Pursuit of Honor is book 12 in A Mitch Rapp Novel Series. It's where I started and first met Mitch Rapp by the late great Vince Flynn. (Originally posted in May of 2012.) After reading this novel, I went back to the very beginning of Vince's books and read every one of them in order. Still reading the Mitch Rapp stories.
Haven’t I described myself as a rule-breaker when it comes to writing? Well, I officially broke my own self-imposed rule of reading only Christian fiction. And let me tell you why. Recently on the radio I heard two interviews with NYT bestselling novelist Vince Flynn promoting his latest release Pursuit of Honor. Baited and hooked me. Why? Because he’s willing to expose the ridiculous positions of certain government politicians and their issues when it comes to protecting and preserving this country. So the very next day I headed to Border’s and didn’t even flinch when I picked up the hardbound book and proudly took it to the register, actually anxious to contribute to this novel’s sales. Let me just say there were places in the story where I cheered!
I love Mitch Rapp. The antithesis of politically correct in a world gone mad where injustice so often seems to preside over justice in multiple ways, and the pseudo rule of law prevails over common sense, Mitch Rapp delivers the hammer blows to crooked politicians and evil terrorists. The CIA covert operative, who describes himself as “damaged goods”, is one of the elite few unafraid and willing to do whatever it takes to either get information or silence it. Rapp and his covert cohorts do the unpopular, the ugly stuff, things that remain anonymous to almost everyone. Thank God for these people.
The story opens just after explosions erupted in Washington D.C. at the National Counterterrorism Center killing 185 people including public officials and CIA employees. The heroes of the aftermath, who were able to kill all but three of the terrorists who escaped, are unofficially given instructions to do whatever is necessary to find them in spite of the hand-wringing politicians who still blame the USA for creating its enemies. The calculated, heroic, but daredevil actions taken by Mitch accompanied by his partner Mike Nash to subdue the terrorists in the attack must remain unknown to keep Rapp’s and Nash’s identities a secret.
The hunt for the three remaining terrorists continues with the story moving back and forth between Rapp’s methods for finding them along with the CIA’s political maneuvering to keep their efforts clandestine and effective to revealing the terrorists’ escape routes and botched plans due to the narcissistic desires of their leader who calls himself the Lion of al Qaeda.
When Rapp’s partner and friend Mike Nash shows signs of cracking under the pressure of what is required of them, Rapp figures out a way to get Nash “out” which will allow him to keep his beautiful family intact. The unexpected consequence of trying to keep Nash and his family safe results in a new kind of terror.
From the writing standpoint, Flynn shifts POVs against the “rules”, and it’s no problem whatsoever. From the language standpoint, this is a man’s man book and the f-bombs prevail along with other profanities. However, the language flows without shock value just as you would expect to hear it in each instance. If I had written it, I would’ve chosen to write around the specific uses of the cuss words, but I’m certainly not condemning Flynn’s writing for his choices. Even though this is one of the reasons I’ve eliminated secular novels from my reading, this story is too important, Flynn’s storytelling too good to be missed. I’m so glad I read this novel. I hope we get to see the movie. It’ll take one special actor to play Mitch Rapp.
If you love this country and understand the dire position of keeping it defended, you will love this book. If you understand the basis for concealing certain critical information—even at the risk of some of it being polluted and leaked by politicians and used by traitors—you will appreciate this story. If you enjoy do-or-die concepts in action-driven novels with a hero who commands respect with just enough charisma to keep his killing-machine persona admirable and attractive, Pursuit of Honor is the book for you.
Father, you have kept the USA in your hands, and I pray you would not abandon us yet. I ask for your personal blessing upon Vince Flynn. I pray you would give him insights into who you are. I also pray that you would continue to give him meaningful important stories to tell. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.