Tom Clancy has died
Discussion
Countdown said:
I understand what you mean about the "Team USA World Police" style of writing. IMO that was less pronounced in the earlier books -The Hunt for Red October through to "Cardinal of the Kremlin". It might have benn 9/11 which resulted in the more "patriotic" style of writing.
Which book did you read?
I read The Sum of All Fears and thought that was OK, cheesy but entertaining. He seemed to have a very dubious grasp of anything outside the USA borders though. I remember chuckling when he solved all the problems in the middle east in a way that made me wonder whether he had bothered finding out what the problems are.Which book did you read?
He clearly did his research on the technical side - the SOAF nuclear stuff sounded convincing at least - but seemed oblivious to cultures outside his own.
I can't remember which the second book was. There was a lengthy and incredibly tedious piece about estate agents which may be the point where I finally gave up.
Anyway, is this appropriate to be saying here? I feel I should perhaps quietly withdraw...
I thought 'Red Storm Rising' seemed remarkably even-handed in its treatment of the Russians when I first read it. They weren't the slavering evil baby eaters of some of Clancy's contemporaries. 'Patriot Games' was laughable, incorporating Prince Charles and Lady Di into the narrative. 'Hunt for Red October' is still a rattling good yarn, as was 'Clear and Present Danger' (although the film was better) but I lost interest after 'Sum of All Fears'.
leafspring said:
What howler?
Damn I'm going to have to read it again now
The crack team land at RAF Northolt, which last time I looked was on the A40 in west London. Somehow they then travel south to Hereford.Damn I'm going to have to read it again now
OK, "howler" is probably putting it a bit strongly, but it jars. Like the other book I've read recently (can't remember which one, or who wrote it) where a character comes over here and gives someone a hundred pound note. Even worse, I think it was a taxi driver they gave it to.
Still generally a good read though, and (unlike quite a few authors who have been writing for that length of time) I would generally still buy his new books as they come out, and I hope they go ahead with the release of the new one. I must remember not to waste time looking for a signed copy.
I'm up to Against All Enemies, and I have loved all of his books. Without Remorse is widely regarded by his fans has the best novel, which I would tend to agree with.
I am at a loss now, who to start reading now Clancy has gone, I love his realism and detail. A real master in techno suspense.
I am at a loss now, who to start reading now Clancy has gone, I love his realism and detail. A real master in techno suspense.
RIP to a great author,
My dads copy of Hunt for Red October was the first "proper" novel I ever recall reading and I have eagerly awaited the launch of every new book.
I still have (most) of the full collection which the missus still asks why I re-read them so often. Most are held togetehr with some form of tape as they have been read so much.
Will be saddly missed.
My dads copy of Hunt for Red October was the first "proper" novel I ever recall reading and I have eagerly awaited the launch of every new book.
I still have (most) of the full collection which the missus still asks why I re-read them so often. Most are held togetehr with some form of tape as they have been read so much.
Will be saddly missed.
Red Storm Rising is one of the best books I've ever read, and Without Remorse is a fantastic book too. I enjoyed all the Jack Ryan series other than Red Rabbit, which read a bit like he'd phoned it in. When I was younger I wanted to be John Clark, especially in Clear and Present Danger where he wandered around Colombia, blowing s
t up.
Were it not for Tom Clancy I wouldn't know the names of nearly as many aircraft, and neither would I know how to say "fk your mother" in Russian.
RIP.
t up.Were it not for Tom Clancy I wouldn't know the names of nearly as many aircraft, and neither would I know how to say "f
k your mother" in Russian.RIP.
I vowed never to read another Clancy after that awful thing penned 'with' Peter Tellep, but my wife had bought me Red Rabbit already and I've been reading it gradually.
It's no Clear and Present Danger and his rabidly pro American, anti everyone else stance grates especially in this book with his diatribe against the NHS (mostly that all the surgeons are workshy drunkards unlike those hard working American ones).
In his book the Ryan's are living in Chatham, near Newbury... He could have actually looked at an atlas and realised its either Thatcham or nowhere near Newbury!
Still mid sixties is no age to go and I've enjoyed many of your books, so RIP Mr Clancy...
M
It's no Clear and Present Danger and his rabidly pro American, anti everyone else stance grates especially in this book with his diatribe against the NHS (mostly that all the surgeons are workshy drunkards unlike those hard working American ones).
In his book the Ryan's are living in Chatham, near Newbury... He could have actually looked at an atlas and realised its either Thatcham or nowhere near Newbury!
Still mid sixties is no age to go and I've enjoyed many of your books, so RIP Mr Clancy...
M
vx220 said:
Please tell me you're joking?
The film was ok, the book really gripping.
I sat and read it in one sitting, overslept and called in sick the next day!
Yeah, each to their own, but I read Clear and Present Danger on my Honeymoon (Yeah... plenty of time to read! The film was ok, the book really gripping.
I sat and read it in one sitting, overslept and called in sick the next day!
) and whilst I didn't hate it, the film certainly didn't do the book justice.M.
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