Tom Clancy Target Acquired, Don Bentley, author; Scott Brick, narrator
When the novel begins, American snipers are investigating an Iranian backed missile launch facility in Syria. The payload on these missiles would be unknown. As it happens, they are aimed at Israel. While this watch is taking place, their communication equipment fails. Someone has the wherewithal to make their effort useless. It is an impressive accomplishment.
Soon the action moves to Israel. Jack Ryan is there, clandestinely, doing a favor for his friend Ding Chavez. While there, he is involved in rescuing a scientist and her son, from an unknown attacker. This, oddly, occurs not once, but twice. This scientist has developed a shield that could make planes, boats, anything at all, invisible to radar, with a simple stroke of a brush. She is, therefore, on the radar of several countries that would like to gain control of her technology. However, her rescue has also put Jack Ryan on the radar of Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency. They do not like American operatives interfering in their country’s affairs or investigations. He is taken into custody by Tal and her partner Dudu to be interrogated. They want to know why he is in Israel and how well he knows the scientist. They suspect that Ryan is not a tourist, but an agent of the CIA, on a case, without having notified the Israeli government. Both Tal and Dudu distrust Jack. While Dudu feels an immediate dislike for Jack, Jack feels an immediate admiration for Tal. They both want him to leave Israel, but Jack recognized that the scientist’s son was autistic, like a childhood friend. He had found the child’s Captain Marvel toy and wanted to return it to him, understanding that it was probably very important to the child. The Israeli’s, however, don’t think highly of his needs, nor do they trust him. Tal follows him. Tal asks/orders him to dine with her and the action continues with an unexpected and tragic drone attack. Israel has many enemies.
On another front, a Persian of mixed race, with the Aryan features of his mother, is secretly working for Iran and obtains secrets from an Israeli traitor. He passes on these secrets about the workings of the Iron Dome. The traitor does not know the real identity of this man he meets secretly, known to him as Bill, but Bill is a cold-blooded killer and is up to no good.
Moving along, the Israelis have had enough of Ryan. After the two rescue attempts foiled by Ryan, they encounter them together and take them in two separate cars to unknown destinations. The scientist is probably going to be interrogated and Jack is probably going to be put on a plane back to the United States. These plans are thwarted when their vehicles are attacked and the scientist and her son are kidnapped. In the ensuing fight, there is a lot of violence and bloodshed. Deaths follow. Jack escapes and wants to assist in the search for the scientist. He is turned down.
Jack discovers that the CIA has been tracking the scientist, and he has the means of finding her. He uses it as leverage to be allowed to help in the search. The CIA had planted a beacon with her which is still working. Still more action, death and destruction follow the attempt to locate and rescue her.
Every time the reader comes up for air there is another oops and Jack is captured or maimed, in some way. His injuries are almost beyond belief and yet he keeps going like Superman. Listening to this book made one thing clear, the excellent narrator, Scott Brick, was the one thing that kept me from giving up. If you like a book that is non-stop with excitement, filled with extensive dialogue and explanation, in which the hero encounters one roadblock after another, and the tension is unrelenting, this book will be your cup of tea, but be prepared, moment to moment, to suspend disbelief and enter an alternate reality.