i've finally finished the 1008 paged 'Debt of Honour' by Tom Clancy. It was a struggle at times and a breeze at others. I've not read a Clancy book for awhile now, and i picked it up at Popular bookstore a couple of months ago- just because it was selling for only $6.90. =)
anyhow, i think i've grown as a person. when i was in uni and studying international relations with a love for realpolitik- i loved Clancy for all the detailed insights he had into ICBMs (inter-continental ballistic missiles), Stealth Bombers, F15s, Subs, Aircraft Carriers, Nukes and stuff like that.
Many years later, i find myself drawn more to the political negotation, leadership aspects of his writing. About what happens in the oval office, the strategic discussions that take place between CIA his National Security Advisor. It's the way decisions are made, how factors are considered as quickly as possible in light of heightened security threats that really interest me. Not so much the operational battles that happens in the field, and what kind of weapon delivery systems each country possesses.
Anyhow (spoiler ahead),
i wished i read this earlier- didn't realise at all, that the book ends with a civilian passenger plane crashing into the Whitehouse killing the President of the USA and most of the congress and senate. Of course the hero- Ryan- emerges unscathed. =)
I'm not sure if i'd pick another clancy book up after this one. He's really heavy on the boy-sy war stuff that just doesn't appeal to me anymore. But i enjoy the main plots and the scenarios he presents- trade war-> China and US are in the midst of a trade scuffle right now and Japan-US relations aren't the rosiest as well, since the fall of the party (all these elements are in his book which was in this book which was published in 1995, and hey, passenger plane crashing into the Whitehouse, Pentagon, what's the difference?)
Maybe, i will pick up more of his newer books, just to see what else he'd thought off!
Labels: eveel reads
