Fete of Death
I found the first half of "Protect and Defend" slow going--with the exception of the beginning sequence which starts out with a bang in the Isfahan nuclear facility in Iran's second-largest city.

Then the story lags and doesn't pick up till CIA director Irene Kennedy is kidnaped as she's on a mission in Iran. With that the action thunders along hell-for-leather with Mitch Rapp pulling out all the stops to free her from her sadistic captors. Rapp kills and tortures anyone who gets in his way when he attempts to save her from being tortured herself.

Vince Flynn has done his research to a fare-thee-well and his sources seem reliable. If anything, the book may be a little too bogged down with research for its own good and might have been a more fast-paced thriller had it been pared down and streamlined.

--Bryan Cassiday

I've read all of Flynn's Mitch Rapp thrillers and they are excellent. They are gritty, real-life characters that tell it like it is. As a fellow author of thrillers, I appreciate his attention to detail and his exhaustive research. He teaches me how to write the genre. If you're concerned about Iran's nuclear threat, then you'll love this novel!

--Skip Coryell--
Author of the world's first geopolitical
redneck thriller "We Hold These Truths"
We Hold These Truths

Another powerful novel by Vince. Thank you Rush for recommending this book. Need info? Remove man-hood!

This was my first Kindle read. What a great way to start. I couldn't believe I was done with it so quickly--what a great action thriller. If I ever get in trouble in a foreign country, I can only hope that people like Mitch come to my rescue. I wouldn't recommend it for the PC folks. Much too real for them.

This is another great Mitch Rapp thriller. It is scary to see the parallels to real-life political circumstances. Flynn has yet again done a supberb job.

My favorite author! Another great read. A friend gave me one of his books and I immediately went and bought all he had out at the time. I eagerly await each new release>

I am a long time VF fan and have read all the Rapp books. This one was disappointing. As always the story flows and is a good easy read, but the plot here runs kind of thin.
The plots sets out on a good pace and a certain directional build up, but somewhere about a third through the book Flynn loses direction and focuses on what happens with Irene (won't spoil it for those who haven't read yet). Once her problems are worked out the book ends without returning to the original plot.
It's almost like his editor held a gun to his head to finish the book rather than finish the plot. Zero character development didn't help either.
Was very cool how the beginning of this books brings closure to his previous book.

I have liked all of Flynn's previous books. They were fast moving, well written and believable. This one was not. It read like a first draft. There were so many typo's I couldn't believe that the editor at Atria would let it go out like that. The dialog was phony and contrived, as was the plot. And I don't need Flynn to shove it down my throat, what his politics is. Vince, we get it buddy. You're a devout neocon. That's fine, but don't lecture me through bad omniscient writing. It was pathetic. The storyline between the characters was NOT believable. The only believability for me came from the first two characters; Maria Rivera, the special ops gal Rapp was with in the beginning and the long time Israeli spy, Shoshan. We never heard from them again in the story. Instead we get this heavy-handed diatribe from silly caricatures of Iranian despots, especially Amatullah. I knew how the story was going to end once Flynn introduced us to these unbelievable characters and the one dimensional Hezbollah leader, Imad Mukhtar. And finally, our hero in these stories, Mitch Rapp came across like a one-dimensional demented street thug. Not the greatest secret ops guy ever.

In sum, this book was VERY disappointing. For those who haven't read Flynn's books in the past, I do recommend TERM LIMITS, ACT OF TREASON, CONSENT TO KILL, SEPARATION OF POWER and TRANSFER OF POWER.

I've read Brad Thor and Rober Ludlum and find Vince Flynn's work to be equally mezmorizing. The pace is addictive--the action intriguing. Flynn's command of the technical merits of the plot is impressive. I'm hooked.

very thin. a big disappointment.appears flynn sold his honor for a payday and delivered the bare mininum. lucky for him it is not his first book because it is a hackjob.

Another great read from Vince Flynn...but something is lacking. More than any of his other books, this one seems a bit forced. It lacks a naturalness about it, and Mitch Rapp seems to lack the flair of past books.

