5 comments about Tom Clancy's Power Plays: Bio-Strike (Tom Clancy's Power Plays).

1. This story seems to jump from topic to topic without any real coherence. When the end finally came I was so lost, I didnt even realize it was coming. Not worth buying.



2. This book was a terrible book. The content was pretty boring at most times. This was nothing like the Sum of All Fears, or Patriot Games. I only liked brief parts of it. Hey Tom! Pick up the pace!



3. Unlike most readers on these reviews, this is the first "Clancy" book I have read. I put it in quotes because it wasn't till I got home with the book that I realized a ghost writer was involved. The first 4 pages were awesome, setting up an "outbreak" type scenario. Where did that story go for the next 300+ pages? There were so many characters in this book that I got confused repeatedly, and finally gave up trying to figure them out. What was up with all the sub-plots which go nowhere...ej. The government guy and Megan, Thibideaux and Ricci..... The story dragged on and on and finally picked up at the end, but it was too late to salvage this story. If he wanted to write a thrilling series, with the backing of Clancy, it could have been done, since everything he needs is in this book. The problem is that by combining all of these story lines into one 400+ page novel, the overall product turned out to be a confusing mess.



4. Wow, this is by far the most BORING "thriller" I have ever picked up. It starts out pretty good, but then gets bogged down in several boring and confusing sub-plots. Even the writing style is dreadful -- I kept reading hoping it would pick up and it never really did. This book is a DOG, don't waste your time with it. Tom Clancy did not write this book - I am surprised he would endorse such a lame novel with his name.



5. I picked up this book because I'm a Tom Clancy fan since the Jack Ryan days, and needed to pass some time....not usually a ficiton reader, I've always managed to admire Clancy's use of his knowledge of intelligence and military operations and hardware to weave a compelling story.
   
   "Cold War" is a book I picked up hurriedly expecting it to be on the topic of the actual Cold War, which it is not, it is set in Antarctica--but after the first few pages of initial disappointment, it becomes another Tom Clancy page-turner, which is what I'd hoped for.
   
   I cannot say for sure how much involvement Mr. Clancy had in the actual writing or story plot and direction (he is NOT listed as an author or writer--but this could easily become another great movie with a good scriptwriter or two and CG budget....moving from continent to continent in a flash and keeping your attention whirling.
   
   Although that is conceptually a different idea from the novel, it gives you an idea of my reaction to this pocket book (which it truly is). I recommend it for the purpose I bought it--a timepasser...and a good one at that. It has all the elements you associate with Tom Clancy...

5 comments about Debt of Honor (Tom Clancy).

1. Years ago, my friend, a hard-boiled conservative militarist, suggested I read Debt of Honor after I made some Panglossian statement about what a safe comfy world we live in. The world is grown less safe, so several months ago, I finally took his suggestion.
   
   Other reviewers poke holes in Clancy's logic, his understanding of East Asia, and his alleged stereotyping/racism. None of these things are unreasonable, but the truth is, we have a great book here.
   
   'People don't always act rationally' is the theme, and it is borne out again and again, both in the book and in the real world. I saw the book not so much as a what-if attempt at being a crystal ball, but much more a character peice about induvidual failings that can lead to disaster.
   
   One thing, though- Clancy, intentionally or not, paints his heroes as near flawless people of virtue, service and sacrifice. While I suppose such people are out there, it would make for better fiction of Jack Ryan and the other heroes had more personal problems, more moral failings, and generally, were more like the rest of the muddled lot of us. If I wanted superheroes, I could have them in capes.
   
   The book is excellent in the first half, and a bit longwinded in the third quarter. Plot and subplots are sort of mashed together in the last quarter of the book, and, like so many novels, the climax doesn't quite deliver all one would expect given the buildup.
   
   But be sure you read through to the very end. Clancy paints a lot of scenarios in the book, and some that can't be mentioned in a spoiler-free review are well worth considering.



2. This is an awesome read! I disagree with any reader who claims it's length is imposing! This is typical of Clancy but his page count is always justified. His writing is so well-researched and dependent on finely crafted intricacies that it has to be this way!
   
