Tom Clancy

[Sh0rtbUs]

I was in Chapters picking up a few books from the Military History section, and couldnt help but notice that Tom Clancy practically has his own book case there. This man is a marketing machine, and I've only played 1 of his games. I was just curious as to what everyones thoughts on him were, and the books with his name plastered on them.

 

[Scratch_043]

very good read, one and all, (I used to read them in class when I got bored with the teacher) I especially like the Rainbow six books, and the stories featuring the adventures of Jack Ryan.

If you like the game, the best one to start you off is Rainbow six, as it shows where alot of the characters and features, etc. come from. there are also other books using the same characters.

 

[Infanteer]

A technocrat, I've seen Clancy's literature get burned quite often by military professionals for being too focused on superficial ideas (what kind of rifle they use) or just getting his facts plain wrong.  Plus, they seem to delight in making fun of his pictures with that Carrier hat and jacket on.

His books are entertaining works of fiction, but no more.  If you are perusing the Military History section of the bookstore with the intent of serious study on military theory, I'd recommend looking at other titles (look at the recommendations list on this forum).

 

[Fusaki]

Tom Clancy is what I like to refer to as a military pornographer... lots of detail, but not much in the way of plot. Aside from a few of his earlier novels, Clancy is like reading a cross between a Goosebumps Book and a Janes Military Reference. If you're going to read Clancy, check out the Hunt For Red October, Debt of Honor, or Clear and Present Danger. Stay away from Rainbow Six, and the Bear and the Dragon. I've read a few others by him, including Patriot Games and Without Remorse, but those were mediocre at best.

His games on the other hand, are just awsome. Rainbow Six 3: Ravenshield and the Ghost Recon series are some of my favourites.

 

[DJL]

Though now terribly dated, I always thought Red Storm Rising was a decent read.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

I thought Red Storm Rising was his only truly good book.

 

[McDonagh]

Has anyone read his 'Commander Series'   Those are fiction. They are actually pretty good books written with retired Generals. With thier frist hand accounts.   I havent read the first one with Tommy Franks but Shadow Warriors with Carl Stiner and Battle Ready with Tony Zinni   were really decent reads.

But he is a career author like Stephen King and all them. Spits them our left right and centre make you wonder about the actual care put into any of them. Then again I am not a writer and have no idea about such things. Those poses on the back cover are head shakers though.

 

[nakhiti]

Hey Guys!

I know I'm late with since since I just became a member. I enjoy reading Clancy's books, especially Hunt For Red October, Clear and Present Danger and Rainbow Six. I also enjoyed Debt Of Honor. However,not only do I agree he spends too much time on detail (I don't care how the SAM works just get me into the freakin story), but at this stage of the game his plots have become predictable. I enjoyed the previous movies but the latest one sucked! After reading the book Sum Of All Fears the movie was a waste of time. A seriously watered down depiction of a half-decent story.  

 

[tabernac]

Stay away from Rainbow Six

One of the best books I've ever read. I think it was good.

His games on the other hand, are just awsome. Rainbow Six 3: Ravenshield and the Ghost Recon series are some of my favourites.

Dont get me started about Ghost Recon OR Rainbow Six 3. Some of the best games ever made.

 

[AmmoTech90]

Good games, and some good books.

One thing I found when I went on Clancy binge while on tour is by around the third Clancy book in a month you find he starts repeating phrases, not only in dialogue but in descriptive events.  This turned me off him and I haven't read anything since Bear and the Dragon in 2001.  Found the same thing with Dan Brown.  Read Digital Fortress, Angels and Demons, and Deception Point all within a couple of weeks and was getting confused about which plot I was in as the writing was so similar.

Now it is good to have a style, but maybe Clancy should go for some quality rather than quantity in his word count.

 

[tabernac]

Good games, and some good books.

One thing I found when I went on Clancy binge while on tour is by around the third Clancy book in a month you find he starts repeating phrases, not only in dialogue but in descriptive events.  This turned me off him and I haven't read anything since Bear and the Dragon in 2001.  Found the same thing with Dan Brown.  Read Digital Fortress, Angels and Demons, and Deception Point all within a couple of weeks and was getting confused about which plot I was in as the writing was so similar.

