About the AuthorA little more than thirty years ago Tom Clancy was a Maryland insurance broker with a passion for naval history. Years before, he had been an English major at Baltimores Loyola College and had always dreamed of writing a novel. His first effort, The Hunt for Red October, sold briskly as a result of rave reviews, then catapulted onto the New York Times bestseller list after President Reagan pronounced it the perfect yarn. From that day forward, Clancy established himself as an undisputed master at blending exceptional realism and authenticity, intricate plotting, and razor-sharp suspense. He passed away in October 2013.Excerpt. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.Table of ContentsTitle PageCopyright PageAcknowledgementsChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29Chapter 30Chapter 31Chapter 32Chapter 33Chapter 34Chapter 35Chapter 36Chapter 37Chapter 38Chapter 39Chapter 40THE BESTSELLING NOVELS OF TOM CLANCYTHE TEETH OF THE TIGERA new generationJack Ryan, Jr.takes over in Tom Clancys extraordinary, and extraordinarily prescient, novel.INCREDIBLY ADDICTIVE. Daily Mail (London)RED RABBITTom Clancy returns to Jack Ryans early days in an engrossing novel of global political drama . . .A WILD, SATISFYING RIDE. New York Daily NewsTHE BEAR AND THE DRAGONA clash of world powers. President Jack Ryans trial by fire.HEART-STOPPING ACTION . . . CLANCY STILL REIGNS. The Washington PostRAINBOW SIXJohn Clark is used to doing the CIAs dirty work. Now hes taking on the world . . .ACTION-PACKED. The New York Times Book EXECUTIVE ORDERSA devastating terrorist act leaves Jack Ryan as President of the United States . . .UNDOUBTEDLY CLANCYS BEST YET.The Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionDEBT OF HONORIt begins with the murder of an American woman in the back streets of Tokyo. It ends in war . . .A SHOCKER. Entertainment WeeklyTHE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBERThe smash bestseller that launched Clancys career the incredible search for a Soviet defector and the nuclear submarine he commands . . .BREATHLESSLY EXCITING. The Washington PostRED STORM RISINGThe ultimate scenario for World War III the final battle for global control . . .THE ULTIMATE WAR GAME . . . BRILLIANT.NewsweekPATRIOT GAMESCIA analyst Jack Ryan stops an assassination and incurs the wrath of Irish terrorists . . .A HIGH PITCH OF EXCITEMENT.The Wall Street JournalTHE CARDINAL OF THE KREMLINThe superpowers race for the ultimate Star Wars missile defense system . . .CARDINAL EXCITES, ILLUMINATES . . . A REAL PAGE-TURNER. Los Angeles Daily NewsCLEAR AND PRESENT DANGERThe killing of three U.S. officials in Colombia ignites the American governments explosive, and top secret, response . . .A CRACKLING GOOD YARN. The Washington PostTHE SUM OF ALL FEARSThe disappearance of an Israeli nuclear weapon threatens the balance of power in the Middle Eastand around the world . . .CLANCY AT HIS BEST . . . NOT TO BE MISSED.The Dallas Morning NewsWITHOUT REMORSEHis code name is Mr. Clark. And his work for the CIA is brilliant, cold-blooded, and efficient . . . but who is he really?HIGHLY ENTERTAINING. The Wall Street JournalNovels by Tom ClancyTHE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER RED STORM RISING PATRIOT GAMES THE CARDINAL OF THE KREMLIN CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER THE SUM OF ALL FEARS WITHOUT REMORSE DEBT OF HONOR EXECUTIVE ORDERS RAINBOW SIX THE BEAR AND THE DRAGON RED RABBIT THE TEETH OF THE TIGERSSN: STRATEGIES OF SUBMARINE WARFARENonfiction SUBMARINE: A GUIDED TOUR INSIDE A NUCLEAR WARSHIP ARMORED CAV: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT FIGHTER WING: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN AIR FORCE COMBAT WING MARINE: A GUIDED TOUR OF A MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT AIRBORNE: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN AIRBORNE TASK FORCE CARRIER: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER SPECIAL FORCES: A GUIDED TOUR OF U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCESINTO THE STORM: A STUDY IN COMMAND (written with General Fred Franks, Jr., Ret.)EVERY MAN A TIGER (written with General Charles Horner, Ret.)SHADOW WARRIORS: INSIDE THE SPECIAL FORCES (written with General Carl Stiner, Ret., and Tony Koltz)Created by Tom Clancy SPLINTER CELL SPLINTER CELL: OPERATION BARRACUDACreated by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: MIRROR IMAGE TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: GAMES OF STATE TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: ACTS OF WAR TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: BALANCE OF POWER TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: STATE OF SIEGE TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: DIVIDE AND CONQUER TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: LINE OF CONTROL TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: MISSION OF HONOR TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: SEA OF FIRE TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: CALL TO TREASON TOM CLANCYS OP-CENTER: WAR OF EAGLESTOM CLANCYS NET FORCE TOM CLANCYS NET FORCE: HIDDEN AGENDAS TOM CLANCYS NET FORCE: NIGHT MOVES TOM CLANCYS NET FORCE: BREAKING POINT TOM CLANCYS NET FORCE: POINT OF IMPACT TOM CLANCYS NET FORCE: CYBERNATION TOM CLANCYS NET FORCE: STATE OF WAR TOM CLANCYS NET FORCE: CHANGING OF THE GUARD TOM CLANCYS NET FORCE: SPRINGBOARDCreated by Tom Clancy and Martin Greenberg TOM CLANCYS POWER PLAYS: POLITIKA TOM CLANCYS POWER PLAYS: RUTHLESS.COM TOM CLANCYS POWER PLAYS: SHADOW WATCH TOM CLANCYS POWER PLAYS: BIO-STRIKE TOM CLANCYS POWER PLAYS: COLD WAR TOM CLANCYS POWER PLAYS: CUTTING EDGE TOM CLANCYS POWER PLAYS: ZERO HOUR TOM CLANCYS POWER PLAYS: WILD CARDTHE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Group (USA) Inc. 