   I love that Clancy chose an unlikely enemy. It's extremely unsettling to think of Japan as an antagonist for many obvious reasons. Clancy is extremely bold and you have to love him for it!
   
   If you like Clancy you will likely enjoy up and coming author Richard Friar's futurist vision, "The Keepers: WWIII." The Keepers: Part 1: WWIII



3. I am a big fan of Clancy's novels, and although I have to say that he's had a lot of great ones, "Debt of Honor" is one of my favorites. Clancy's plot development is superb, always giving you just enough information to both keep your interest and pique your curiosity about what will happen next. As always, the tactical details and elements of setting (economic, political, etc.) are impeccable.
   
   As to those readers who criticize Clancy for "picking on" Japanese culture or government, I've lived in Asia for several years and happen to think he's not that far from reality. But that discussion aside, keep in mind that this is a work of fiction, not a predictor of imminent political developments. The subject matter shouldn't be too much of a problem for anyone who's not a pedantic scholar of East Asian studies.



4. I have read every Clancy book and this one has got to be one of my favorites. A complex tale that reads so quickly, it is an interesting, plausible tale of how one man's dedication and determination to right how he was wronged, or at least thinks so, can loose hell upon the owrld. Again, Clancy seems to know what is going to happen, or at least I think bad guys get their ideas from him.



5. Debt of Honor is the next book in the Jack Ryan series, after The Sum of All Fears, and it was so much better. The book has a faster pace and the suspense builds up nicely from the beginning. The book is pretty long, more than 900 pages, but the story moves along quickly and it was very hard to put down.
   
   In this book, a wealthy Japanese industrialist decides it's time for Japan to be a superpower and bring America to her knees. He convinces a small group of his peers to his scheme for dominance and power for Japan, takes control of the Japanese government, and goes on the offensive, first economically and then militarily. For this man, crippling the United States as a superpower is a personal revenge (that goes back to World War II and his family's death on the Mariana Islands), and it's this debt of honor he feels obligated to deliver payment by sowing chaos in America.
   
   I read some of the negative reviews and some complained about going into too much detail on the financial side of things, how Wall Street operates, and using Japan as the main (although not the only one, India and China play minor roles) enemy was incredulous.
   
   I didn't find reading about the financial markets and how they worked to be tedious and dull, it was quite fascinating to read how complex and intertwined the global markets were and how a disaster in one country, in this case America, could lead to a snowball effect in Europe and elsewhere. That is all very realistic and Clancy being the type of writer he is, he goes into meticulous detail about how the financial markets work. I thought the background information was necessary, because it makes more sense when you later learn about how the Japanese were able to intentionally hurt the American economy.
   
   Then there was Clancy's decision to use Japan as the enemy in this book. Of course, if one were to compare this fictional world to our own real world, it does sound pretty crazy that a staunch U.S. ally such as Japan, a major trading partner, would suddenly become America's number one enemy. Well, if we look at a few of America's allies today, Germany and Japan are good examples of how not too long ago both countries were enemies. So while I'll admit Clancy's premise sounds outrageous, a strong U.S. ally becoming an enemy later, it's naive thinking to think it could never happen. I thought Clancy did a superb job of showing a "what if" scenario. Something that could happen as the world is always changing, leaders come and go, and no one can accurately predict who will be an enemy or an ally tomorrow.
   
   This was a highly entertaining political thriller and Clancy sets up the story for the next book, Executive Orders, very well (there are certain parts where I could see some minor players that were introduced in Debt of Honor playing a key role in the next book). The ending of Debt of Honor ends on a major cliff-hanger so you best have the next book handy.

5 comments about Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Sea of Fire.

1. Before I reached page 50 I realised this author had confined his research on Australia (the setting for much of the action) to a Sydney Street Directory. Yes, you can see the Sydney Opera House from the Park Hyatt Hotel and that's the limit of his accuracy.

