With Executive Power, out November 25th, authors Andrews & Wilson conclude their tenure in the Ryanverse, marking their third and final contribution to the Jack Ryan Sr. series.

Executive Power successfully breathes new life into the youngest generation of the Ryan family. It’s a book that gives us a protagonist in Kyle Ryan who feels human rather than superhuman, but this character growth comes at a cost: a slow-burning plot and a portrayal of President Jack Ryan that departs somewhat from the man we know.

An American intelligence team on a routine mission in Luanda, Angola, is wiped out. The sole survivor: Kyle Ryan, youngest son of President Jack Ryan. But the massacre of his colleagues is just the prelude to an even more devastating conflict—a deadly military coup in the central African nation.

In the White House Situation Room, President Jack Ryan and his National Intelligence Team anxiously await the answers. He may have a full Marine Expeditionary Unit at his command, but the full executive power of the presidency is useless if they can’t find the target.

The undisputed highlight of this novel, and the authors’ tenure, is the handling of the Ryan children. For years, the Jack Jr. era has dominated the Ryanverse, but here, the focus shifts refreshingly to Kyle and Katie.

Highlighting Kyle’s neurodivergence was a brilliant narrative choice, stripping away the “action hero” veneer usually plastered onto male protagonists in this genre. He isn’t a miniature version of his father or a clone of his brother; he is brilliant, vulnerable, and uniquely capable. His survival in Angola isn’t about martial arts or gun play, it’s about processing information differently and breaking problems down into binary choices.

Additionally, the authors wisely course-corrected the continuity error from Act of Defiance that suggested Katie and Kyle were twins. By re-establishing their dynamic, Katie as the protective rising naval professional, and Kyle as the younger brother, their relationship carried real emotional weight.

This was matched by the interactions between Katie and President Ryan, which were pitch-perfect. The scenes where they interact in a professional military capacity, amidst the action, felt authentic to a family raised in service, balancing the weight of the office with the weight of their bloodline.

However, while the children were handled with care, the portrayal of President Jack Ryan felt off. The almost supernatural feeling he had at the beginning of the book, felt like bleed-through from the authors’ The Shepherds series. Jack Ryan became a legend because he was an analyst who defeated the Soviets with data, history, and logic. Yet, an almost supernatural “inarticulable sense of dread” while merely choosing a tie, didn’t feel like the man we know.

This was compounded by his inconsistency in dealing with Kyle’s kidnapping. Previously, when Cathy was kidnapped, Ryan stepped back as president, recognising the conflict of interests. Not only did he never want to be in a position to have to make a decision between love of family and love of country, he knew he could not, because he could never sacrifice one for the other. And yet in Executive Power, there didn’t seem to be the same consideration.

A similar supernatural disconnect I felt was in the book’s conclusion, with Katie experiencing a “shiver”, noting she wasn’t sure if it was the cold “or something else.” It served as an ominous, almost supernatural foreshadowing that just felt out of place in the Ryanverse, at least for her character, just like for her father.

Mechanically, the book shone when it leant into the authors’ military strengths. It was a relief to see the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) take center stage rather than the Campus. Reducing reliance on the Campus is something Andrews & Wilson have been successful doing over their three books. Jack Ryan Sr. novels are at their best when they showcase the massive, grinding gears of the US military machine. Here, the logistics of the rescue felt on-point and real. However, despite the strong premise, the book had an excessively slow build-up, characterized by short chapters, which could have been excused had the climax included a much bigger, more complex, and extended set of maneuvers from the MEU. This was the thrill I was yearning for.

The antagonists were solid, particularly Baptista. The added complexity of the Chinese trying to manipulate and play all sides, was believable and threatening. For a greater understanding of the dynamics of a modern African coup, read my deep dive: From the Pages of Tom Clancy Executive Power to the Streets of the Sahel: Anatomy of the Modern African Coup

Executive Power cements Andrews & Wilson’s status within the Ryanverse. Their first book in the series, Act of Defiance, was pivotal, both as a true sequel to The Hunt for Red October, and for the introduction of Katie Ryan as a significant character. It cannot be understated what an achievement it is to take over a legacy series and make such a significant change. Over their three books, Andrews & Wilson have done more to humanize and differentiate the Ryan children than any authors since Clancy himself. By moving away from the superhero archetypes of the Jack Jr. series and grounding Kyle and Katie in vulnerability and professional competence, they have successfully secured the future of the dynasty. Their ability to write realistic, military set pieces without the need to rely on the Campus, opens up the future of the Jack Sr. series to get back to its roots and focus on the bigger geo-politics and big military set pieces.

Ward Larsen and M.P. Woodward are next in line, respectively, to take the series forward. My advice to them would be to continue to run with Katie and Kyle. These characters are massive assets to the series and in the longer term are going to be crucial in a world where Jack Ryan Sr. inevitably needs to transition out of the presidency. The author who has to crack that dilemma will owe a debt of gratitude to Andrews & Wilson for the introduction of these new characters.

Lastly, a big personal thanks to Andrews & Wilson for their contribution to the series and for daring to alter the status quo so significantly.