I find that he does seem to be overly repetitive. The Sum of All Fears is up there on my good books list(movie didn't follow the books plot at all). Splinter Cell is also a very good stealth game.

 

[Slim]

Tom Clancy at one time was one of my favourite authors and I would never pass up the chance to collect one of his works in hard cover.

Lately though I find that his works are not of the same quality that the older books (Red Storm, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger) were. They seem a bit stuffy and, in the case of Rainbow Six like, they were written rather hastily in order to meet a deadline, rather than for the pure enjoyment of the fans. I really didn't enjoy that book nearly as much as the first ones I read by him.

I still purchase the occasional novel of his but other authors have now taken the place he once had on my bookshelf.

Slim

 

[T.I.M.]

I thought Red Storm Rising was his only truly good book.

"Red Storm Rising" was actually co-written with Larry Bond, though Bond's name does not appear anywhere on the cover.  If you compare it to other books by both authors it's actually closer in style to other books by Bond like "Red Phoenix", "Cauldron" and "Vortex" (which I consider Bond's best work).

While I haven't read any technothrillers in some time, I was quite a fan of Bond's books, moreso than Clancy's.  Bond is not as good a writer (which means fairly mediocre, since Clancy himself is no literary artist), but I find his scenarios are more dynamic and gripping - the race for Praetoria that ends "Vortex" is military tension at its best.  Clancy's scenarios on the other hand tend to be rather one-sided affairs where the ultimate outcome never in serious doubt.  It was for that reason I preferred the movie version of "Hunt for Red October" as it made the Soviet super-sub out to be a real danger, as opposed to something the Americans were easily able to track after the application of just a little Yankee ingenuity.

Nevertheless I did enjoy Clancy's earlier work, like "Clear and Present Danger" and "The Sum of all Fears" is a masterpiece (I could not put that one down) - but after that I think Clancy took a dive.  "Debt of Honour" was irritating, and "The Bear and the Dragon" was one long rant/techno wank that I only finished out of pure stubborness.  It's probably the last Clancy novel I'll ever read.

 

[Crazy_Eyes]

aaaaahhh, The Bear And The Dragon Was horrorible, Redstorm Rising was pretty good, and one of his Power plays: State of Siege was also good

 

[Sheerin]

Clancy acutally doesn't write the Power Play books, even though they are in his name...

 

[Crazy_Eyes]

I Thought Clancy and someone else wrote the Power Plays? Guess not ???

 

[Sheerin]

Clancy did not actually write the power play and Op-Center books, if you'll notice on the book cover it says 'Tom Clancy's Power Plays".  Clancy aparently just gave the original idea and it was written by someone else. 

oh and the clancy faq has some interesting info www.clancyfaq.com

 

[Blindspot]

Tom Clancy is what I like to refer to as a military pornographer... lots of detail, but not much in the way of plot. Aside from a few of his earlier novels, Clancy is like reading a cross between a Goosebumps Book and a Janes Military Reference.

LOL! He writes godawful characters and his plots are just poorly executed despite the interesting political ideas. I read Rainbow Six and I was actually hoping the evil scientists would succeed with their plot just to see how TC might handle a post apocolyptic, science fiction twist. I couldn't help but cringe every time I had to read the inane banter between Chavez, Clark and their wives. It ruined the mystique of these elite commandos for me knowing what they did on their "down time". Heh, I just pictured Charlie Sheen playing Ding Chavez. <Shudder>

Incidentally, if there's anyone else out there that still plays Ghost Recon or Ravenshield, let me know. I play with a good bunch of guys that would be happy to see some new blood.

 

[Iceman_445]

If you read the Jack Ryan series in correct order it provides a unique, but somewhat blurred perspective on the late cold war era.  That being said, if you have an open mind read the books, they are quite enjoyable as long as you don't pick them apart for their technical inaccuracies.  They may not be probable, but anything is possible.

 

[DJL]

If you read the Jack Ryan series in correct order it provides a unique, but somewhat blurred perspective on the late cold war era.  That being said, if you have an open mind read the books, they are quite enjoyable as long as you don't pick them apart for their technical inaccuracies.  They may not be probable, but anything is possible.

Have you read, Red Rabbit? It's the prequel to Patriot Games and Red October.