   The protagonist travelled from Sydney to Darwin in 116 minutes? Not in a P3 Orion he didn't (unless it is unique among propellor driven aircraft in that it can travel at Mach 2. Maybe it was a Concorde in disguise.) The distance is more than 2000 miles (about equivalent of LA to Miami or New York to Phoenix). The offending yacht travelled from the Celebes Sea to Cairns (well over 2000 miles) in 30 hours. Australia's P3s are owned by the Air Force, not the Navy. In the RAN, a Warrant Officer is not a senior officer. A wommera is not a means of throwing darts, it is a means Aborigines used for throwing spears (it applies extra leverage as an extension to the length of the arm). In itself, a wommera would be about as useful a weapon as any other thin stick and it is hard to imagine why anyone would carry one, especially as that character was supposed to be half Aboriginal..

   A willing suspension of disbelief in the interests of a good yarn is one thing, lamentable research and gross (easily checkable) error is quite another. Don't waste money on this dog.




2. I agree with the others who panned this. It is full of obvious errors, and they show the gross ignorance of the author. The one that got me and sticks is his description of the men in the Sampan using the oars to get close to the yacht. They 'oared' there. Oared is not a word. When men use oars to move a ship, boat, or any floating vessel, the term used to move it is ROW. You row a boat, you use 10 foot oars in a viking ship to ROW the ship. One paddles a canoe, but one does not OAR a boat. Obviously this book was thrown together in as short a time as possible, given minimal proof reading, and then published. Tom Clancy should be ashamed to have his name put on it.



3. Among the countless and careless errors throughout this book, as attested to by several other reviewers, the one that bothers me the most is the author's horrendous misunderstanding of the terms "contamination" and "radiation." Being an ex nuclear submariner and nuclear engineer, I have always been impressed by the accuracy of Tom Clancy's research, whether it was the details of nuclear submarine operations or his insights regarding interactions among members of the officers and crew. Tom Clancy was a meticulous researcher. Tom Clancy understood the difference between "contamination" and "radiation" and never would have written a book based on such a misapplication of science.

   Lee Tong, the "radiation man" who sets off the entire story, conceivably could have been irradiated by gamma rays from the nuclear cargo on his target ship but that exposure, no matter how intense, would in no way have made him radioactive. There would be no need for a lead shield as described in his hospital room. If on the other hand he became contaminated with radioactive material from the target boat as a result of the explosion, then the target ship and many of its crew members would also have been contaminated. But they weren't. You can walk away from a radiation source, but if you are contaminated with radioactive particles, it goes with you.

   For those of us who have been conditioned to read anything with Tom Clancy's name on it, and who do so because we have learned to trust the authenticity of his work, this book is extremely disappointing. We used to read Clancy because we trusted him and because of this trust we had confidence that the technology described in the story was accurate, not science fiction. Apparently, that is no longer so, a sad finding for thousands of Clancy fans.

   Much of the public fear about nuclear power comes from misunderstandings, such as Jeff Rovin's misunderstanding of contamination and radiation. Also, co-creator Steve Pieczenik, having a Ph.D. from MIT, would have easy access to the science that is at the heart of The Sea of Fire. He has no excuse to get it so wrong. For a ready reference, the difference is very clearly described on the Internet at:

   Definitions Related to Radiation

   or go to: http://www.orau.gov/reacts/definitions.htm

   If you are looking for fairly good science fiction read, and don't care about its technical accuracy, or how big Australia really is, this book might do it for you. Otherwise don't be misled, find another book.

   Thomas Banfield
   tvbanfield@aol.com




4. Each of the Op-Center books has presented a crisis based on the current events and global political circumstances at the time of its writing. This one isn't different. The prospect of terrorists obtaining and using nuclear material is daunting, and the job of preventing such a disaster even more so. This book isn't quite as gripping as some of the earlier books in the series, but it did present a few surprises, and it wrapped up the story nicely. This book placed some of the Op-Center staff in new roles in the field, which was refreshing, and it introduced at least one new character that I suspect will return in future volumes. This was a fun, light read, perfect for any fan of espionage/political thrillers.



