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aesop081
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Mud Recce Man said:
The movie was a farce when compared to the story in the book
Tom Clancy
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The movie was a farce when compared to the story in the book
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17thRecceSgt
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They all were, BUT...they were the best movies from the books IMO.
I would like to see a good cut of Red Storm Rising or Without Remorse made.
Patriot Games is "most-believeable" so far.
I would like to see a good cut of Red Storm Rising or Without Remorse made.
Patriot Games is "most-believeable" so far.
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aesop081
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Mud Recce Man said:
Absolutely........my second favorite after Red Storm rising
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An old thread that's been resurrected, but I thought I'd throw in my two cents.
Many of the posters noted that his early work was entertaining, and well worth the read. I agree: The Hunt for Red October was an excellent book, though my all time fav still remains The Cardinal of the Kremlin. His work started to slip drastically about the time he published The Sum of All Fears. I wondered about that, and brought it up with some folks in the writing community that I hang around with.
I was dismayed to discover that Tom Clancy stopped writing his own books. He has a "staff" that writes his books, and he does the final edit, fires it off to his publisher, and collects his cheque. As ridiculous as it sounds, it immediately explained the outlandish plots, the reliance on "technical" stuff to fill copy, and the generally uneven narrative style. Tom Clancy is a good writer: no question. But he sold out and became a branded industry instead of a novelist.
I picked up one of his technical series on the US Marine Corps' expeditionary units. Some nice pictures, and a couple of interesting interviews, but the narrative style was worthy of a grade six English paper. I do not know for certain, but have to assume--based on the quality of the writing--that this was written by staff, and approved by Clancy.
So....my Clancy reading is restricted to his pre 2002 stuff. If I want a good thriller, I pick up Fredrick Forsyth, (Dogs of War, Day of the Jackal), or John LeCarre (Smiley's People). For just plain fun, pick up Ken Follet, ( Key to Rebbecca, The Eye of the Needle).
Many of the posters noted that his early work was entertaining, and well worth the read. I agree: The Hunt for Red October was an excellent book, though my all time fav still remains The Cardinal of the Kremlin. His work started to slip drastically about the time he published The Sum of All Fears. I wondered about that, and brought it up with some folks in the writing community that I hang around with.
I was dismayed to discover that Tom Clancy stopped writing his own books. He has a "staff" that writes his books, and he does the final edit, fires it off to his publisher, and collects his cheque. As ridiculous as it sounds, it immediately explained the outlandish plots, the reliance on "technical" stuff to fill copy, and the generally uneven narrative style. Tom Clancy is a good writer: no question. But he sold out and became a branded industry instead of a novelist.
I picked up one of his technical series on the US Marine Corps' expeditionary units. Some nice pictures, and a couple of interesting interviews, but the narrative style was worthy of a grade six English paper. I do not know for certain, but have to assume--based on the quality of the writing--that this was written by staff, and approved by Clancy.
So....my Clancy reading is restricted to his pre 2002 stuff. If I want a good thriller, I pick up Fredrick Forsyth, (Dogs of War, Day of the Jackal), or John LeCarre (Smiley's People). For just plain fun, pick up Ken Follet, ( Key to Rebbecca, The Eye of the Needle).
"I was dismayed to discover that Tom Clancy stopped writing his own books. He has a "staff" that writes his books, and he does the final edit, fires it off to his publisher, and collects his cheque."
- He has to fund two VERY expensive divorces - to the same woman, I believe.
- He has to fund two VERY expensive divorces - to the same woman, I believe.
Colin Parkinson
Army.ca Myth
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I just finished reading the “Cardinal at the Kremlin” actually parts of it were not bad and reminded me a little of the “George Smiley” series of spy thrillers. I don’t buy any of his books new, just pick them up at garage sales, thrift shops for $1 read them on the airplane and then give them away.
A lot of the military novels are quite fixed in their plot lines with the author focusing more on the details of the battles or focused on the technical aspects of the equipment. I did read a lot of Alexander Kent and I think Douglas Reeman who wrote books around interesting British warships, I always skipped the standard love angle parts.