Still a good read and an exciting read..well worth the time and effort, but not up to his usual outstanding plus rating. it just seemed a little forced at times...didn't have the feel that the world might come to an end any minute if Mitch wasn't successful...

Irene Kennedy might have come to an end, but not the world as we know it..and therein may lie the difference.

Great line from Irene near the end as she contemplates the end of her life at the hand of terrorists: "A messy end to an otherwise good life..."

Then, right on time, enter Mitch....the Lone Ranger and Susperman rolled into one. But quite a guy...quite a character...

Don't we hope we have a few Mitch Rapp's out there working on these cave men we are fighting. Everytime I see one of them in their rags and spouting their venom I wish I could put one between their eyes. Well surely we have a few Mitch's out there hitting them one at a time. If we would ever bring all our force against them it would be over in about a day but our politicians won't allow that. It isn't quite fair. As another serviceman dies. I am getting carried away. This was a fine action novel and I have read everyone he has written and will look forward to the next.

Mitch Rapp is back and true to form. As fans of Vince Flynn's know, he writes political thrillers and this one doesn't disappoint. That is, it doesn't disappoint in Mitch or his exploits, but I do think that too many details of the book were given on the book jacket cover by the publishing company. It is almost like they assumed the reader wasn't smart enough to read and follow the plot.

Mitch Rapp is a guilty pleasure and I look forward to the next book. If you are one that is politically correct and think that terrorists deserve all of the legal rights afforded to American citizens, then this (or any of the other Mitch Rapp books)are probably not for you. Otherwise, enjoy the ride.

This book started out a little slow for me, but around the middle it gained warp speed! If you start the book and it feels like it's dragging, just hang in there. It's worth it! I know this is a short review, but I hate when people give away the content of the book so I'll leave it at that.

Flynn has a great story to tell. Iran's nuclear ambitions and its ultimate effect on the world--a military confrontation with the U.S.

PROTECT AND DEFEND, the sequel to Act of Treason (Mitch Rapp Novels) starts off at a fast pace. The plot revolves around Iran's nuclear facilities at Isfahan and Natanz. In the story, Natanz is a stalking horse, and the real uranium enrichment centrifuge facility is located in Isfahan. Good twist, since there is probably a hidden enrichment centrifuge facility somewhere in Iran. In the real world, the fictional nuclear reactor--a heavy water breeder reactor that produces plutonium--is actually located near Arak.

Someone has to take out the enrichment facility, but who? How? Ah, that is part of the plot. The solution is creative, but the choice of thermobaric explosives is questionable for technical reasons. None the less, the concept is doable if preformed linear shaped charges are used. Flynn does a great job describing the attack on the facility and the bomb damage assessment.

I especially enjoyed Flynn's development of the Iranian president's character, President Ahmadinejad, opps, I mean President Amatullah. The Supreme Leader's character is another story. Iran's Supreme Leader is depicted as a remote spiritual leader who stays above the day to day dirty work. Actually, the Islamic Republic of Iran has had two Supreme Leaders: Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini (1979-1989) and Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Hosseinl Khamenei (1989- current). Neither resemble Flynn's Supreme Leader character.

Flynn includes several memorable antidotes. I especially loved the one about the King of Saudi Arabia having a hotel suite in Tehran redecorated for his short stay. Gotta spend those U.S. dollars somewhere.

Protect and Defend is a page turning thriller with lots of well written action scenes, but it could have been more. Flynn almost reaches Clancy's lofty perch as he develops the conflict between Iran and the U.S. Flynn does a masterful job of depicting how the Iranians don't understand the West, the power of the U.S., and make decisions based upon emotion and "Persian pride." Unlike Clancy, Flynn does not allow the conflict to occur.

At the last moment, the Supreme Leader and the head of the Guardian Council, Ayatollah Najar, step in to avoid conflict, and the story is reduced to a vehicle for Mitch Rapp to do his macho thing with the terrorists. I have no problem with Rapp's interrogation methods, but there could have been much more to the story. I have listened to Vince Flynn on the Glenn Beck Show and found him to be very knowledgeable of the issues facing the West. Perhaps his publisher's PC police prevented Flynn from to telling a better story. For example, the comment on page 185, "Men who were frightened to read the entire Koran because they knew they would be confronted with the words of a prophet who would never condone their actions." This statement is at odds with the Qur'an and I suspect it was inserted by an editor or the PC police. Read Muhammad's last recitation, the ninth surah. Nothing peaceful there.