5. I love Tom Clancy's novel on Op-Center novels. I highly recommend it to any fan of Mr. Clancy's writes especially in audio format.

5 comments about The Hunt for Red October (Dual Track Tape).

1. This is the first of Tom Clancy's books about Jack Ryan, a figure who appears frequently in the rest of his books. Although you can read them in any order you want, I would recomend reading them chronologicaly.
   
   If you have never read a Clancy book, this is a good place to start. It contains all of his trade marks like a grand plot where nations stand against eachother, lots of detailed information on military equipment and a writing style that makes you forget how thick this book really is.



2. This book is a pretty good book. Although this is an older book, it still intrestes me.If you didn't know that this book was turned in to a movie it was actually a great movie. For my friends, or anybody who asks me if I would recommend it, and I would say yes to anyone who likes miltary or suspense books that have drama to them.



3. As Clancy's first book, this novel is unsurpassed in terms of suspense, technothriller insights and geopolitical gambits. His lead character, Jack Ryan, makes his debut in this book, setting the style for his subsequent books. The key skill that Clancy possesses is the ratcheting up of the stakes on an epic level. This book set the bar for this newly formed genre. It is essential reading for the Thriller Espionage writer.



4. I have no idea why anyone would buy or read this book. I read the book and fell asleep many times while reading it in the middle of the day. Tom Clancy sure does not make it easy for people to understand what is going on and his technical wording and deep descriptions make this book one of the worst I have ever read. I would recommend watching the movie if you really want to know this story.



5. A rare look at the first major novel written by one of the greatest writers of all time. Truly worth the money and you certainly will not be able to put it down once you begin this masterpiece.

No comments about Op Center Omnibus Boxed Set (Tom Clancy).

5 comments about Patriot Games (Tom Clancy).

1. Jack Ryan, former marine and stockbroker now naval history professor, is on vacation with his wife and daughter in London when all hell breaks loose and terrorists start shooting at a car containing the Prince, his wife, and their daughter. Jack's military training automatically kicks in and he manages to tackle on of the gunman, disarm him, and shoot the other to death. He is shot, himself, in the process, but is saved when help arrives on the scene. He wakes up in the hospital to find himself considered a hero both in England and the US, but not by the terrorists he thwarted. When the terrorists decide to follow Jack back to the United States to tie up their loose ends he finds himself torn between his simple lifestyle as a teacher and a prospective job with the CIA where he can attempt to stop the very militants that threaten the lives of his family and countless others.
   
   This action packed suspense novel keeps the pages turning throughout. The politics and secrecy of the military and various alphabet soup law enforcement agencies keep the reader guessing and wondering if the good guys will catch up with and get ahead of the bad guys. All the while, the suspense is contrasted with the human emotion displayed between Jack and his family as he has to choose the best way to protect his family and decide if his decisions will put them in risk of more or less danger. This is the first in the Jack Ryan series with Jack Ryan as an adult (preceeded by Without Remorse, a John Clark novel with a younger Jack referenced along with his father). It is a great start to what will certainly be a great series.



2. Having seen the movie many times I decided to read Patriot Games and see how the novel compared to the film. Unfortunately, as with other reviewers, I was disappointed by the novel but regard the film as well done. Both adhere to the same story line with the novel going more in depth into the characters and technical details of the intelligence, military, and law enforcement communities. Honestly, I felt it was a bit much and could have done without it.
   
   The best example is the Ryan character. I just could not sympathize with him, even though he is portrayed as a great family man. He did not seem human at all and the actions of the characters at the end just seem plain ridiculous, as well as Tom Clancy's justification for those actions. By the end of the book, I did not care about his fate at all. In fact, no character was crafted well enough to not seem ridiculous.
   
   The dialogue between the characters also seemed simplistic and childish. It can be hard to convey the feelings and expressions of characters in a novel without having to resort to plain, simplistic dialogue where every character says what they normally wouldn't if one could see their expressions and emotions. However, Clancy takes this to the extreme. The dialogue almost seemed Victorian in nature. Everyone needed to voice the reasons for their actions, and continue to do so even when the reader has gotten their fill. For example, a state trooper who only appears on one page of the novel. Based on events that happened before his arrival I could derive his emotions and feelings clearly without being explicitly told. However, Clancy goes on and on describing this trooper's ruminations ad nauseum.
   
