PLOT: Executive Orders begins as Debt of Honor left off, with the U.S. President, most of Congress and the Cabinet and the Supreme Court dead after a Japanese terrorist crashes a 747 into the Capitol. Jack Ryan, CIA agent and very newly approved as Vice-President, is now the lone man heading the government. Now, he must face world leaders who try to take advantage of a supposed U.S. weakness, especially by the Iranians. This while also trying to rebuild the American government and survive the relentless press.

Every single detail seems vital to the story, from the personal life of a secret service agent to the (maybe) sympathetic Iranian doctor, and all aspects are eventually brought to a satisfying conclusion.

Clancy's genius is in his knowledge of details: from modern warfare and machines to weapons, personnel and strategies. His description of the affects of the Ebola virus on the human body is disturbing. And his description of the U.S. military machine gives the reader a patriotic lift, supplying Ra-Ra feelings in any warm-blooded American. And his feelings on the press, even though I am one of them, are generally right on.

Of course, after reading Executive Orders I was compelled to go back and read the previous Clancy adventures. Sadly, though, I'm not sure how many more Ryan sequels there will be, since Clancy and his wife are caught in a divorce battle over money rights to the character. In revenge, Clancy has stated he would kill off or just not write another book that involves Jack Ryan. But, we'll keep our fingers crossed that this isn't the end for an American hero.

Now I can say I am a big Clancy fan and will always be, because I couldn't stop reading Executive Orders and Debt of Honor afterwards, even though the latter comes first it didn't bother me. He is a master at juggling several topics at the same time, well enough that the reader is not confused at a turn of events and is always on top of events.