DUTY AND HONOR
Grant Blackwood
June 14th, 2016
G.P. Putnam
DUTY AND HONOR by Grant Blackwood brings back the Tom Clancy character Jack Ryan Jr. This story explores a murder centered around a German connection.
The plot has an organization whose major recruiting technique is to kidnap children and then release them to grateful parents who become part of a neo-warfare plan. Those who do not freely go along have themselves or their family subjected to torture, drug addiction, and brain washing. The philosophy is to have private armies answerable to no government, no laws, and no rules of engagement.
Jack was suspended from The Campus, a covert agency in the government who combats US enemies. Throughout the book Jack Jr. is seen as rusty from his time off. Blackwood noted, “Special operators always have a strong preference for the type of weapon they chose to use. Knifes play a prevalent role in this book so Jack Jr. can follow clues. The reason he makes mistakes is to make him more believable. The mindset of those in Special Forces is that ‘something will always go wrong.’ I wanted to show how Jack responds to that scenario. I think he grew up a lot in this book. He did a lot of thinking of who he is and where he is going.”
A new character is Effrem Likkel, a freelance journalist. Blackwood has the characters play a role reversal as Jack tries to become more mature. With Effrem he sees himself looking into the mirror where Effrem is impulsive, undisciplined, and is single-mindedly focused instead of looking at the big picture. They both must come to grips with being the son of a famous person since Effrem’s mother is a well renowned journalist, while Jack Jr.’s father is the US President.
DUTY AND HONOR has a fast-paced intriguing plot. Both Mark Greaney and Grant Blackwood have enhanced the Tom Clancy characters and have created new absorbing and captivating roles.
Elise Cooper