   Overall, it seems like this was a very early work for Clancy and it shows. Perhaps he was honing his craft, but that is surprising seeing how well I regarded his previous novels. I think he was having fun with the Ryan character as a family man, the beauty of childbirth, morality etc. and he just got carried away. Unfortunately, that translates to a very slow story with many long drawn out parts.
   
   I cannot recommended this book when there are much better Clancy novels out there. If you are new to Clancy I would suggest The Hunt for Red October or Red Storm Rising over Patriot Games. I would have liked to have been able to have read the book before seeing the film. Perhaps that would change my view. However, the movie does a good job of trimming the fat, which is what Clancy should have done with Patriot Games.



3. IRA attack.
   
   
   Jack Ryan accidentally gets involved with the IRA when he saves one of their targets from being killed because he just happens to be around and that is the sort of thing he does.
   
   This has serious reprecussions for him when he is minding his own business with his family and they come calling with an attack team.
   
   A decent, fairly intense personal level thriller.
   
   
   3.5 out of 5



4. we the british we have ruled this planet since we have been around and we will continue to rule it for as long as we are around



5. This is still my favorite Clancy book ever. It's the most personal Jack Ryan story and is very, very emotional (and thus very gripping) for that reason. The only time I've ever cheered at a novel was while reading this! This book has much less technical and military minutiae than any of his other books and I actually prefered that. If I want all the specs on a pistol or mortar round, I'll look it up in a Jane's.
   
   There are other stylistic differences and some have speculated that Clancy was playing with the character internally and giving him more depth. I've always felt like that 'Patriot Games' was his "real" first Ryan novel - actually written (or at least sketched out) before 'The Hunt for Red October.' It precedes that book 'chronologically' and its basic plot is mentioned in 'Red October'.
   
   I read the book first and while I love 90% of the film version of 'Patriot Games', the book is better to me. The movie is more faithful to the book than just about any movie adaptation I've seen - except for the ending. I utterly despise the movie's ending, having read the book first.
   
   SPOILERS: The whole point of the story is that Jack is a better man than Sean Miller. That he doesn't kill Miller at the end of the book and instead turns him over to the authorities is extremely important. Now, the movie may kill off Miller "accidentally" (and clumsily) during the boat chase but it robs Jack of that important moral choice. And I HATE THAT.

5 comments about Without Remorse (Tom Clancy).

1. This novel was by far the best book that I have ever read. The detail in the book is unbelievable. It is amazing how many different stories are running at once, and how they all collide at the end. This is the kind of book that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
   I would recommend this book to anyone.



2. How can you not like a book with a line such as :
   
   "Oh no, not in their wildest nightmares have they ever met anyone like me.
   The name they had given him in Vietnam boiled up from the past.
   Snake. "
   
   corny, jingoistic, call it whatever elitist dribble you want, i think this book rocks!! Apart from this, the research he puts into the book should also be commended.
   I only hope, if at all they choose to make a movie out of this, they stay true to the concept of the book. As mechanical engineer, i appreciate Mr. Clancy's work even more because of his minute precision level attention to detail. John Clark's workshop,
   
   Hemingway meets John Rambo ...
   
   Great fun read, gets a bit gory in the beginning, then snake takes over!! :) Enjoy it.



3. Umm yea this was my first experience reading tom clancy so I don't have any strong feelings one way or another. So yea it's very obvious that he does do a lot of research before writing so much so that i myself got lost in some of the military jargon and weapons lingo. But it was a compelling plot, straight forward and easy to understand. Sometimes it was a little confusing to keep track of characters especially the navy admirals because they mentioned like 3 different names for each character, first, last, and nickname. Then he wouldn't talk about them again for another chapter or so. So by the time you think you've figured it out you've forgotten the next time the characters come around. The characters themselves were a little two dimensional and the dialog also needed some work I doubt very much that people are straightforward. All and all I give it a 4 out of 10.



