Jack Ryan has existed on our screens for the longest time, and most people can attest that they enjoy watching him. Before the movies were cast on the screens, Jack Ryan was in novels and video games. After the years, he is returning to the screens with a fantastic show. Depending on taste and preferences, most people have a favorite from Jack Ryan’s books.
Who is Jack Ryan?
Jack Ryan, known as Dr. John Patrick, sr., KCVO, Ph.D., is a fictional character by Tom Clancy. Jack Ryan has been featured in Ryanverse novels listed in the New York Times best seller for over thirty years. Tom Clancy passed on in 2013, and other authors continued developing the novels with Clancy’s family’s approval.
Jack Ryan was a former U.S. Marine and stockbroker who later became a history professor at the United States Naval Academy. Later, he joins a C.I.A. and where he becomes an analyst and occasional field officer. After several years, he became the president of the United States after the terrorist attack. Jack Ryan’s series is the 57th highest-earning film series of all time.
Jack Ryan’s reading order
The Jack Ryan reading order has been several over the years. The first book was The Hunt for Red October. The list below is comprised of characters like Jack Ryan, John Clark, and Jack Ryan Junior.
1. Without remorse- Tom Clancy
Without Remorse is not about Jack Ryan, Tom Clancy writes it. The novel is about the Vietnam War. After the War, his wife was killed with their unborn baby while the wife was six months pregnant. He plans on revenge for the death of his wife and unborn baby.
2. Red Rabbit- Tom Clancy
Jack Ryan becomes a C.I.A. officer after becoming a teacher and ex-, marine officer. He now works at British ISIS with C.I.A. The first time he reports to work, he finds a document on his desk, which also contemplates another person. K.G.B.’s chairperson is disappointed by the information in the document.
Jack Ryan finds himself in the middle of a fix where the Russian officers are plotting to assassinate the people, but he is immortal.
3. Patriot Games- Tom Clancy
Jack Ryan went on vacation with his family in London. With his fast thinking, he manages to stop an assassination plot against a British Royal family and later acquires gratitude from the family and nation for saving their lives. The Irish terrorists plan revenge for interrupting the assassination process.
Jack Ryan’s family, daughter, and pregnant wife’s lives are also in danger. To protect them, he joins the C.I.A. to ensure his family is protected.
4. The Hunt for Red October- Tom Clancy
The novel contains excellent imagination and creativity with a mixture of improved technology. The Soviet Atlantic Fleet is under orders to hunt down the submarine and destroy it. On the other hand, Americans are dedicated to finding the submarine first and offering maximum protection.
Nevertheless, the Red October is too huge and is composed of a highly silent propulsion system that is impossible to detect.
5. The Cardinal of the Kremlin- Tom Clancy
Two men contain sensitive data on Russia’s Star Wars missile defense system. One of the data is Cardinal, America’s highest agent in Kremlin. The K.G.B. is focused on terminating the cardinal. There is an American who can save the cardinal, leading to peace over War.
6. Clear and present danger- Tom Clancy
The Colombian drug lords kill the U.S. ambassador and the visiting head of F.B.I. From the action, the U.S. government takes action to respond, which leads to a disaster. Jack Ryan is the new Deputy Director of Intelligence and should be in charge of the operation in Columbia. John Clark helps Jack Ryan investigate the activities in the nation.
However, they are ready for anything that can erupt.
7. The sum of all fears-Tom Clancy
Jack Ryan Jack Ryan, the deputy of Intelligence for C.I.A., starts a plan that can bring peace for centuries. Nevertheless, the terrorists are planning on playing a dirty game where a nuclear weapon is hidden in the United States. With the actions going on, the president has no control.
Ryan has to look for a solution to control the situation to ensure that the world does not lose control. The terrorists are focused on reviving a cold war between Israelis and Palestine and preventing reconciliation.
8. Executive orders
The most tragic world history left the country without a president, Joint Chiefs, Supreme Court, and almost all the Congress dead. Jack Ryan is left as the president; his role is to rebuild the government and comfort the nation during dark moments.
Nevertheless, he is surrounded by many enemies in the white house and globally, and their major plan is to take down the president.
