I'm really going to miss Tom Clancy (who died in October 2013), and his Jack Ryan universe.
"Command Authority" is a nice "finishing" book for Clancy/Ryan, as it really combines the history of Jack Ryan (Sr.) who is in the President of the U.S. in the present, and was a CIA analyst who spent a lot of time running around in dangerous situations as a younger man. His son, Jack Ryan (Jr.) is also an analyst, and about the same age as Jack Sr. was during his spying adventures.
It seems Clancy didn't really like the Ryan character aging - he liked the young Alec Baldwin in "Hunt for Red October", but didn't like the older Harrison Ford in "Patriot Games" and "Clear and Present Danger" as he was older than the character Clancy identified as Ryan.
"Command Authority" flashes back on Jack (Sr.) 30 years ago on a case which is related to issues being dealt with in the present by Jack (Jr.). It nicely ties in the "Jacks" to a fast paced story.
As I read the Clancy novels over time between my last 20's and now (in my seeming mid 100's), it is difficult to rank the stories. I can safely say that I liked them all - ranging from OK to great. However, I must acknowledge that I have changed over time and aged as rapidly as Jack Ryan (Sr.) in the books. The first Clancy that you read is really an education in the genre, and shows you what a researcher and fan of the military and spycraft Clancy was. There is a little lingo to learn (particularly the more military the books are) and you become more educated in how diplomacy, military, economics and politics work together and in opposition as you read more Clancy.
I really liked "Patriot Games" due to the inclusion of the Duke and Duchess of Wales in the book (moved to more distant Royals in the movie), found Clancy becoming a little too politically right-wing when dealing with terrorism post-911, more black and white than he tended to be otherwise, which hurt the stories a little. I think for the North American audience, the "hero" and "villain" in a terrorism-based story does not need to be explained, and there is much to be gained by showing why the "villains" believe so strongly in their actions. They are still going to be blown away by the "good guys" but I think the tension is greater when both parties think they are "right" and "just" than if one side is painted a little too much in 2D.
"Command Authority" goes back to East-West tensions that were the peak of Clancy - the Soviet Union v. the U.S. - stakes high, "good" and "bad" clearly defined by geography. Russia is seeking to expand territory back toward a more "Soviet" size, and the U.S. find itself defending countries who have relaxed their defenses after the U.S.S.R. fell.
The current world paralled the world that Jack (Sr.) inhabited 30 years earlier, so the flashbacks and stories meshed nicely, and the 30 year gap just means the frontliners of the past are the leaders today.
I was reminded of "Red Storm Rising" and "Hunt for Red October", earlier U.S. - U.S.S.R. stories, which, again, is a nice wrap-up on the Clancy/Ryan stories.
I think the story is readable for non-Clancyites, and can be read as the first Clancy experience, but a dedicated reader would appreciated the characters more if the 10 or so "Ryanverse" books are read in order - Clancy did a good job of evolving the Ryan (Sr.) character over time and kept many supporting players in the fold as well, many of which have well-defined and interesting back-stories.
If you don't want to go back that far, there are only 5 Ryan Jr. stories including this one: "The Teeth of the Tiger", "Dead or Alive", "Locked On", "Threat Vector" and "Command Authority").
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