爱国者游戏 (1987)

Patriot Games is a thriller novel, written by Tom Clancy and published on July 2, 1987. A prequel to The Hunt for Red October (1984), it is chronologically the first book featuring Jack Ryan, the main character in Clancy's Ryanverse. The novel focuses on Ryan being the target of an Irish terrorist group after he foils their kidnapping attempt on the Prince and Princess of Wales in London. It debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list. A film adaptation, starring Harrison Ford as Ryan, premiered on June 5, 1992.

Plot summary

An attempt to kidnap the Prince and Princess of Wales and their infant son occurs on the Mall in London. The attack is orchestrated by the Ulster Liberation Army (ULA), a splinter group of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA). However, history professor and former U.S. Marine Jack Ryan intervenes, incapacitating one attacker, Sean Miller. During the gun battle, Ryan is wounded by Miller's companion John Michael McCrory as they exchange gunfire. McCrory is killed and Miller is arrested.

While recovering, Ryan is honored by the British government and is granted the honorary Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order by Queen Elizabeth II. Later, Miller is sentenced to life imprisonment for the kidnapping attempt. His ULA compatriots, led by Kevin O'Donnell, free him while he is being transported to a maximum security prison on the Isle of Wight. They escape to their secret camp in the North African desert.

Ryan resumes his career as a naval history professor at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, confident that the Irish have neither the means nor will to carry out an attack on American soil. Still, with his wife Cathy now carrying their second child, he takes up firearms training as a precaution. Meanwhile, Miller persuades O'Donnell to launch an operation in the U.S. aimed at targeting Ryan and his family, with assistance from African-American domestic terrorist Alexander Dobbens. Though primarily for revenge, the operation is also designed to reduce American support for the rival PIRA, which is to be blamed for the upcoming attack.

The assassin sent to kill Ryan at the Naval Academy is intercepted before he completes his task; however, Cathy and their daughter Sally are seriously injured when Miller shoots at them and causes their car to crash on a freeway. Two nearby officers witness the scene, one stays behind to render aid. At the same time, the other one pursues the attackers and is killed when Miller fires at his police vehicle from the back of the van. A police helicopter that was also pursuing the vehicle trails the terrorists to a shopping mall, where the terrorists are lost. Cathy and Sally are airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital in Annapolis for treatment. Both recover, although the latter required her spleen to be removed and spent more time in the Intensive care unit since her seatbelt was not fastened.

After the attack, Ryan accepts an offer by Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s Deputy Director of Intelligence James Greer to work there as an analyst. He helps them analyze satellite imagery of ULA’s suspected camp, leading to a raid on an Action Directe camp by French intelligence (DGSE). Later, the Prince and Princess of Wales schedule a trip to the United States, which includes a stop at Ryan's home in Maryland. This provides another opportunity for Miller, who plans a sneak attack to kidnap the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as Ryan's family.

Dobbens, who works for the local electric company, arranges for a transformer near Ryan's house to break down. He uses his work order to fix the transformer to get a van, ladders, and a small team of terrorists past the Prince and Princess's security; a much larger team arrives by boat and uses the ladders to summit the seaside cliffs behind Ryan's house. The attackers kill several guards, but Jack, his family, the Prince and Princess, and the Ryans' friends Lieutenant Commander Robert Jefferson "Robby" Jackson and his wife Sissy, escape via speed boat to the Chesapeake Bay. After getting the women to safety at the Naval Academy, Jack, Robby, and the Prince enlist the help of Academy sailors and United States Marines as Miller, O’Donnell, and the rest of the ULA terrorists escape into a waiting Cyprus-flagged container ship seized by the United States Coast Guard. Ryan corners Miller in the ship and tries to kill him, but is restrained by his Marine firearms trainer, who warns Ryan, "He's not worth it.". After the terrorists are apprehended, Ryan arrives in Annapolis just in time for the birth of his son, Jack Ryan, Jr.. The Jacksons and the Prince and Princess will be his godparents.

Characters

Jack Ryan: History teacher at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; later an analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency.

Dr. Caroline "Cathy" Ryan: Ophthalmic surgeon at the Wilmer Eye Institute, which is part of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Jack Ryan's wife.

Olivia "Sally" Ryan: Jack and Cathy Ryan's daughter.

Prince of Wales

Princess of Wales

Special Agent Daniel E. "Dan" Murray: Legal attaché for the FBI at the United States Embassy in London.

James "Jimmy" Owens: English police officer specializing in anti-terrorism operations.

David Ashley: MI5 officer working with Owens to track down the ULA and its members.

Robby Jackson: Fighter pilot and instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; Jack Ryan's friend.

Sean Miller: Operations officer for the Ulster Liberation Army (ULA).

Kevin Joseph O'Donnell: Leader of the ULA.

James Greer: CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. Personally recruits Ryan into the agency.

Marty Cantor: Admiral Greer's assistant, later replaced by Ryan.

Sergeant Major Noah Breckenridge: Security section chief and head firearms instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Padraig "Paddy" O'Neil: Representative for the Provisional Irish Republican Army in the British Parliament.