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), Cnr. Airborne and Rosedale Roads, Albany, Auckland 1310, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South AfricaPenguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, EnglandThis is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.TOM CLANCYS SPLINTER CELL: OPERATION BARRACUDAA Berkley Book / published by arrangement with Rubicon, Inc.PRINTING HISTORY Berkley edition / November 2005Copyright 2005 by Rubicon, Inc.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights. Purchase only authorized editions. For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.eISBN : 978-1-101-00373-2BERKLEY Berkley Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. BERKLEY is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. The B design is a trademark belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe author and publisher wish to acknowledge the work of Raymond Benson, whose invaluable contribution to this novel is immeasurable. Many thanks go to Ubisoft Entertainment personnel Mathieu Ferland, Alexis Nolent, and Olivier Henriot for their cooperation and support, and to Vanessa Lorden for her help. Finally, a big thank-you each goes to James McMahon and Dr. Grace Stewart for their expertise.1THE OPSATs mechanical alarm wakes me at eleven oclock sharp. Since I possess the ability to sleep soundly at the drop of a hat, anywhere, at any time, the OPSATs built-in prodder that nudges the pulse in my wrist comes in very handy. Its silent and it doesnt jolt me awake the way alarm clocks sometimes do.I hear the wind blowing outside the small tent. The weather forecast had warned of a winter storm before midnight and it appears to be just beginning. Terrific. The sub-zero weather outside my bivouac would have in normal circumstances turned me into a Popsicle hours ago had it not been for Third Echelons technological breakthrough in designing the skintight, superhero-like uniform that separates my very human body from the harsh elements. Not only does it protect me from extreme heat or cold but the threads of Kevlar woven into the fabric somewhat serve as bulletproof material. At long range, the stuff works pretty well. I dont want to have the pleasure of testing its strength at short range, thank you very much.I crawl out of the tent, stand, and take a moment to survey the dark forest around me. Aside from the howling wind, I cant hear a thing. Lambert had warned me that I might encounter wolves this far into the woods but I must have lucked out. If I were a wolf, Id stay in my den and keep the hell out of this kind of weather. There sure wont be any meals wandering about in minus ten degrees Fahrenheit. None except a two-legged mammal that happens to be heavily armed.I quickly roll up the tent. The unique camouflage makes it appear to be a snow-covered rock when its erected on the ground. One would have to examine it at close range to recognize it for what it really is. Again, a well-designed piece of equipment, courtesy of the National Security Agency. Its ironic that only a handful of the personnel within the NSA know of the classified department called Third Echelon. Im such an elite employee of the United States government that you could count on two hands the number of people who can define Splinter Cell. And to tell the truth, I couldnt name all those people. Aside from my immediate supervisor, Colonel Irving Lambert, and the minuscule team working in the unremarkable, unmarked building that stands separate from the main NSA headquarters in Washington, D.C., I have no clue as to what senators or Cabinet members have heard of Third Echelon. Im pretty sure the president knows about us, but even he would Protocol Six me if I were caught. That means Id be disavowedthey would wash their hands of me and pretend I never existed.I pack the tent and lower my goggles. The night vision mode works remarkably well in a Ukrainian snowstorm. I may feel as if Im in a scene from Doctor Zhivago but at least Im not going to bump into any trees as I move forward.Obukhiv is five miles away to the south. Im somewhere between that small village and Kyiv to the north, which is where I began my mission. We spell it Kyiv now instead of Kiev because its the English translation of the proper Ukrainian name for the city. Same goes for Obukhiv, which used to be Obukhov. The people made a concerted attempt to change all city names from Russian to Ukrainian since the nation became independent in 1991. Im pretty sure the Russians will keep spelling them the old way.Moving through a free Ukraine is no problem these days so I had little trouble picking up my equipment from the American Embassy in Kyiv and obtaining an SUV to drive to Obukhiv. I laughed when I saw the thinga 1996 Ford Explorer XL with 120,000 miles on it. But it runs