Series: Jack Ryan, Book 2
Author: Tom Clancy
Narrator: Michael Prichard
Publisher: Books on Tape
Duration: 20 hours, 11 minutes
Copyright: 1987
Genres: intrigue, action, thriller
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Jack Ryan, historian, ex-Marine, and CIA analyst, is vacationing in London when the Ulster Liberation Army makes a terrorist attack on the Prince and Princess of Wales. By instinctively diving forward to break up the attack, he gains both the gratitude of a nation and the hatred of its most dangerous men. Jack Ryan must summon all of the skills and knowledge at his command to battle back against his nemesis.
©1987 Jack Ryan Enterprises Ltd.
MY THOUGHTS: Well, that wasn’t much of a summary. Maybe the publishers, like myself, decided that this audiobook just wasn’t worth the effort. I don’t even know where to begin with this one.
Let’s start with the plot. “Patriot Games” didn’t really have much of a plot, and the only thing that kept it going was the stupidity of the characters. What I mean is, the bad guys kept attacking, but managed to bungle it everytime. Even with all their bungling, they almost pulled it off because the good guys were equally stupid. The characters in this audiobook, good and bad alike, did things that just didn’t make any sense, rendering them completely unbelievable.
Now that we’re talking about characters,let me add that they all seemed like the same person to me, kind of like paper cutouts. All of the men in “Patriot Games”, including Jack Ryan, are extremely macho, gun-toting cowboys, and all the women are tough, yet feminine. There is only one child in the audiobook, and she is just as sweet as saccharine, or some other sugar substitute. Very poor character development, Mister Clancy.
NARRATOR: Michael Prichard is a solid audiobook narrator, that I always enjoy listening to. I got to know Prichard through the several Clive Cussler audiobooks I have listened to, and he always does a good job. Frankly, I think “Patriot Games” was beneath him.
FINAL WORD: It all comes down to credibility. Even in fiction, the characters and situations must have at least a thread of believability for the reader to buy into the story. “Patriot Games” just didn’t have it for me.
FILM ADAPTATION: “Patriot Games” was adapted to film in 1992. I vaguely remember seeing the film a long time ago, but don’t really remember much about it. “Patriot Games” starred Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan, and also featured Anne Archer and Samuel L Jackson, a pretty high-powered cast. The film grossed $178 million worldwide, so I guess a lot of people liked it.
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
“The Hunt For Red October” by Tom Clancy
“Raise the Titanic” by Clive Cussler
“The Partner” by John Grisham
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Want to purchase this audiobook?
Get "Patriot Games" by Tom Clancy (Unabridged Audiobook) from Amazon.com.
Interested in the movie?
Get "Patriot Games" (Special Collector's Edition) from Amazon.com.
This book review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
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This may be a case of the movie being better than the book? (never saw it.)
ReplyDeleteSometimes a screenplay doesn't do a book justice but in this instance, it may have given Mr. Clancy more sales?
I'll pass on this one.