M.P. Woodward's Shadow State is part of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan/Jack Ryan Jr. series,, and is the first book I have read by this particular author. The action, intrigue, military jargon and know how, are all top knotch, just as it was with Mr. Clancy before he passed, and if I were to bet, I would hazard a guess that Mr. Clancy would be proud of Mr. Woodward's take of his characters and how he brought them to life in Shadow State. I started reading Mr. Clancy because of his Naval books and the fact that I am a Naval Veteran. They brought back a lot of memories, some good, some bad, but all of them made me who I am today, and I wouldn't change them. As I read Shadow State, I kept going back to some of the guys I served with and the pain in the ass they were, but how much I miss them and I wouldn't have traded them for anything, because no matter how big a pain they were, they were, and still are, some of the best people I have ever had the privilege of knowing and getting to work with. Not many stories can make me wish I were back in the service, I'm glad to be where I am, back home with my family, but Mr. Woodward managed to do just that. And the description of Viet Nam, I felt like my dad was telling me one of his stories about the place again, and going through some of his pictures from the Vietnam War.. I really hope Mr. Woodward keeps on writing more books in the Jack Ryan series. It would be a shame for the series to end too soon.

M.P. Woodward comes screaming out of the gates with his first entry into the Clancy-verse. Tom Clancy Shadow State is an explosive, sharp and savvy thriller that amplifies the tension through constantly escalating drama with life and death consequences around every turn.

Hendley Associates sends Jack Ryan Jr. on a white-side mission to Southeast Asia conduct financial due diligence for an acquisition of a company that extracts rare earth minerals and sells them to a critical defense contractor in the United States. Finding irregularities in the documentation, Jack requests a trip to check out one of the mines and the company’s CEO takes him in his restored Vietnam War era helicopter. En route, the helicopter experiences a catastrophic event and goes down. Was it an accident or did someone bring it down on purpose. Regardless, Jack finds himself on the run from a criminal gang that has ties to the Chinese MSS. And there’s more than just his life at stake.

Tom Clancy Shadow State is an incredibly smart, intriguing, well-crafted thriller containing multiple layers. While relatively straightforward with little deviation from the main storyline, it possesses an expanding depth as events progress. Weaving a tangled web of deception, self-preservation, criminal activity and state sponsored covert action that ensnares all involved. Propelling readers forward through game changing revelations in a beat the clock scenario that elevates the suspense to lofty levels. It’s highly intense and immensely entertaining content that does a masterful job capturing the essence of these beloved characters within a fresh and thrilling tale.

The Jack Jr. series is in great hands with M.P. Woodward and it’s exciting to think what journeys he will take us on next.

Jack Ryan Junior is on assignment for Henley and associates to determine whether they should acquire GeoTech, accompany that mines rare earth minerals. It is a completely white side of the company job, but as Jack Junior finds out this assignment is not as easy as it seems. As Jack Junior begins to do his due diligence on the company, he decides he needs to see the mining operation in person. This leads to his helicopter going down and him being pitted versus a Vietnamese gang who traffics children. Jack Junior must not only survive the jungles of Vietnam, while being chased by the Vietnamese gang, but he also must find out who is behind the sabotage.

I thought this was a good, not great entry into the series. I did like the plot, but it did seem to drag at points. Having the story take place in Vietnam was something different, and I enjoyed a new setting for this series. There was plenty of action to keep you engaged. it was an enjoyable read. The summer installment was not as inclusive of the Jack Ryan universe, as some of the other winter installments, but it was still enjoyable I do like how these Jack Ryan Junior installments tend to involve part of the campus employees in the story

While this wasn’t the best installment in the series, it was still a fun read that is worth your time. There is plenty of action, and Jack Ryan Junior is a fun character to follow. Thank you too NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, The family of Tom Clancy, and MP Woodward for a free advanced copy for an honest review.

I have enjoyed the Jack Ryan tv series, but this is my first Jack Ryan book. It is well written and has enough unanswered questions to keep you engaged until the end. The twists and turns are exciting and the justice at the end is well played. Add this one to your TBR!

This book was everything I had hoped it would be. Lots of action and suspense. Multiple story lines that end up tying into one in ways that you never expect or predict. Visiting again with old friends from John Clark, Jack Ryan and Mary Pat to Jack Ryan Jr, and Lysanne. There is a beautiful story of redemption subtly woven in. A love story that continues to mature and action...lots and lots of action.

M.P. Woodward brings Jack Ryan, Jr into the action with Shadow State. Tom Clancy would be proud to read Woodward's account of his hero and the mission (TROUBLE) that Jack always seems to find. Jack is once again doing his white hat job, accounting, for the organization. It's supposed to be no trouble. A quick in and out, normal job. But, as usual,, trouble finds Jack where he leasts expects it.

Set in Vietnam, it brings back the players of the region still fighting the same game. Us vs, them, China vs. the U.S. and Vietnam being the land taking the brunt of the storm. It's a dangerous game of chicken with drugs, money, slavers, drug lords all coming after the good guys who get stranded in the jungle after their helicopter goes down. The operatives of the Handley Group are hoping they arrive on the scene in time to rescue Jack. Jack's just hoping to stay alive. Great Story

It was a pleasure to read the continuing adventures of Jack Ryan Jr.. The author kept my interest as Ryan worked on what is referred to as the "white side" of the Campus business. Yet he couldn't help but become entangled with more nefarious activity that amped up the action and kept my interest. As always,interesting characters and settings are well-done in the Clancy novels. Here we see Singapore as it has modernized while staying autocratic. I don't recall reading an M.P. Woodward novel before, but I did enjoy it.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

While visiting Singapore doing a financial audit for Hendley and Associates (the white side of the business) pending a purchase for a rare earth minerals mining company when suddenly Jack is drawn into the wild black ops side of the business and while inching closer to death as he uncovers the plot in the jungles of Vietnam, he must race against the clock and the bad guys before it is too late.

Thank you Putnam and Netgalley for the ARC!

What a fun book in this universe! This book had a lot going, tons of villains to encounter, but it made it to where I was on the edge of my seat always wondering “what on earth could happen next?” Shadow State was what you’d expect from a thriller/action adventure from Woodward and I had a great time in it.

Jack Ryan Jr. is back on the “white” side of Henley & Associates and somehow gets sucked into the “black” side. This book takes us from Hong Kong to Vietnam to Laos. All of the usual characters are mentioned but mostly some of the newer characters are involved, this provides more depth into the book. Another great read!

I must confess to being a little disappointed. I'd read two of Woodward's books before -- THE HANDLER and DEAD DROP -- and I though they were two of the finest spy novels ever published. That was why I expected SHADOW STATE to be really special. It wasn't.

This is a fairly pedestrian entry in the publishing juggernaut that the Ryan universe has become. It was better than some other efforts, not as good as some others. Let's just call it 'routine' and be done.

I thought the narrative was particularly weak. It was jumbled catalog of every possible villain: human traffickers, the Chinese MSS, drug smugglers, corrupt white guys paying off corrupt Vietnamese, and on and on and on. It was everywhere and nowhere, and nothing ever really came into focus. The writing is solid, and the characters are what the characters always are, but sadly there's really nothing special here. It's strictly paint-by-the-numbers stuff. Like I said before, 'routine.'