Tom Clancy is like Farley Mowat, writes a lot but does not let facts get in the way of a good story. Mind you Farley is a veteran and I have a book called the "the regiment" which have to read.
A lot of the military novels are quite fixed in their plot lines with the author focusing more on the details of the battles or focused on the technical aspects of the equipment. I did read a lot of Alexander Kent and I think Douglas Reeman who wrote books around interesting British warships, I always skipped the standard love angle parts.
Tom Clancy is like Farley Mowat, writes a lot but does not let facts get in the way of a good story. Mind you Farley is a veteran and I have a book called the "the regiment" which have to read.
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As for movie versions of Clancy books, I think Hollywood should have stuck with Baldwin to play Ryan throughout the series, for continuities sake., Red October, Red Storm, and Cardinal are far and away my faves. For modern war fiction, I prefer Harold Coyle's stuff; Team Yankee, The Ten Thousand, Sword Point, etc. More boots on the ground, less spooks behind the mailboxes.
Edited to add: Cauldron by Larry Bond was also adequately asskicking.
Edited to add: Cauldron by Larry Bond was also adequately asskicking.
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17thRecceSgt
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Kat Stevens said:
See now I kinda thought they should have gotten Mr Ford to do HFRO and the rest of them..I thought he was pretty good in Patriot Games...sorta lost it alittle with the script for Clear and Present Danger I thought...writing cheques for choppers an all that...
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17thRecceSgt
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TCBF said:
Good read? I will have to check for that one at the used book store next to the HQ.
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TCBF said:
Sorry, not true...
Wife #1 = Wanda King
Wife #2 = Alexandra Marie Llewellyn
http://www.biblio.com/authors/605/Tom_Clancy_Biography.html
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Signalman150 said:
Yeah, he sold, out, but hes a rich SOB now, even if the two ex's do take a big chunk of it.
This line however, from his Wikipedia entry, gave me quite a few chuckles: "Clancy fans cite intricate plots, attention to detail and technical accuracy in military and intelligence topics". Im sorry but technical detail is not the same thing as credibility, which many of the books he 'approves' these days lack.
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Clancy is a hack, pure and simple. His books are so full of techno-jargon, and annoying sub-plots that they're hard to stay focus on. It literally took me 3 years to finish Rainbow Six. I read it for a while, put it down for months, read a few more pages, got bored with it, put it down for another few months.
Besides, military fiction isn't nearly as interesting as military fact. You want a good read? Bravo Two Zero. Now there's a good book. Jarhead is another good one (read the book, forget you saw the movie if you did happen to see it). But if you want good military FICTION, Big Red One is very good (though it is based on factual events, characters and dialogue is all fiction).
Besides, military fiction isn't nearly as interesting as military fact. You want a good read? Bravo Two Zero. Now there's a good book. Jarhead is another good one (read the book, forget you saw the movie if you did happen to see it). But if you want good military FICTION, Big Red One is very good (though it is based on factual events, characters and dialogue is all fiction).
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Clearly someone needs to be educated on the definition of the word 'hack'.
It's basically a commercial writer- someone who exploits his artistic ability in order to gain profit. It has nothing to do with whether he's a good writer or not. Like the equivilant of an artistic assembly line. His 'art' is actually his 'product'. He's a hack because he mass produces his work for the sole purpose of profit.
It's basically a commercial writer- someone who exploits his artistic ability in order to gain profit. It has nothing to do with whether he's a good writer or not. Like the equivilant of an artistic assembly line. His 'art' is actually his 'product'. He's a hack because he mass produces his work for the sole purpose of profit.
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Well, if you WERE aware of the definition of hack, then your original response to my message is completely irrelivant...in fact, it just bolsters my point. Millions of copies sold and etc. So you're agreeing with me he's a hack....which I doubt was your original intent. I think your arguement against me isn't over the fact that he's a hack, which he is by definition, just that I don't have the patience to read a book full of nonesense.
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But you define revisionist history like Bravo 2-0 as good writing? I suppose as fiction goes, it beats Mac Bolan....barely.
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