This is a very long book (900+ pages), weaving together a large number of converging storylines which culminate in a terrorist nuclear attack in the US. There is a good deal of technical detail, which will suit some readers more than others. Some of the Washington politics seems a little unrealistic, at least to an outsider, and the lead character Jack Ryan is perhaps rather irritating at times, more than in some other books. The opening scenario of a peace plan for the mid-east seems particularly fantastical. The submarine sequences are a little dull, surprisingly from the author of ‘Hunt for Red October’. The best storylines in my view are those dealing directly with the terrorists and the build-up to the ‘event’ despite the fact that these are the most technical. But as usual with a Clancy book the story does in due course achieve that ‘can’t put down’ quality, which in my case paradoxically makes me deliberately stop reading occasionally so I don’t totally overload. ( )

Next to Hunt for Red October, this is my favorite of all of the Jack Ryan novels. It was frightening the first time I read it and it only become more so after 9/11. Clancy's attention to detail is once again evident, but unlike some reviewers, I didn't find it to be too much detail. Unfortunately, I feel that this book also signaled the highpoint of the Ryan character arc. Beyond this book, it became more and more cliched. It's not great art by any means, but it is intense storytelling and nobody works the details better than the technothriller master himself. More than any other book, I always wanted to see this one made into a movie - until the poor excuse for a movie was actually made. Now I wish my only memories were of the book. ( )

I'll do the same review for all Clancy's novels because they're all pretty much the same. Very long, very detailed, and after a while, very repetitive. If you stop after just a few of his books you'd probably give them 4 or 5 stars, but beyond that they start to grate. Especially where Jack Ryan is involved. I mean, Clancy spends hundreds of pages getting his details just right, the settings perfect etc., then he has Ryan dodging more bullets than James Bond! I finally threw my hands up and surrendered when Ryan becomes President. I can't remember what piece of crap that was in.

I've given three stars as a compromise between my reactions when reading my first Clancy (brilliant) and last Clancy (doorstop). ( )

Okay, what's there not to like? This is my second-most favorite book by Clancy. Unusual for this author, the plot goes all over the place. Clancy is typically more focused than he was here. Regardless, read this book for the science - especially the science of building a nuke. The technology is the attraction here, at least as far as I'm concerned. My father worked on the Manhattan Project so I come by the interest in nukes honestly.

As a professional nerd, doing the science right is a big deal for me. Clancy has never let me down in this regard. There's very good character and plot development too. If you're a Jack Ryan fan, the Ryan family subplot is as good as it gets. The scene with Dr. Mrs. Ryan and the national security adviser is probably my favorite "Ryan moment" out of all the Jack Ryan books. Clancy nails Dr. Ryan's inner conversation over boob size, a thought train that is uniquely feminine. I'm floored that a guy could get inside a woman's head so well. It demonstrates just how good Clancy is as a writer. After all, most of his books are really just grown-up-boy adventures; I never expected him to go beyond the genre.

The whole Roman Catholic church sub-plot is a hoot - especially the bit about encrypted messages from Georgetown University to the Vatican. Jesuits with spy craft...it's the one place I had problems with the believability of the story line. Everything else is classic Clancy. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were relatable and the action intense. I don't consider myself a Tom Clancy "fan" but this book could easily make me one! ( )

2529 The Sum of All Fears, by Tom Clancy (read 17 Aug 1993) This is the third Clancy book I read. It is so gripping and so exciting that I could hardly stop reading. Clancy finished this book in Feb 1991, before the coup in Russia in August 1991 and the disintegration of the USSR in December 1991, so it was already not true to events, but it was awesome. An Israeli atom bomb lands in Syria, some terrorists get hold of it, and turn it into a fearsome weapon and proceed to the Super Bowl in Denver. Jack Ryan comes through in superb fashion, and the president, Bob Fowler, and his obnoxious National Security Advisor Elizabeth Elliott are as detestable as they can be. This is a superb story and as good or better than Patriot Games. I suppose I will have to read more of Clancy's books as they catch me up. ( )

Probably my least favorite Clancy book. It drags on and on and on and on, and the many, many plotlines are far more complicated than they are interesting. When I started feeling like I needed a flowchart to keep track of everyone, I quit reading.

If I can't even bring myself to finish a book when I'm on a 9 hour plane ride and it's all I have to read, you know it's not recommended. ( )

The best thing about this book is that it keeps you reading. The worst thing is that all of the pages make a time consuming book. The one thing I like about this book, the action doesnt start right at the beggining of the book. So the book keeps you reading. The action in this book is very intense, it is a very hard book to understand, but other than that it is a good book. ( )

Vintage clancy. As always, Jack Ryan saves the day. I liked the way this one explored the psychology within different types of government roles. Having already read his later novels, I can also see how the characters were evolved so well from their origins in previous works. ( )

Sent to PFC Timothy Burnett to share with his unit

Sent to PFC Kristina Hackman to share with her unit.

I liked military related stuff when I was younger, so Tom Clancy was my favourite author for a while. I have rid myself of this illness since.

Terrorists detonate a nuclear weapon on US soil -- a very good techno-thriller. ( )

One of his best this book relies less hevily on millitary might and detail and more on the espionage/terrorist side .the film although good is not a patch on ths book. ( )

One of my favourite Clancy books. Ryan is a senior staffer, working hard, but struggling with the politics of the system. Terrorists manage to get hold of some nuclear material and sucseed in detonating it in Denver. Ryan saves the day by shortcutting the burocracy and talking directly to the russians. The technical discussions over the nuclear bomb may detract from some readers enjoyment, but I thought it carried the plot well. ( )