The book follows the story of Jack Ryan, the president's National Security Advisor, as he attempts to stop a war with Japan due to a single auto accident. The clever writing and suspenseful action combines to create very entertaining reading. Though Clancy won't stun the world with a literary "classic," he will deliver one of the most compelling novels of today. Everything in Debt of Honor will strike you as eerily plausible, from an attack on the American economy to Japan's secret nuclear weapons program.
Debt of Honor should not be mistaken as a book selling off the Tom Clancy name, such as the Op-Center series. Besides global warfare, the ideas are original and exhilarating. The novel was actually written entirely by Tom Clancy, which makes it a definite read. This book is recommended for any Clancy or action fan.
I read this book with a could-this-really-happen mindset because, personnally, having the constant belief that the plot is plausible makes the journey through the book more intriguing and thrilling (this is especially true for this genre).
Sadly, this book simply doesn't cut it in the "Plausible and Believable" department. Here are some examples that illustrate my point:
- the trade "embargo" on Japan (too heavy-handed and how it came about was just absurd; hell, if it was that easy a decision, the US would already have an embargo on France AND Germany by now!)
- the USA's complete nuclear disarmement (this speaks for itself)
- The Chinese cooperating with the Japanese (as if China was immune to any consequences of a major turmoil in the US)
- Virus attack on Wall Street (how original... for some reason, I don't buy it)
The amount of (major) elements that were outright ludicrous to me just nullified most of the fun I could have had in reading the book.