Tom Clancy, Without Remorse

I remember not really enjoying this book the first time I read it, but I found a very different experience this second time through it. Though it is not what you might expect of Clancy, without the trademark espionage, international political intrigue, and covert ops, it is great story of a different type. In Without Remorse, Clancy looks back to the development of John Kelly (later known as John Clark, or just Clark), the black ops expert who appears in many of Clancy's other books. Kelly has a sordid past, and this book takes us on a ride of love and loss. I think the most enjoyable and fascinating facet of this book for me was the ongoing struggle within Kelly about right and wrong, the nature of justice, and the allure of expedience. This book still has Clancy's trademark style, but with some different twists. And it shows his breadth as a writer. It may in some ways be one of his best.