In my second novel, Behold, an Ashen Horse, I chose to follow the formula Clancy used in The Bear and the Dragon, and allow the conflict to occur.

Vince Flynn won't disappoint you with this awesome book that brings Mitch Rapp back with gusto. i thought the last book lacked a little bit of Flynn's signature stuff, but "Protect and Defend" will be counted among his best! you gotta read this!

Just before Christmas I picked up this Audiobook with a gift card I had been given by a co-worker. I knew I would be driving back and forth a good bit to drop off and pick up the kids and decided that I would splurge on a diversion. I just didn't realize the diversion would be quite so mindless.

I've enjoyed some of Flynn's previous work. It's good for a plane trip or a beach read. His hero, Mitch Rapp, is a CIA superagent and assassin, 'the point of the spear' in the war on terrorism. Rapp is everything you could want in an action hero, a crack shot, a cunning tactician, a hardened soldier and a lover of many women. This is Flynn's 8th book starring Rapp, and he is deepening in complexity as the series continues, but there are some parts missing in the rest of Protect and Defend.

Flynn's interpretation of post 9-11 geo-politics is that Islamic fundamentalism is the crux of the problem. In this installment of the series he sets his cross-hairs on Iran and a barely-fictionalized version of the current political administration there. Isreal blows up the Iranian nuclear weapons facility, the US is blamed and ultimately Irene Kennedy, Rapp's boss and CIA director, is kidnapped by the Iranians while they attempt to start a naval war in the Persian Gulf.

The problem isn't the it's ludicrous to beleive that the Iranians would kidnap the DCI. Rather, it's that the book does little to flesh out WHY they would take such a risk except to say that the Iranian president is a nut. Characters outside the series core are glossed over and act seemingly without defined motivations.

The action unfolds easily and with great action sequences, including a James Bond-like pre-sequence that wraps up a loose end from a prior novel. There's a good bit of re-telling in the book as well. No author can assume that a reader (or listener) has read all that preceeeded the current work, so som re-telling is necessary and tolerable in a series. But so much of the Rapp series is dependent on what has gone before that a new reader is playing a lot of catch up and I was left wishing i could flip ahead now and then.

The book was clearly written with an eye not only on the current political situation in the Middle East, but also with the agenda that covert operations would do much to improve the lot of the US. It's not implausible, but also one that is fraught with perils that Flynn does not touch on.

As books go, this is in the made-for-TV category. Not quite up to top-drawer standards, but enjoyable for a few hours in the car or on the plane.

I read this book first. After I completed it, in about 7 hours over 2 days, I knew I had to read more. I have since ordered all the books leading up to this one. I have only 2 to go and I am in awe of this man's ability. I become totally captivated by each story and can't wait to begin the next in the series. Just do it!

Very interesting book, action is too crammed some times and background gets lost.
I read it a couple of months ago and was surprised by how things developed in the Iran vicinity, specially the standoff in the sea.....

Protect and Defend is one more Vince Flynn thriller that forces domestic and international politics to the forefront of our psyche. The indomitable Mitch Rapp wields his influence to weaken a fictional, crazy Iranian President, but truth is stranger than fiction in this story. When Irene Kennedy, CIA Director, is abducted by a Hezbollah kingpin conspiring with the Iranian despot anything can and will happen. Rational minds prevail but not before many lives are sacrificed for a purpose no one truly understands. Flynn paints a clear and frightening view of the American involvement in Iraq and the strained relations with Iran. His depiction of corrupt leadership and strife of the common people creates feelings of desperation and hope.

I've enjoyed the Mitch Rapp series but this book felt rushed. Most of the book was a setup for an obvious ending. There were no twists or unseen action as the book continued.

For some thrilling vicarious fun go on this adventure, but hang on and stay alert! Vince Flynn hits top form in this one as Mitch Rapp does his red-blooded American best to settle scores in a most proper manner.