4. This was the fifth Clancy book I have read but my first in many years. Without giving much away it is mainly a story of revenge. In this book you get to see how some of the regular characters in other Clancy novels come to be. I thought the book was fine & if you are just starting out the book does pick up the pace once you get one or two hundred pages in. I didn't rate this book higher because I feel the story could have been done with less than 750 pages, that's two pretty good sized books. Also much of the book takes place in Vietnam & details some Navy Seal / SOG action. I have recently read the book "SOG" by John Plaster & I have to say the action in that book is hard to beat - & it was hard for me not to compare the two. Without Remorse does finish with a bang just for me it took a little long to get there.



5. If you have never read any of Clancy's books before, this is not a bad place to start. I have not read many of his works myself, but it appears to me that this is chronologically the first to take place in the series on John Clark and Jack Ryan. This book for me was one of those rare effortless reads where the pages turned on their own and I did not want to put it down. I found the story to be completely plausible - if you have ever wondered what would have to happen in the life of a normal, non-psychopathic person that would turn them into a highly-skilled, cold-blooded killer, this is the answer. I won't give away too many details of the plot, but it is basically a revenge motif - a decent guy seeking justice against some pretty bad people and the inner struggles he endures while doing this and trying to remain one of the "good guys." It kind of reminded me of Batman (without the cape and mask, and with Batman being an executioner). This is definitely a guys book, and if that's what you are in the mood for, you will not waste any time or money with this one. Truly satisfying.

5 comments about Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Divide and Conquer (Op-Center Series).

1. Tom Clancy has been one of my long time favorite authors with books like Bear and The Dragon, State of Siege, and Line of Control. It displays that everyone can have their own agenda and that those agendas are not necessarily for the common good. Putting all that aside, Tom Clancy and Steve Piecznik along with Jeff Rovin, do a great job of bringing the details of Military Intelligence to the common people. Excellent book for those who like War, Intel, and thirllers. I would recommend it in a heart beat.



2. A good thriller but missing something. This was not up to the normal Op-Center books, in my opinion. While it has a good story line it seemed to be off.

   in this story Paul Hood ends up seeking help from is Op-Center counterpart in Russia to help hunt down the notorious assassin the "Harpooner". At the same time it seems that all of the issues in the Caspian Sea seem to be tied back to the US president who may be having a mental break down, or is he. His wife thinks that something is wrong and calls in his old friend Paul Hood who is being stonewalled by members of the president's cabinet. While the story is plausible it still bothered me. If you normally like this type of story you will probably enjoy the book but not be thrilled by it.




3. I am not too sure about what to say about this book. It was okay, but it could have been much better. It was interesting in places, but there was constantly dry, boring content thrown in. Every once in a while, it would get off into an unneeded description or explanation that really did not help the plot. It was interesting how they put in enough scenes of the "bad guys" to give you the hints to figure out a happening; usually just before the "good guys" figured it out.
   Overall? It was a good book with plenty of action, but it had it's faults, like all books. It was better than some Clancy books that I have read, but there has been a few better than it.
   I would still recommend, especially if you have been following the Op-Center series. It was surprising how much it could stand alone, yet it also continued what happened in earlier books.



4. First of all let me say how glad I am that Tom Clancy finally gave Jeff Rovin cover credit for this novel and how great an idea it was to turn this series over to this writer. Mr. Rovin's tight journalistic style is perfect for this series. With all that said this book is a solid addition to a series that consistently suprises me with its intelligence and depth of characters. I call this the new pulp fiction with the highest regard as this series entertains and educates at the same time.
   
   The premise of this novel has a conspiracy of government officials attempting to usurp the power of the presidency in order to alter world policy to their beliefs. The main focus of their coup is by trying to convince the president that he is becoming mentally unstable. In an era where perception is reality this is not as hard for them to do as the reader would believe. By contrasting the president's struggles with his sanity with Paul Hood's (the head of Op-Center)private tribulations, Jeff Rovin has done an admirable job of making this an exciting and emotional thriller. Combined with the intricate details and knowledge of Washington and international politics make this fast-paced and entertaining read and a solid addition to this series.



