Tom Clancy's new Novels

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Charlie D

New member
I've read several of Tom Clancy's novels in the past and have enjoyed them. I recently placed an order with B&N. Two of the books were "by" Tom Clancy. One is "Net Force" and the other is "Op-Center."

Both were "created by" Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik. One was "written by" Steve Perry and the other, Jeff Rovin.

I'm just beginning "Net Force." Are these as good as real Clancy? Seems like a commercialized rip off to me.
 
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brianidaho

New member
I'm not nearly as impressed with the op-center series as I was with the "Jack Ryan" novels, all of these were tough to put down. Executive Orders is tough to beat. The Bear & The Dragon was good, but for me just a step down from EO, FWIW.

Bri

[Edited by brianidaho on 12-28-2000 at 09:03 AM]
 
C

C.R.Sam

New member
Recently read a few of the op-center books. Was dissappointed. Not Clancy class. Seemed to have been written by a committee. Continuity lacking and un Clancy like errors in details.

Sam
 
G

George Hill

Staff Alumnus
Rainbow Six was Tom's last good book.
Everything else is less than remarkable.

If you want good Clancy Spin Off... Rouge Spear is a pretty sweet game.
 
D

Deadman

New member
" Rogue Spear is a pretty sweet game"

That might be true but its nothing compared to Counter-Strike. As long as you're playing CS with people you know that is.

Nothing like moving out with a Benelli auto shotgun and .50 cal Desert Eagle, ditching the shotgun for an AK-47 then a M249 para, outsmarting and blasting anything that moves, kicking ass and then laughing at the stupid little kiddies as they cry cheater! cheater! :)


Oops better not let one of those socialist/liberal "journalists" read that :)
 
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RH

New member
The Net Force & Op Center books are basically written by ghost writers in his style and 'endorsed' by Clancy, which is pretty sad that he would put his name on the trash. It's lihgtweight compared to the real thing - kind of a Clancy primer for high-schoolers before they can get into the real thing.

Brianidaho, funny you should say that. I have read all of Clancy's books, but I just can't get through Executive Orders, try as I might. Too much setup, nothing happening. I really like to read in chronological order, and I think Rainbow 6 is more my speed, but I'm stuck with EO. I've put it down at lest 3 times, still not halfway thru.

I just finished Master Sniper - now, Stephen Hunter's books MOVE ! Again, I have 2 of his books waiting, but I need to read Black Light first, to stay in order.
 
L

Libertarian

New member
Op-Center books are a pale shadow of real Clancey books. But now that Jack Ryan is President, where does he go now?

If you are looking for another author, try Trevanian. He wrote the Eiger and Loo Sanction books as well as Shibumi and The Main. There may be others, but I haven't seen them. Shibumi was the best of his books, IMHO.
 
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Lance Gothic

New member
Concurrence re Clancy. Trevanian does justice to genre. Unfortunately most of these authors works are disappearing.
Trevanian, Lustbader, Clancy. Mission Impossible. Ian Fleming. Richard Marcinko has held the head of non-fiction/fiction readers for some time. Like most genre a new author will pick up the gaunlet with aplomb as did Clancy. Barry Sadlers' "Casca" series was not without merit as was his "Shootist" series. Gayle Rivers' is exceptional.
The cycle is ripe for "Bond-ish" serial movie characters with trailing companion series novels. But Hollywood doesn't pay me for my suggestions...YET!
We'd all pay the movie tithe for a new "Dirty Harry" or Bond. Computer graphics and SFX (special effects) garner the lions' share of current production cost. Too bad it's poor critics that don't see WATERWORLD for the "Mad Max" value. (Dear Mr. Costner, You make e'm I'll pay...Even if they're NOT about baseball!)
Perhaps SpecOps competition as the response teams perform annually, but there's been SPEED.
Just not the world-in-opposition we grew up with. Certainly the sense encountered by crossing Check Point Charlie into the no-mans'-land of the "Bear" has gone.
Clive Cussler has brought the same tradition as Clancy, et al.
Perhaps Tom Clancy will be History Channel and Discovery Channel moderator with Joan Lunden. Who can tell?
Perhaps we need to re-direct our interest into the foibles of government cover-up, apathy and ineptitude. That would be a mystery resolved!
Face it: We'll be reasonably satisfied with something more potent then Charlie Chan. Random Factor is a good police story. Maybe that's the e-ticket, one more time?!
Are there challenges left? The literary "grail" could still be out there.
Or maybe there are no writers with a "ghost" of a chance!
Regards,
Lance Gothic
Shibumi
 
V

vmaam

New member
The best book of his was a novel regarding revenge. I can't remember the name of it but it has to do with the main character looking for the scum that killed his family. He goes in the inner city dressed as a bum. Very good! So good I can't even remember the name of it! Anybody know?
 
L

Libertarian

New member
And there's always Tom Sharpe. Not the same genre as Clancy, but lots of fun (as in I couldn't stop laughing long enough to breathe).
 
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Jeff White

New member
George,
I hate to disagree, but I found Rainbow Six to be my least favorite of all the Clancy novels. I think he's a little out of his element when dealing with the dynamics of Infanrty and Special Operations Forces. Love the video game though, I have all the versions to include Covert Ops. That's ok, I'm really out of my element dealing with attack submarines :)

I don't understand why no one has made a good film version of any of them. All would lend themselves to the mini-series treatment. I found the film version of the "Hunt for Red October" to be the best adaptation. Even though I wish he was enough of a man to stand by his convictions and emigrate (after all a promise is a promise) I think Alec Baldwin portrayed Jack Ryan closer to the way Clancy wrote the charactor then Harrison Ford does.

I agree that the Op Center series sucks and I don't understand why he sold his name to the project.

Jeff
 
C

cobraman

New member
I read one of the Ops Center books. Not great.
For something refreshing try Robert B. Parker's
Spenser novels. Some good gun stuff too.
Spenser switches from a snubie .38 to the Browning Hi Power because the BHP is flatter and holds more rounds. I love it!
 
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vmaam

New member
That's it! Thanks Thumper. What an awesome book. I, for some reason, really like revenge themes. Must be some shrink material in there somewhere.
 
W

Wayne D

New member
My favorite Clancey book was "Clear and Present Danger". The movie sucked, don't let it keep you from reading the book.

Stephen Hunter is my favorite author right now.
 
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zanthope

New member
I thought "Patriot Games" and Clear and Present Danger" were superb adaptations of Clancy's genius. Does anybody show his emotions on his face as well as Harrison Ford?

Lots of good action...that gun/bazooka fight in the Bogota alley was gripping.....also lots of good explosions and a minimum of schmoopy schmoozing with femme fatals.
 
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fed168

New member
Boy, I thought that I was the only one who read Gayle Rivers. Five Fingers was intense! But is it true? The way it was written and the bios in the back always made me wonder.
 
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Kaboom

New member
Don't pass up Robert Ludlum for great reading. Different style that Clancy but still real good stories well written.
 
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brianidaho

New member
I used to read Robert Ludlum, but the lack of accuracy, especially concerning firearms, was a turn-off. Still, they can be a entertaining read, especially Road to Gandalfo, or the Bourne Identity.

For more good reading, if you haven't read it, pick up Unintended Consequences (I guess most of us here already have though). If you like long, powerful novels, look at Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Nothing to do with the action/adventure genre, but a great read anyway.

Bri
 
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