I have read all of Vince Flynn's books, it is really difficult to say if any of the books stand out (in a positive or negative way); I have found VF to be an excellent author with an uncanny ability to grasp the raelity of the era in which he writes his books. I must admit that I found it very difficult to put down his last books.

Just a note: VF stated that one need not read the books in order; IMHO, althougheach one of the books is quite capable of standing on its own, everything makes a lot more sense if read in order, especially because characters (both good guys and "surviving" bad guys) that show up in early books show up in subsequent books. All in all GREAT READING!

This is typical Vince Flynn Fare and that is meant as a compliment. Mitch Rapp is one of the great thriller characters of literature. Although characters repeat, you need not have read earlier books to fully enjoy this one. Like so many of Flynn's novels, the underlying topic that gets Rapp going is a contemoraneous issue.

The Israelis destroyed Iran's nuclear plant. Just as in real life, America is blamed as well as Israel. America's new president, like the last, sees Rapp as an asset and sets him off to protest America's interests. Much more than that, and the plot will be given away.

Rapp can move subtlely, furtively and star in misdirection when fighting the bad guys (in this case mideast, Islamist extremist propaganda nuts). Not so his politics. His political thinking is much more straight-forward. He is unabashedly America first and a firm believer that where his country is concerned, the ends justifies the means. Bad guys who want to harm the USA have to go. There is something very refreshing about this outlook, which, by his own estimation, would not make the front page of the NY Times or into Congressional oversight committees.

The plot of this novel is excellent, as always, as is the main character, Rapp and his boss/sidekick, Irene Kennedy. One amusing note: as contemporaneouos as the issues in the book are, it was clearly written several months before publication. At one point, Rapp muses that if the mideast blows up, oil will hit $90 per barrel!

Highly recommended as a current events thriller with a great character and page-turning action throughout.

Another excellent book by Vince Flynn. He holds your attention totally. Once you start the book, you don't want to put it down. Waiting for the next one!

Isreal, Iran, USA, Hezbollah, Militia Groups and more...the real question to ask is..what could possibly go right??? Those of you whom have have red this novel might be reminded of the "Good The Bad and the Ugly." Mitch Rapp is back, and truly badder than ever. In Vince Flynn's arguably most realistic book yet, the furnace has been turned on, and war seems to be all but unavoidable.

After the Isrealies sabotage a known nuclear facility in Iran, Iran is hard pressed to blame both Israel and the States for the cause of the destruction. Bringing their claims in front of the UN, and demanding retrobution, the CIA goes on the hunt for the truth, with Rapp leading the way. After the Iranians sink one of their own ships and kidnap's someone very dear and close to Rapp, things are completely flipped over.

Protect and Defend might very well go down in history as being "historical" fiction, rather than just fiction. I believe that Vince Flynn truly understands the enemy, and the thinking of the enemy. After reading several historical novels from even thousands of years ago, it is apparent we are fighting not a new war, but a very old one. Vince Flynn puts these views Rapp, and makes them evident on what he thinks must be done in order to win this war.

Compared to the other works of Vince Flynn, this one is the best written, quickest paced book to date. The story moves, tensions heat, and war is all but there. The only down side, which I felt, was that the book ended on a short note. I believe some excellent new characters were developed, that should've been taken into Rapp's next story, but all in all, solid work. You won't be disappointed in "Protect and Defend."

This was an awesome book. I really enjoyed it and I don't normaly read books on this subject but I found this one very exciting, a true page turner.

I don't read 'airport books' very often but I picked this one up after seeing the author interviewed on tv. I was hoping for Clancy-style high drama. Unfortunately the author clearly researched a fraction of what he should have in order to create a believable and interesting narrative. The lack of detail and 'insider info' makes the novel drag on. Also, the plot is basic and linear: no twists, no turns, just this then this then this then this then the end. The violence which concludes the novel is gratuitous and feels like the author lacked the creativity to do something unusual so instead he inserted an ugly execution. UGH.

I like fiction I can escape into. Sadly, with terrorists and jihads and yellow cake all over TV, a novel about the same stuff isn't entertainment; it's news. That's why I haven't read many political thrillers since Tom Clancy quit writing some 20 years ago. However, I decided to give Vince a try anyway since he was in the neighborhood doing a signing. Here, he said he was getting weary from his book-a-year contract and sorry to say, this installment shows it.