okay. From the village I hiked into the woods earlier today and set up camp here in the cold forest. Third Echelon intelligence confirmed that the Shops third hangar for their stealth planewhich was destroyed a few months ago in Turkeyis located here in a clearing beyond the woods and is still in use. Satellite photos revealed that vehicles occasionally appear and men continue to go in and out of the structure. I already got rid of one of the three hangars, located in Azerbaijan near Baku. A special ops military force blew up the one that sat in Volovo, a tiny hamlet south of Moscow. Now I have the job of checking out the third one here to see what theyre up to. The Shop, a notorious arms-dealing network of Russian criminals, was left in disarray after the business in Cyprus last year. We seriously damaged their organization but the leaders are still at large. Much of our intelligence indicates the Shop picked up and moved headquarters out of Russia and went to the Far East, possibly the Philippines or Hong Kong. That remains to be seen. One of Third Echelons top priorities over the last several months has been to find the four so-called directors of the Shop and bring them to justice. Or kill them, whichever comes first.A Georgian named Andrei Zdrok is the main man. Hes number one on the to do list. The other directors consist of a Russian army general named Prokofievno relation to the composer, I dont think; a former GDR prosecutor named Oskar Herzog; and another Russianformer KGBby the name of Anton Antipov. If I can find any information pertaining to these guys whereabouts, Ill have accomplished the mission and can go home.I see youre on the move, Sam. Its Colonel Lambert, speaking to me through the implants in my ears. They allow me to talk with the team back in Washington when the reception is good. I answer him by pushing on the one in my throat.Im approaching the compound now. Whats the satellite show?Theres no activity. Youre clear to infiltrate.I move quietly through the woods, my boots inadvertently making squish sounds in the snow and ice. Cant be helped. I seriously doubt there are any guards this deep in the forest. Ill have to be more careful when I approach the hangar, though. And it appears to be just up ahead, where the trees begin to thin out.Crouching, I scan the field in front of me. A building that once served as an airplane hangar sits at the end of a runway. Whoever piloted the stealth plane had to be pretty adeptthere isnt much breathing space at the end before the trees become thick again. A smaller building adjoins the hangarmost likely offices and bunks for the guys working there. An electrified fence and gate surrounds the perimeter and an unpaved roadnow covered by snowruns through the forest from the facility to the highway leading out of Obukhiv. The No Trespassing and Keep Out signs have apparently done a good job keeping out the curious.Three Taiga snowmobiles sit parked outside the compound. I see a lone guard in front of the door, smoking a cigarette. Damn. If Im going to deactivate the fence, someone inside is going to know about it.Wait. Someones coming down the road. I see approaching headlights through the trees and hear the sound of vehicles.Youve got company, Sam, Lambert says. Looks like a motorcycle, or maybe a snowmobile, and a car. Came out of nowhere.Yeah, I see em.I quickly move through the brush to the edge of the gate and lie flat in the snow. Most of the time my uniform is black but since its custom-made for a Russian or Ukrainian winter, this model is completely white and thus blends in well with the natural surroundings. In a moment Ill unzip it, peel it off, and reveal the darker uniform for when I need to lose myself in the shadows.The hum of the electrified fence suddenly ceases. Theyve turned it off from the inside and the gate begins to open automatically.Another Taiga snowmobile, driven by a lone rider, sails past me and goes through the open gate. A few seconds later, a black Mercedes follows. I make sure no other vehicles are lagging behind and then I roll my body through the gate as it starts to close. I lie still and peer around to make sure I wasnt seen. So far, so good. Nows the time to play chameleon and dispose of my white outer-suit.After stuffing the garment into my backpack, I get up and creep closer, staying to the shadows. Positioning myself behind a boarded-up water well, I watch the newcomers as they stop their vehicles in front of the small building. The guard I saw earlier goes over to the hangar and unlocks the door. He swings it open and the guy on the snowmobile guides his ride inside. After a moment, he walks out and the first guard closes the hangar doorbut doesnt lock it. The Mercedes driver keeps the motor running as four men get out of the car. One of them appears to be a Russian army general. I change the lenses in my trident goggles, focus on the men, and positively identify the officer as General Stefan Prokofiev. One of the other guys looks like Oskar Herzog, but if its him hes grown a silly beard. The third guy I dont recognize. Hes smaller than the others and has long, flowing black hair. Looks kind of like Rasputin. The fourth man is another soldier, probably just a bodyguard for the general. I quickly snap some photos with my OPSAT and beam them to Washington via satellite uplink with