Clancy's first two books, The Hunt for Red October and Red Storm Rising, were both cold war thrillers that told grand stories (grand enough that they were both # 1 bestsellers for many months) but had little to offer in terms of theme or message. His two follow-ups, Patriot Games and Cardinal of the Kremlin, struggled to escape the cold war mentality and succeeded only thanks to Clancy's knack for describing gadgets.

Now, with Clear and Present Danger, Clancy has managed to write a book that does more than tell a dazzling and gripping story. Clancy is clearly frustrated with how the government has treated the military, and has written a story to tell everyone just how bad it is.

That's quite a step for Clancy, who has managed to offend more than a few with his ultra-conservative, normally super patriotic politics.

For once, Clancy does not paint the Soviets as the bad guys, except perhaps for one of the drug kingpin's assistants who is also a former KGB agent. And Clancy, who made no bones about his homophobia in an interview last year with Newsweek, at least took a step in the right direction this time, making a gay member of congress--a la Barney Frank--a small but important hero in his story.

READERS should be warned that Clear and Present Danger relies more heavily on stories told in earlier novels than any of Clancy's prior works. Those who haven't read Red October or Patriot Games might be a more than a bit puzzled by some passages and puns.

More importantly, however, readers are sure to be disappointed by the book's ending, which Clancy reportedly wrote in one night. On the one hand, it is entirely too tidy to be believable. On the other, its message--of death before dishonor--is too much like the super-patriotism many readers have found offensive before.

But for all its shortcomings, Clear and Present Danger is still worth the effort. Clancy fans will doubtless find the detailed gadgetry dazzling and the action-based plot more than enough to keep even the weariest eyes awake. Those who have never read him before will be at least be tantalized enough to try out his earlier works.