Mooreover / Blog

I have a new best friend.

Well, okay - TWO new best friends: Mitch Rapp, covert CIA operative, and his creator Vince Flynn. Vince Flynn is the writer of political thrillers, Mitch Rapp is his protagonist, a “shoot first, ask questions later,” Jack Bauer type of character. Truth is, Vince Flynn has me reading again. I don’t think I had read a book in 2006 before a friend of mine lent me “Memorial Day” in December. By the time the month had ended I had read four of his books (one in 36 hours - over 450 pages!), and was well into the fifth when we rolled into 2007.

Those that like “24″ would like Vince’s novels. Tired of living in an era where politicians use the military as their whipping boy and decide the necessity of intervention or operations based on the PR it would generate? Well, me too! Reading Vince Flynn’s novels doesn’t change the world we live in, but it gives me hope that within our military and executive agencies we have a couple Mitch Rapp’s of our own taking the fight to the terrorists. Oh - and for the Rosie O’Donnell’s out there, by “terrorist” I mean those of the Islamic faith, more than likely of Arab origin. I happened to hear a clip of Rosie complaining on her stupid show about the season debut of “24,” and wondering why terrorists were always portrayed as those of the Muslim faith and of an Arab descent. (don’t get me started on her…)

I’m just grateful to see some pro-active thought in Hollywood and on the New York Times Bestseller list. I hope that on some small level it makes a difference. Maybe not to Rosie, but maybe to someone else…maybe one of the MILLIONS that can’t tolerate her show. For those that are interested in reading Vince Flynn, the order of his books is as follows:

(1) Term Limits - no Mitch Rapp, but sets the scene for his introduction.
(2) Transfer of Power - Introduction of Mitch Rapp and many other central characters.
(3) The Third Option - Further character development, could be considered Part I…
(4) Separation of Power - …and this would be Part II. Read “Third Option” first, then this.
(5) Executive Power - Intelligent plot.
(6) Memorial Day - The first I ever read. A good book, but not as good as others.
(7) Consent to Kill - the best of them all. Have to have read at least one other previous book.
(8) Act of Treason - latest book. My dad didn’t like it, but I thought it was fine.