encrypted burst transmission.The door to the main building opens and I see two men standing just beyond the threshold. They wave to the four-some as the men walk inside. Hands are shaken and then the door slams shut.The driver gets out of the car and greets the snowmobile rider. They speak in Russian, probably talking about the weather. The guard offers the rider a cigarette and they walk around the building. As soon as theyre out of sight, I run toward the hangarroughly twenty metersand peek inside the door. Where an airplane once rested, the place is now full of crates, snowmobiles, and a couple of cars. Nothing else of interest. I then reach into the backpack and grab one of the nifty homing beacons that Third Echelon created for me. It looks like a hockey puck, only smaller. Its magnetized and is activated by a twist of the top. I quickly move back outside to the Mercedes, crouch behind it, and place the device on the underside. There is a soft clink as the magnet meets metal. I push a button on my OPSAT to make sure its receiving the signal.Okay, lets get inside the building now. I try the knob but its locked. So I knock and whistle loudly. My Russian isnt great but itll do for short innocuous phrases in case I need to converse with someone.I hear footsteps and the sound of the guard unlocking the door. It swings open and I reach for him, pull him outside, and give him a head bonk he wont forget. The sharp edge of my goggles slices his nose a bit but hell live. I drag his unconscious form around to the side of the hangar and hide him behind a generator attached to the building. I then hurry back to the front door, turn off the night vision, and step inside.The corridor is empty but I can hear angry voices in a room down the hallway. Theres a washroom next to it, so I go in there and shut the door. I open a pouch on my leg and remove a microphone with a suction cup attached to it. I lick the cup and stick it on the wall, then adjust my OPSAT to pick up the signal. Through my headset I can now hear what theyre saying. The Russian is difficult to pick up but I can understand some of it. For good measure I start recording it just as Carly St. John, Third Echelons acting technical director, speaks through the implants.Ill try to give you a rough translation as we go, Sam, she says, then later we can do the whole thing.Either the general or Herzog is doing most of the talking. Hes giving the two men from the building a royal chewing out.Its something about failure to do this and failure to do that, Carly says. And a security breach. Theyre closing down the facility. One of the men protests and sounds very frightened. Apparently hes about to lose more than just his job.BLAM! BLAM! The two gunshots startle me. Theyre followed by the sound of two bodies hitting the floor. I hear the general or Herzog mutter something and then the four newcomers leave the room. They march down the hall, past the washroom, and exit the building. The place is dead silent.I open the washroom door and look into the hallway. Empty. I quickly move to the killing room and sure enough, the two men who had greeted the general and his entourage are lying in pools of blood. I snap some photos and then move toward the front door. I gently crack it open and peer outside. The general is barking orders into a radio as the four men get inside the Mercedes. The driver has returned with his snowmobile rider pal.Youve got more company, Sam, Lambert says. Three vehicles approaching. Better get out of there now.Hes rightI see more headlights coming through the gate at the other side of the compound. Military vehicles. Two trucks and a tank! I feel my heartbeat increase as the trucks pull in front of the building as the Mercedes takes off. At least eight armed soldiersRussian, not Ukrainianjump out of the vehicles and rush toward the front doorexactly where Im standing.Well, hell. I turn and run to the back of the building, past the killing room and into a space where several cots are set upobviously the living quarters for the men who no longer work here. Theres a grille covering a ventilation shaft high on the wall. As I hear the soldiers enter the building and stomp along the corridor, I climb on one of the cots, pull off the grille, and climb inside. But Im too late. One of the soldiers enters the room and sees my feet disappear into the shaft. He shouts loudly for others to join him. A deafening gunshot blasts part of the wall away behind me.I snake along the shaft as fast as I can. Luckily I come to a junction just as the soldier points his pistol inside the shaft to fire at me. The shaft turns upward here so I leap above the gunfire and begin the climb to the roof. The soldier doesnt follow me. Im sure he figures they can catch me when I emerge at the top.The grille on the roof doesnt come off easily. Im forced to draw my Five-seveN and shoot the corners of the damned thing. I holster my gun and then give the grille a good pounding with my gloved fist and it finally loosens. I pull myself up and out onto the snow-caked roof. The gunfire commences immediately, the rounds zipping inches over my head. The angle isnt great for the soldiers so Im at an advantage as long as I lie low. I reach into another trouser pocket and retrieve an emergency flare. Its not much but hopefully it will be bright enough to blind the