Genre: Political Thriller
Publisher: Atria
Publication date: October 13, 2009
Reviewed by Jeremy Taylor
Vince Flynn is to political thrillers today what Robert Ludlum was in the 1970s and ’80s and Tom Clancy was in the ’90s. His politically incorrect but oh-so-emotionally satisfying solutions to real-world problems keep readers not only on the edge of their seats but intellectually engaged from cover to cover. Poll results would seem to indicate that roughly half the country won’t agree with Flynn’s right-leaning political outlook, but even readers who don’t endorse his politics can’t help but be caught up in the suspense and drama that he brings to his stories. Readers who embrace his worldview, on the other hand, may find themselves cheering aloud as the patriotic good guys win the day using any and all means necessary.
Pursuit of Honor continues the events of Flynn’s previous book, Extreme Measures. One week after a horrific terrorist attack in Washington, D.C.—an attack that would have been even worse without CIA operative Mitch Rapp’s heroic measures—the leaders of the terror cell that instigated the plot are still on the loose. Rapp and his partner, Mike Nash, are intent on finding the perpetrators and enacting some very personal and immediate retribution. When Nash begins to have second thoughts about the morality of their quest, Rapp begins looking for a way to get him off the case. Meanwhile, bureaucratic red tape combined with treachery at high levels within the U.S. government threaten to ensure that ultimate justice is never served. It’s up to Mitch Rapp to find a way to coax the terrorists out of hiding while staying one step ahead of those within his own government who don’t want him to succeed.
Taking on issues such as the morality and effectiveness of torture as a means of acquiring potentially life-saving information, this book is sure to spark some controversy. What is never in question is the caliber of the writing, as Flynn creates dynamic settings and brings realistic and sympathetic characters to life. Particularly impressive are chapters written from the terrorists’ point of view; though the evil of their actions is never in question, Flynn manages to make the reader almost start to root for their success—up to a point. The heart-pounding climax features Rapp at his terrorist-thumping best, and though the emotional payoff is perhaps not quite as dramatic as in previous books (most notably Consent to Kill), Vince Flynn fans will leave simultaneously satisfied and eager for more.
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