Oath of Office: Marc Cameron

Oath of Office: Marc Cameron

The prologue sets a suspenseful stage for events that will rock our country and the world of President Jack Ryan as two Russian nuclear missiles are hijacked on what was supposed to be a mission carried out by a Russian pilot. Why was he attacked and killed? Who was behind the murder? Jack Ryan deals with this current situation but there are multiple plots that follow that will keep readers hovering diligently over the pages of this complex novel gearing up for the action-packed scenes that will rival any other Clancy novel. The current situation as described in detail focuses on Iran where protesters are taking to the streets hoping to cause some real changes in their country. Jack needs to deal with this situation in his own way as the people of Iran hope to have understand the gravity of freedom and hopefully have the strings that have bound them to their dictatorial regimes, cut away form them, but although he wants to support these rebels, he cannot throw caution to the wind. What exactly is what they call the Persian Spring and how will if the rebels succeed impact on Iran and the United States?

The world is quite different in each part that is described, and the leaders of each country have their own ideologies about how their people should react, speak out and their own way of ruling. Within this novel we meet the rulers of Russia, Cameroon, Iran, The United States and other smaller countries where some are oppressed, and others enjoy the right to speak out. In Iran the protestors are hoping for freedom but those that speak out too boldly are hanged and tortured hoping to send a message to any other dissidents that dare to defy the rulers. The head of the revolt is a man named Reza who is dangerous and deadly creating his own form of takedown as Sally Porter is kidnapped and taken because a General is seeking asylum in our embassy.
Erik Dovzhenko is the man in charge of dealing with the hangings and overseeing that they are properly handled. Knowing the fate of so many does not detract him from his mission until something within him snaps and he realizes that he’s on the wrong side. He’s a Russian Spy and leaving Iran when his girlfriend was murdered in cold blood seems like a viable solution, but will the US take him? In Afghanistan he meets Jack Ryan Jr. Learning what he’s told endangers Jack and the members of the Campus as everyone’s eyes are on the hope of finding those two Russian nuclear missiles that were taken at the start of the novel. Yet, meeting the Russian President you will understand his motives, what he thinks he will accomplish by keeping our President distracted with other matters.

When the President of Cameroon receives a call from Ryan, we learn just how strong and definite his words are and the result will either free Sally Porter or create a war that will destroy more than just lives. But Ryan must focus on the floods taking and destroying Louisiana and Mississippi, and the flu virus that is everywhere. But Senator Michelle Chadwick is a definite adversary creating hype based on fake news, bot videos showing Ryan hoarding the flu vaccine and hoping to destroy the Ryan administration. While this is happening John Clark and the members of the Campus need to stop several arms dealers, find the French Assassin a hope that stop what the Russians have started by locating the mikes but first where is John Jr.

Chadwick is a problem, and many are out to get her. Someone is watching her and hoping to take her out but will the team in place on our side protect her? Ding Chavez and his team are watching an international arms dealer who has hired the French Assassin, Lucile Fournier and her new boyfriend Urbano Da Rocha, working and conspiring with the Russians to move certain materials and making more than just a small profit involving nukes for Iran. But the Russian nukes and the craft carrying them disappear. Added in Ryan’s relationship with Mary Pat Foley, Yazdani the father with a son with cystic fibrosis who will trade any kind of secrets for medical help. But, whom can he trust? Ysabel is Jack Jr’s former girlfriend and she is deep within this plot as Erik finds her, warns her of the danger since his girlfriend was killed and the result has yet to be revealed.

The tension rises as the different plots intersect and we learn about Jack Jr. taken, Ysabel along with him plus Erik. But, the truth about where the missions came from and how they got to Iran is startling but not surprising. Reza Kazem and his so-called Persian Spring Movement is linked to the disappearance of the nuclear missiles. He had a meeting the spy and while Elizaveta Bobkova the assassin and then later met with General Alov of the GRU. But not one is above corruption, and no one can be trusted as the real goal of what and where they wanted to hit stems from someone so diabolical and deadly, they would have to stop Sahar Tabrizi an Iranian astrophysicist and someone close to her, but will they find the target in time?

The ending will keep you filled with tension, fear and the hope that Jack Jr., Dovzhehko and Yashbel Kashani and a the team created by the President can formulate where the target is, the correct timing and measurements and more as author Marc Cameron takes readers and those involved on the final countdown that will either destroy so many or stop what someone has already put in place. What exactly were they after and can they stop it? The life of a young child hangs in the balance if they cannot stop the missiles in time. Will they finally help this young child and his father get the medical help he needs to live a full life, or will they turn them back? Lives are at stake. Truths are about to unfold, and one person will never ever live down what Ryan is about to broadcast. “The Danger of lies, telling them, believing in the echo chamber of the media,” spoken from behind his desk. “We cous, as some nations have done, curtail free speech or criminalize sensationalism that is masked as satire. The speech is the turning point at the end of the book and the truths behind what he states will remind us of something basic and important to all Americans. Ryan never talked about the hoarding of the vaccine or backing a coup in Cameroon. He never mentions the Russian bots. He reminded us as we all listen to many speeches given by many who hold office the sanctity and the importance of upholding YOUR OATH OF OFFICE. Powerful, well researched and thought provoking as once again author Marc Cameron takes Jack Ryan and the Campus team plus his cabinet to higher levels. When decisions are made, lives hang in the balance and opinions, voices are heard and no thought is left discounted and the Jack Ryan, although a fictional character created by the late Tom Clancy and brought to new heights by author Marc Cameron, we realize the importance of why the person in power running our government needs to respect his cabinet, look for answers and help wherever he can and honor the words that are spoken when taking his OATH OF OFFICE.
Fran Lewis: Just reviews/MJ magazine/MJ Network