9. The Debt of honor-Tom Clancy
A debt of honor depicts the period when leaders call the world “a new world order.” Now, the world is at peace, and reconciliation has occurred where yesterday’s enemies are tomorrow’s friends. Jack Ryan is the National Security Advisor for the president, together with John Clack and Domingo Chavez. There is plenty of peace in the count.
10. Rainbow Six- Tom Clancy
Some NATO countries have joined and planned an elite terrorism unit called Rainbow. Rainbow contains the best soldiers picked from militaries in many nations. John Clark is in charge of a team that will face terrorists that the world has never seen before. If the terrorist unit is not stopped and becomes successful, there is a possibility of ending life on Earth.
11. Bear and the Dragon- Tom Clancy
Jack Ryan is forced to send his highly trusted team to investigate the assassination attempt in Russia. He sends John Clark, the antiterrorism specialist, to Moscow and fears that the worst incidents might happen. The operations are trying to take out the S.V.R. chairperson, a former G.K.B.
If Jack Ryan’s team succeeds with the mission in Russia, the world will change, and if they fail, the consequences will be harsh. Jack Ryan, jr. The Era in Order Jack Ryan is retiring, and he finds out that his son Jack. Jr. takes part in field operations on Campus. The last series now focuses on the work of Jack Ryan’s son.
12. The Teeth of the Tiger- Tom Clancy
Jack Ryan Jr. works as an analyst in the Intelligence Agency on Campus, where he is recruited off-the-books. He learns that he needs to prepare for what he is about to face because there is a massive difference between the inside and outside worlds, and things are about to get more dangerous.
Jack Jr. was raised around his father and had an insight into how things revolve around the secret service and politicians.
13. Locked on- Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney
Jack Ryan Sr.’s enemy starts a privately-funded vendetta and tries to connect him to some mysterious killing. John Clack flees, and it is Jack Jr.’s responsibility to eliminate the threat that arises from the Middle East.
The Pakistani general is corrupt and enters into a deal with fanatical terrorists to acquire nuclear warheads that will be used against the world as blackmail to submission.
14. Dead or Alive- Tom Clancy with Grant Blackwood
Jack Ryan Jr. is the newly converted intelligence expert, and his compatriots at the Campus collaborate against one of their most significant foe-Emir, a sadistic killer. Emir is the mastermind of the most horrible attacks, and every law globally is looking for ways to capture him. However, Emir plans on holding a dangerous strike in America.
15. Threat vector- Tom Clancy with Mark Greaney
China plans a cyber-attack on the U.S.A. Therefore, Jack Ryan, his son, and his team on Campus have to devise the best solution to stop the attack. The Chinese have discovered the Campus and are planning to use it for the attack. Jack Ryan as the president, has to use his wisdom and courage to help with the situation.
16. Command Authority- Tom Clancy with Mark Greaney
A radioactive agent poisons Jack Ryan’s friend, and the issue is traced back to Russia and Jack Ryan Jr. His compatriots John Clack and the warriors on the Campus, help them. This action leads to a delve conflict that makes him finish what his father started in his early years.
17. Support and defend- Mark Greaney
Jack Ryan’s nephew Dominic Caruso is an F.B.I. agent and operator in the top secret U.S. intelligence agency known as the Campus. Caruso is scared by his brother’s death, he becomes more devasted when he does not save his friend had family from a terrorist attack.
Ethan Ross s a wanted fugitive that the government wants for holding a drive that has information capable f destroying American Intelligence to the world.
18. Full Force and Effect- Mark Greaney
North Korean ICBM crashes in the Sea of Japan, and a C.I.A. agent is killed in Ho Chi Minh City. Some documents are nowhere to be found. The pieces are available, but assembling the puzzle will take much time for Jack Ryan Jr. and his friends on Campus. There is a new mineral discovery that is bringing up economic change to the nation.
North Korea combine the money from minerals and nuclear power, which makes them a dangerous country to the world.
19. Underfire- Grant Blackwood
Jack Ryan Jr. is on a mission in Tehran, where he meets his oldest friend Seth Gregory. When parting, Greg slips Jack Jr a key and a message. The following day, two men claiming that Greg is missing essential intelligence information invade Jack. The two men then tell Jack to inform them in case they hear from his friend.