5. I liked the book, but I really liked the quick service. The vendor was great.

5 comments about Tom Clancy's Net Force #8: Changing of the Guard (Tom Clancy's Net Force).

1. Like a bad car wreck, I needed to keep reading this garbage, holding out hope that it will get better. I was wrong. The plotlines are silly, the characters are unbelievable, and the dialogue is rediculous. This is a really bad book.



2. As a somewhat core fan of the 2 Net Force series (the regular novels and the younger Net Force Explorer series) I was more waiting to see what the latest installment would bring for the future's Net/world defense team. After reading the latest I was a little disappointed by the story but still hopeful that with all the new additions to the team future volumes will definitely keep up the good work.

   The title refers to the fact that several prominent characters from past Net Force books make their last appearances as members of the Net Force, including Alex Michaels, the Commander in the first seven books. He hands down the title (hence "Changing of the Guard") to Thomas Thorn, while the field unit is handed from General Howard to Abe Kent, a former Marine.

   Not too soon after the changeovers does Net Force find itself involved in a case where a disc containing the names of former Russian spies falls into its hands. The disc leads to an attempted kidnapping of one of Net Force's top computer agents, Jay Gridley. We learn that the attempt was perpetrated by a hitman assigned by a multibillionaire who is afraid the disc's information will reveal him to be a former spy himself and will stop at nothing to make sure that the info never sees the light of day. But when the kidnapping gets bungled and Gridley ends up in a coma, Net Force has to stop the attacker and find out what is hidden on the disc.

   The story is a seeming partial re-treading of a previous Net Force story that also sent Gridley into a coma, but this time it isn't as engrossing as before. As for the new Net Forcers (Thorn and Kent), they get a rough first start in the mission field but hopefully their next adventure will definitely give them time to flesh themselves out to the reader.

   Overall, this was an alright chapter in the Net Force legacy, but not all that satisfying to those who have been with it since book 1.




3. Okay, I'll admit I knew before I picked up this book that I was leaving the real world behind and taking a trip down the road of great imaginations, but come on... a guy teaching himself control his own brain waves? While the majority of this book has some good sub plots and suspense, I found the outcomes a little to predictable. The "good guys alwarys win" seems to hold true with this series and while I like to see the good guys win, this particular book doesn't offer much to leave you guessing about what might happen next... though I'll still pick-up one of the other books in the series in anticaption of a better plot.



4. I have read all of Clancy's books and most of his Net Force books and this is the worst one by far. Fortunately I was able to read it quickly since I could skim over most of the book since it was material unrelated to the plot. The books spends a ridiculous amount of time on fencing, guitars and a VR world that to me is completely ridiculous and unbelievable. Look elsewhere.



5. This book was one of the worst in the series. However it is important to remember not to criticize Clancy. He doesn't even write the books. This one is in fact written by Steve Perry. It is just "Tom Clancy's Net Force" because Clancy is the one who first created the series.

5 comments about Red Storm Rising (Tom Clancy).

1. Although the book is a bit dated, it is still a fun book to read. I thought he presented a somewhat plausible initial scenario to explain the reason for the war. Too often in wartime books the "why" aspect is completely ignored in favor of excessive heroics and impossible scenarios. What was nice about this book is that the initial "why" played a pivotal role throughout the story. It wasn't a war just for the sake of war.
   
   It was also good for bringing back the old cold-war jingoistic feelings. During some of the more intense parts of the book I couldn't help but think "U-S-A, U-S-A!"
   
   Additionally, the "bad guys" aren't simply bad guys. There is a sense of humanity on both sides of this conflict that made it more interesting than just a plain war book. I've read it more than once and one day when I'm bored I will probably pick it up again.
   
   It's a great airplane/vacation book. It's broken up enough that you can pick it up and put it down often, without losing what is going on in the story. And it's long enough that you won't finish it on one plane flight.



