This is actually a response to Easy To Put Down. If this is to be your first Clancy book, DO NOT buy this. This is the newest book of the John Ryan series. Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, Sum Of All Fears, Debt Of Honor, Executive Orders all come before this book. If you pick up Bear and the Dragon, you will be lost, and bored like that guy. So do yourself a favor and read those books first, and you will then understand what is going on, and who the characters are.