The book made me feel like I should either be in kindergarten or a home. The type is large, the lines, widely spaced and the chapters consistently short making its 400 pages seem more like 300. Alas, as empty as the paper is, so is the plot. The first 5 chapters, for instance, is mostly narration with barely any dialog. That is why I couldn't root for the main character, Mitch Rapp, because the guy he was killing just didn't do or say anything to creep me out enough to hate him.

But despite the one-dimensional characters and under-developed plot, perhaps the most infuriating detail for me as a fighter pilot was the lack of military action. In Flynn's final chapters, when it appears that the Iranian and US navies are about to go forehead-to-forehead, that idiot, Mitch Rapp appears and saves the day. What's that about? Why spend all these billions of dollars on subs and carriers when we never get use them? To me, if the bad guys don't get smacked down in the end, it's not a happy ending.

All in all, I'm going to wait for Vince to get out of his contract before I try him again; when he finally has the time to write something imaginative and with a little more meat. Until then, though, I'll be sticking with Fox News.

I have truly enjoyed Flynn's prior books, but Protect and Defend disappointed me. It was too short compared to his other books and I thought the plot line was poorly developed. The storyline was interesting, but nothing happened to surprise me (thanks to the dust jacket giving away Kennedy's abduction). The end result was never in doubt. It was a "thriller" in the loosest sense of the word. I think perhaps Flynn was pressured to meet a deadline by the publisher, and as a result the book was hollow. Here's to hoping his next offering is better!

Flynn's Rapp novels are all great reads, this one included. The real attraction they hold is the hope that somewhere there is a real Mitch Rapp who is helping defend us from the very real enemies that exist out there. It's not paranoia if people are really out to get you.....

Great book....I've read every book by this author and can't wait till he writes another! I love the characters that he's developed and look forward to see what's in store for the lead character, Mitch Rapp. Very fast paced, easy read. It's a great book for both men and women. There's enough shoot'em up mixed with a little romance. Most of the stories revolve around kicking terrorist butt! Gives you a more realistic view of how we should handle terrorisim...if only Mitch Rapp was real....

This is an excellewnt book if you like fast movimg thrillers ,my only complaint ,its a little short ,I read it in like three fdays!!

This is my first book read but this author. I enjoyed the book. If you like the TV show 24 you will enjoy the book. It was a very fast read and it seems as though some of the storylines were right out of today's headlines. The jacket of the book will lay out the whole plot and what you see is what you get, terrorists, CIA, brutal interrogations and always the brink of war. Very fast moving, not a second to waste.

Let us get one thing straight, this isn't polittically correct by a long shot. It is thriller. Rapp is like my title but more bloodier. The story is fast and action packed. You have to know the other books to understand Rapp's motivation for this book. I can't help but wonder what will happen when we run out of Arabs to hate, what will Flynn do then? It boils down to this, if you liked the other books and you like the character of Rapp, then you will love this book. I wonder if women read this series? Surely not.

Once again, Vince Flynn has created a masterpiece. Fast-paced, action-packed story that you cannot put down. I am always amazed at the knowledge one acquires when reading a Vince Flynn novel. One wonders what is next for the modern-day action hero, Mitch Rapp. Might he be getting a protege sometime soon? Another Mitch Rapp in training? He's not getting any younger!!!! If you want to be thoroughly entertained while learning a great deal about the Middle East and it's dark ages mentality, this novel is for you. Actually, all of Vince Flynn's novels become addictive!

Mitch Rapp out thinks, out fights, out shoots, and out negotiates all the bad guys in Protect and Defend. If you enjoy seeing the villains get their just desserts, this is the book for you.

Israeli intelligence has placed an agent inside of Iran's nuclear weapons facility who pulls off a stunning act of sabotage. Naturally, Iran's leaders want to engage Israel and the United States.

Into the breach comes Mitch Rapp who conceives of a plan to use the sabotage to weaken America's enemies in Iran. But executing the plan is easier said than done after Arab terrorists pull a deadly surprise on the CIA. Racing against time, it's all up to Mitch to hold things together.

