Target Acquired immediately captures your attention with stunning characters, an unconvoluted and elegant storyline, amazing action sequences, and an aura of intrigue that sets in from the very first chapter. Don Bentley introduces his badass rendition of Jack Ryan Jr. while sticking true to the character development seen in the previous books.
Jack Ryan Jr. is in Tel Aviv on a simple mission when he comes across a Chinese assassin trying to kill a mother and her child. Spinning quickly into action, he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game of catch-up with American, Chinese, and Russian forces amongst others along with the cunning commander of Iranian Quds Force who has a few aces up his sleeves up to no good. There is no shortage of vicious action sequences that are sure to make you wince. Don Bentley’s highly regarded proclivity for striking a wonderful balance between realistic and grand action sequences pays off as Ryan Jr. takes quite a beating but also dishes out vengeful punishment of his own whether with his own fists or with lead in gritty sequences of pure awesomeness. I really enjoyed reading Ryan Jr. trapped in a situation with little to no support and having to navigate through some unsavory parts of the world relying on his skills as a Campus operative. The setting provided a great opportunity for Ryan Jr.’s character development out of his father’s shadow and into his own persona.
On a side note, there is an excellent aerial sequence with F-35 fighter jets described with a panache so much so that I could picture the G-Forces attacking the pilots maneuvering the jets at high speeds on an interception plot. I loved it and I am sure readers will be enthralled by it.
Without spoiling too much, I’ll say that Target Acquired is an excellent continuation of Jack Ryan Jr., keeping the iconic franchise kicking with superb action and highly likable characters in a fast-paced setting. There isn’t a single dull moment throughout the story. Don’t worry if you haven’t read all the previous Jack Ryan Jr. novels because Don Bentley ensures the readers can quickly catch up with utmost ease. Read it ASAP!
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Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
