M.P. Woodward delivers a high-octane, globe-spanning thriller in Terminal Velocity, the fourteenth installment in the long-running Jack Ryan Jr. series. Building upon Tom Clancy’s enduring legacy, Woodward takes readers from the quiet heart of Texas to the treacherous peaks of the Himalayas in a story brimming with political tension, military precision, and relentless action.
The novel opens with a chilling series of murders across the United States. At first, they appear to be random, but the FBI soon uncovers a shocking link: every victim was involved in a decade-old raid to dismantle the Umayyad Revolutionary Council, a terrorist organization once poised to cripple American infrastructure. The group’s reemergence, under a vengeful new leader, sets off a chain reaction that once again puts the Campus Jack Ryan Jr.’s elite covert team on the front lines.
Meanwhile, Jack Ryan Jr. and his fiancée Lisanne are supposed to be enjoying a quiet week in Texas, celebrating their friends’ wedding and Lisanne’s recovery from a cutting-edge prosthetic surgery. When the celebration unexpectedly shifts to India, the couple finds themselves swept into an international conspiracy involving assassinations, nuclear threats, and the return of old enemies. What begins as a romantic getaway turns into a deadly mission across the disputed mountains of Kashmir, forcing Jack to navigate a brutal terrain of betrayal and survival while racing to save his comrades and prevent a geopolitical catastrophe.
One of the novel’s strongest elements is its sense of scale. Earlier entries in the Jack Ryan Jr. series often focused on isolated missions or personal vendettas, but Terminal Velocity returns to the kind of intricate, globally entangled plots that made the original Clancy novels so compelling. Woodward effectively blends high-stakes espionage with grounded human moments, offering both thrilling gunfights and sharp political insight. The alternating settings between the United States and South Asia add freshness to the narrative, and the depiction of India’s complex political landscape feels relevant and well-researched.
Longtime fans will appreciate how Woodward continues to honor Clancy’s meticulous approach to realism. His own background in Naval Intelligence lends authenticity to the covert operations and military strategies depicted throughout the book. The interplay between The Campus operatives and U.S. intelligence leadership, including Mary Pat Foley and President Jack Ryan Sr., reinforces the interconnected web of the “Ryanverse” in a way that both nostalgic readers and newcomers can enjoy.
Still, Terminal Velocity isn’t without its flaws. Some readers have pointed out inconsistencies and minor continuity errors that break immersion, particularly regarding flight details and character backstories. For example, Lisanne’s background as an ex-Marine and former law enforcement officer is occasionally mishandled, and certain details contradict earlier books in the series. There’s also some skepticism around the plausibility of her rapid recovery following major prosthetic surgery a stretch even for the most action-hardened readers. While these moments don’t derail the story, they stand out in a series celebrated for its technical accuracy.
Despite these quibbles, Woodward proves himself a capable steward of Clancy’s world. His prose is crisp, his pacing tight, and his understanding of modern espionage top-notch. The novel’s climactic sequences set against the stunning yet volatile backdrop of Kashmir are as cinematic as they are suspenseful. And perhaps most exciting for fans is the news that Woodward will soon be taking over the Jack Ryan Sr. series, signaling a promising future for both branches of the franchise.
Terminal Velocity is a gripping, intelligent, and satisfying addition to the Ryan legacy. It balances explosive action with intricate geopolitics, reaffirming why the series remains a cornerstone of modern political thrillers.
Verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. A must-read for fans of espionage fiction, military strategy, and high-stakes international intrigue.