Jack finds himself in a circle of lies and betrayal where he knows nothing about anyone, including Greg. The secret risk him to treason.
20. Commander in Chief- Tom Clancy
Jack Ryan as the president and his allies is trying to stop the desperate Russian president who plans to launch a violent offensive to leave the world in chaos. The Russian president plans on acquiring power by pushing violence to the world.
21. Duty and Honor- Grant Blackwood
Jack Ryan Jr. is forced to leave the Campus; he is caught because of the attempt on his life. Jack decided to investigate who wanted him dead and the reason. Jack uses some clues found by the dead assassin and starts an investigation. After involving the police, they conclude that Jack is a mugging victim.
22. True Faith and Allegiance- Mark Greaney
America is facing an information breach from the deadly events involving American Military and Intelligence personnel. The U.S. commander Scott Hagan is shot but fights the attacker. Through the action, the gunman states that he is a Russian’s brother killed when commander Hagan’s ship destroyed the submarine.
Hagans wants to find out how the assassin knows about his location but unfortunately dies before disclosing the information.
23. Point of Contact- Mike Maden
Jack Ryan Jr. is in a fix for cyber War. Jack Jr. and Paul Brown are the top financial analysts on the Campus. They are hired by the former U.S. senator and defense contract to investigate the Daflan Books, a Singapore company. Brown is not aware that Jack works for the Campus.
On the other hand, Ryan Jr. does not know that the C.I.A. tasks Brown to upload a cyber welfare program on Dalfan Technologies.
24. Power and Empire- Marc Cameron
The G20 Summit is approaching, and Jack Ryan is dealing with a difficult challenge from the Chinese government. There is a terrorist attack against the U.S.A. and an attack on oil in Africa. Premier Zhao has the determination to limit Ryan’s choices for upcoming negotiate-ions. However, there are hints that more activities are happening.
25. Line of sight- Mike Maden
Dr. Cathy Ryan restored a Bosnian Girl’s eyesight twenty-six years ago. The girl’s eyesight was affected by an attack during the Bosnian War. Today, Jack Jr. is tracking the girl down to the girl’s location to give her a letter from her mother. The findings shock them both.
The Jack Ryan Publication Order:
- The Hunt for Red October (1984)
- Patriot Games (1987)
- The Cardinal of the Kremlin (1988)
- Clear and Present Danger (1989)
- The Sum of All Fears (1991)
- Without Remorse (1993)
- Debt of Honor (1994)
- Executive Orders (1996)
- Rainbow Six (1998)
- The Bear and the Dragon (2000)
- Rod Rabbit (2002)
- The Teeth of the Tiger (2003)
- Dead or Alive (2010)
- Locked On (2011)
- Threat Vector (2012)
- Command Authority (2013)
- Support and Defend (2014)
- Full Force and Effect (2014)
- Under Fire (2015)
- Commander in Chief (2015)
- Duty and Honor (2016)
- True Faith and Allegiance (2016)
- Point of Contact (2017)
- Power and Empire (2017)
- Lino of Sight (2018)
Which is the first Jack Ryan book?
The first Jack Ryan book is The Hunt for Red October. The book was written by Tom Clancy and published in 1984. It introduces the character of Jack Ryan, a former Marine and history teacher who later becomes a CIA analyst and is the first in a series of novels featuring the character.
In this book, Jack Ryan is called upon to help track down a Soviet submarine that has gone rogue, and his expertise and analytical skills are put to the test in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse.
The Hunt for Red October was a commercial and critical success and helped launch Tom Clancy’s career as a bestselling author. The book was praised for its technical accuracy, attention to detail, fast-paced plot, and engaging characters. It was also adapted into a successful film of the same name in 1990, starring Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan.
Quick Fact: The film was directed by John McTiernan and starred Sean Connery as a Soviet submarine captain. This movie was a critical and commercial success and helped establish the character of Jack Ryan as a cultural icon.
Conclusion
Jack Ryan is one of the most famous characters in television shows, novels, and video games. The character was developed by Tom Clancy, who passed on in 2013. Afterward, Mark Greaney continued publishing Jack Ryan Jr. novels frequently. Jack Ryan novels have been mentioned in the New York Times best sellers for over thirty years.