soldiers temporarily. I aim it to the sky and set it off. The flare bursts over the compound, violently brightening the darkness. The gunfire ceases momentarily. I rise and scramble across the roof to the other side, near the hangar. Its not a big jumpI leap off the roof and land in a snow-bank. I drop, roll, and come up unharmed. But right in front of me is the snowmobile rider. Hes halfway in the process of drawing a Makarov when I deliver a Krav Maga ax kick to his chest. This propels him backward and he drops the pistol. I move forward and give him another kick in the groin, which makes him completely docile. I kneel beside him, search his pockets, and find the keys to the snowmobile.Thanks, I say in Russian. Ill return it. Someday. what is the most read book ever Operation Barracuda (Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell)
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. An okay sequel to the original Benson novelBy CTSplinter Cell: Barracuda is the sequel to the Splinter Cell novel by Raymond Benson. Both are, more or less, prequels to the original game but serve as independent adventures in their own right. For those unfamiliar with Splinter Cell, it is the adventures of Sam Fisher, secret agent operating for Third Echelon (a classified division of the NSA). In the previous novel, Sam successfully decimated the arms dealing terrorist organization known as the Shop but he did not destroy it. This novel, they make a return with vengeance on their mind. Having made an alliance with a renegade Chinese general, they hope to sell him the necessary nuclear arms and guidance systems in order to attack Taiwan. Meanwhile, Sam is starting up a relationship with his Krav Maga instructor Katia, despite the potential danger to both their lives. A mole has infiltrated Third Echelon and compromised not only Sam's identity but numerous other important operations. It's a race against the clock to prevent Taiwan from being invaded and the US coast potentially getting nuked. This is an okay follow-up to the original novel, resolving many of the original story's lingering plotthreads but it's not something I'm exactly overwhelmed by either. There's no real dramatic anchor the way the first book had Sarah's kidnapping. It doesn't help the Shop repeatedly shows itself to be foolish by attempting to directly challenge a branch of the US government. Likewise, General Tsun never receives any characterization other than he wants to conquer Taiwan no matter how many people has to kill in order to do it. Sam Fishers' relationship with Katia could have been better developed and possibly become a major part of the character's arc in the books. Instead, the relationship blows through the various stages of romance before coming to a swift climax which I think was used for cheap dramatic effect. The character of Katia is used more as a prop than an actual character and I think the book suffers as a result. Oddly, my favorite character in this book is one of the lesser villains in Mike Chang. Mike is a Triad infiltrator of Third Echelon who wants to make a fortune selling information from the NSA to terrorist organizations. Unfortunately, he's so confident of his backers he never stops to think that he's nothing more than a loose end they'll need to clean up. It results in him making some truly stupid decisions which is a wonder to behold. By the end, I think he's one of the more despicable but entertaining villains I've read in a while. The book isn't entirely without humor and I found a lot of fun to be had in hilarious moments like Sam getting captured by his targets wife, thinking he's just a burglar only for Sam to try to convince her he's a private detective and unwittingly set off a domestic disturbance incident which gets his surveillance target killed. It's comedy of errors moments like that which make this better than a generic run of the mill techno-thriller. In conclusion, this was an entertaining novel but not as good as the previous edition. It's a fairly paint-by-the-numbers work and one I think is okay but not especially noteworthy. It's most enjoyable for seeing the Shop finally get what was coming to them but even that's not a massive selling point. Raymond Benson could have done better (and has in other books).7/100 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Non-stop action as Sam Fisher digs into a rogue Chinese general and his allies who intens to conquer TaiwanBy Sam B. WagnerStolen nuclear weapons, Chinese Tongs, an evil empire ruled by The Shop, and plenty of action across the globe mark this as another grand addition to the series. Plenty of twists and turns as the US is held hostage and China's leadership can go either way to support or oppose their own high-risk general.. Throw in a Krav Maga lady instructor with great attraction and enemies of enemies becoming friends and its a fun read that is almost non-stop. Well worth the time0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A good read.By AlanLSam Fisher is an interesting character. Sometimes a little too blas for the situation that he's in but nevertheless I need guy. Story has a lot of technical information about some interesting equipment that it seems has already been developed. I wouldn't mind having one of those sharks with a CH not an s. Will be a lot more fun than a Seadoo.