a friend and was immediately drawn to the style of writing. I have read a number of them and enjoy them immensely. So when I saw that he had taken on the mantle of writing with Tom Clancy, I was a little bit nervous. I wondered if his writing would be throttled by Clancy's style of story-telling, so I avoided the first few books. Then it was suggested that I give the books he wrote after Clancy's death a go...and I am glad I did.

Is this book as good as Clancy? It depends on what you are looking for. If you want a good action-packed, seat of your pants thriller novel, then this is right up your alley. If you want more the political intrigue, you get that here, too. I think it is a little more over-the-top than Clancy ever did, plot-wise - but that's good. It is a sign of the author being allowed to write how he thinks the story should be told.

Would I recommend this book to everyone? Absolutely! When you see the name "Tom Clancy" at the top of the cover, you know what you are getting - when you see Mark Greaney's name at the bottom, you know it will be awesome!


Paul
ARH