This story has a lot of suspense and moves forward at a breakneck pace. I found myself racing to reach the end. My heart was pounding while I did.

Naturally, the story is more than a little over the top . . . so you'll find credibility being bent and mangled here and there. But just go along with the fun and you'll have a good time.

Don't make the mistake of looking too closely at the details. Some of them don't work.

If you are concerned about things being done according to Hoyle in your thrillers, this isn't the book for you.

It's hard to believe this was written by Vince Flynn. It's amaturish and seems to have been written for an age group of around 15 years old. Not like any of the other Vince Flynn novels. I own and have read them all. This was a major disappointment.

The first 100 or so pages were pretty good, but the after that, the action picked up immensely. Stayed up until 3am in the morning to finish it because I couldn't put it down. Great book.

One of the very best current event thrillers I have ever read. It is so real that it is scary in how close to the stuff that is going on in Iran.

I had a hard time putting it down...
I'm giving it to my brother for Christmas. I had to read it first to see if it was exciting enough for him.
It is!

This was not Vince Flynns best book. However the quality of the merchandise was perfect. The bood arrived in Norway in perfect condition.

This is the first time I have read a book by this author. First, I must say, that the proof reading on this book is the worst I have seen, such as words misspelled, missing words, jumbled phrases, and one instance of referring to the wrong character in a back and forth dialog. This sloppy editing process detracts from the story being told. The story is good, but lacks supporting detail. The book could have easily been twice as long. It just seems to me the book was "pumped out", just not enough meat to it! I'll try another book by Mr. Flynn. Maybe I am just too picky. There is nothing like a thriller like "The Charm School" by Nelson DeMille!! I guess I'm spoiled, but I know good books can be written.

The MASTER of the political thriller has done it again. VINCE FLYNN's character, Mitch Rapp, continues popping up in lots of dangerous places. As timely as "right now", Mitch must battle to, again, save the planet from distruction by a rogue Middle Eastern country. One read of any Flynn novel means you are hooked to obtain all of his previous writings. Absolutely Superb...

Third Degree: A Novel

Yes, a fast-paced action thriller but with too many editorial faux pas! In one instance toward the end one character, Ashani, was speaking for another. Apparently the editor(s) of Atria Books rely on spell-check. Well, I don't like to be distracted by ridiculous typos when I am reading a so-called New York best seller; I do expect and often see typos in self-published novels.

This is a page turner, especially after about half way through the book. Flynn's character Mitch Rapp is one tough guy who pulls no punches. He makes waterboarding look like a Sunday School picnic. The action was what attracted me to the books of Vince Flynn. I have read them all and all are good.

The Master of mystery writing. Read in one sitting ( a log, long sitting).
Waiting for a follow-on.

Vince Flynn is an excellent author. Maintains you interest, keeps up suspense. 'Protect and Defend' again a "Mitch Rapp" thriller.

After reading the competent, but uninspired "Act of Treason," I had to wonder if Vince Flynn was losing his edge. I see now, the rut of "Treason" was just a crack in the pavement. Flynn's writing hard and free again, and Mitch Rapp is on the prowl.

After finally disposing of a truly annoying long-time villian at the beginning of the story, Mitch returns to the US to find Iran's secret nuclear facility is in ruins. Iran's president has blamed the US for the attack and demands reparations. Mitch uses this opportunity to hatch a plan to destabilize the Iranians regime by laying the blame on a dissident group.

CIA director Irene Kennedy travels to Iraq for a secret meeting with a moderate Iranian official. After the meeting, she is kidnapped and held under threat of torture. Mitch goes into full action mode to rescue her, regardless of what anyone in Washington has to say about it. He gives new meaning to the phrase, shed blood for your country.

Vince Flynn's character still remain vibrant and alive. One thing is becoming clear: Mitch is cracking. The loss and lifestyle he's suffered is clearly taking a toll on him. Irene is changing as well, and clearly not afraid to get her own hands dirty now too.

Vince Flynn is an exceptional writer of political thrillers. Hard to put down his books when reading about Mitch Rapp, the hero.