2. Though it has been some ten years since I first read Red Storm Rising, I still remember nearly every aspect of the book; a testament to the ability of this story to grab you and not let go. It is an incredible writing, so full of action and humanity that it almost makes you think you are reading a documentary about World War III. It starts fast and doesn't slow down from there. I have probably read the book 30 times, and each time I read it, it's as new as the first time. I love Clancy novels and this one is hands down the best he has ever done. Brilliant.



3. This book was lauded as a realistic piece in its day, but this is one of the most far-fetched works of military propaganda ever written, and one must wonder if the U.S. military did not have a hand in the book in order to sell the need for more conventional arms to the American public through a secondary source. Sure, this novel is classified as fiction--but honestly--anyone who visits globalsecurity.org for more than three or four hours will discover just how ludicrous some of the scenarios presented in the book would have been in the reality of 1987 (as if WWIII would have gone forth without nuclear weapons to begin with).
   
   For example, almost the entire book is based on a scenario whereby the Soviet Union is able to take Iceland from NATO extremely quickly, but there is no possible way the Soviet Union could have taken Iceland from NATO in 1987 without the soviets having suffered significant naval and air losses in the process. But if the Soviets could have accomplished such a task, the United States could have conducted a quick counterstrike with cruise missiles, F-16s, and F-18s [i]at minimum[/i] shortly afterward from Thule Air Base in nearby Greenland (the U.S had significant warning and was at Defcon 2 for quite some time beforehand in the book); instead, in Clancy's world, the U.S. waits for days after the Soviets establish themselves all over the island with a mere shipload of supplies: what is more, the Americans then limit their counterstrike to a small force of archaic F-4s and B-52s! Is it reasonable to assume that the Soviets could have created a greater defensive presence on Iceland within two weeks than the United States and NATO could have when the U.S. had months (if not years) to do so?
   
   It is not as if Tomahawk missiles and stealth fighter aircraft are missing in Clancy's book--they are simply mentioned in unrealistic scenarios. For some reason, the U.S. Navy can creep near Soviet territory to fire off cruise missiles--but they could not do so near Iceland, as has been mentioned previously.
   
   Clancy creates an overrated book of extreme double standards and contradictions. If you know a fair amount about real military strategy, it makes it almost impossible to enjoy the rest of the book without pulling one's hair out. NATO's ground forces are excellent in the book, but the U.S. Navy is made out to be a weak and incapable force--if anything, the opposite would be the case in reality.
   
   But then again, even the quantitatively COMBINED ground forces of NATO and the United States outnumbered those of the Soviet Union--surely, the U.S. and Europe already had enough ammunition stored in Europe to have destroyed every Soviet tank twenty times over. The book makes the NATO ground units seem to be invincible, which they probably would have been in a defensive struggle, yet, they run into supply shortages--give me a freaking break! They could have had truckloads upon truckloads of ammunition airlifted to them if they needed to do so! This wasn't the early 20th century!
   
   If you know nothing about military forces, read this book, and by all means enjoy it--but please, educate yourself afterwards. Don't think you are somewhat enlightened about the U.S. military just because you have read a long and outright dry Tom Clancy book such as this. If you want a good Clancy book, read Patriot Games--at least it is free of all the needless technobabble and geopolitical nonsense.



4. I've read all of the fiction books that Tom Clancy has written. Although I loved them all, this is the best in my opinion.



5. I read this book in the early 1990s. Since then I have re-read it several times. Simply the best World War III depiction of the 80s and 90s. A great read even today, even if the Cold War is long over. The introduction hardly lasts 70 pages, and then its unfettered war, war and war. Brilliant!
   
   Unfortunately, Clancy's work has deteroriated in recent years. His latest sponsored work, EndWar was a huge disappointment of an old man stuck in a Cold War past. Fortunately the pool of creativity is endless and new authors are replacing old has-beens. "War against Islam" by George P. Robertson is the Red Storm Rising of 2008. Another great book is Caliphate by Tom Kratzman...