RIP Tom Clancy
Yeah, I could hardly believe it either, but Tom Clancy, 66, the novelist – and I’m sure everyone in this crowd has read at least one of his novels – passed away last night in Baltimore. I’ve read every one of his books at least twice. When an ice storm hit in New York State in January 1998 and we were without electricity for 16 days, wrapped in my Army sleeping bag, I read them all from Red October to Executive Orders.
When I watched on TV the second aircraft crash into the World Trade Center, Tom Clancy came to mind when he warned us that passenger aircraft could be used as weapons against us. In fact, those first few days after 9-11 I felt like I was living in a Tom Clancy novel. After the 2008 elections, every time I read one of his Jack Ryan novels, it was startling to realize after reading them that the polar opposite of Ryan was sitting in the White House.
I met him and his wife a few times in DC.
I guess Command Authority will be his last book. It’s due out December 3rd. But like Robert Ludlum, Clancy will have clone authors trying to recreate his style and continue the series.
Category: Blue Skies
Some of his “reference” books were also interesting. Those of us with more intimate knowledge (like with his book “Armored Cav” for me) could always find mistakes, but also learn things we didn’t know. For instance, I really know nothing of submarine operations, but I feel like I learned a great deal from reading his book about subs. I liked those more than his novels.
Rest in Peace.
I think The Hunt for Red October was one of the first “adult big books” I ever read when I was in middle school. It really did spark my imagination. Shame to see him pass.
“The Sum of All Fears” and “Patriot Games” were my two favorites. He and James Clavell are my favorite “big book” authors.
Googling this news brings many hits, all citing the same source: Publisher’s Weekly. What if…
Just heard this. First book I read of his was “Red Storm Rising”. He made a few technical mistakes here and there but overall he was pretty good.
Oh, man. An American icon has passed.
I guess those signed first editions in my bookcase just went up in value. Not that I’d ever sell them.
I got hooked on his writing back in 1985 while in Italy and have read almost everything he wrote. I will certainly be picking up is latest and last novel…
I do not think any other writer can truly do his writing style justice. I would literaly begin reading and lose all sense of anything else, and actually visualized what I was reading. Only other author I have been that pulled into a book by was Steven King.
I love many of his books. Red Storm Rising was the first one of his I read. Then Hunt for Red October, and on. I though his best work was the military/techno thriller. He will be missed.
@7. Yeah, if you have “The Hunt…” you got sone money. There are a couple of first editions. The first is the pre-publication edition which, unsigned, and in fine condition is worth about $4,-5,000! The next is the first ed with six endorsements on the dust jacket. The next is the eight-endorsement edition. I don’t know what a signed copy goes for but the UNSIGNED, most common edition still goes for hundreds.
Oh–of course, these were the prices BEFORE his reported passing.
I read many of this man’s books as a kid.
The man was way ahead of his time.
Rest well, sir.
I loved his books, and although Hunt for Red October was about 80 percent BS and 20 percent truth, it was far better (and still is) than anything anyone else was putting out there.
RIP, sir. You will be missed.
Rest in peace. Maybe the greatest, most prescient thriller author of all time.
“Red Storm Rising” and “Rainbow Six” are at the top of my all time favorite books list.
RIP Mr. Clancy
I also love his books. The first thing my son (15 at the time) said when we watched the second plane hit Trade Two was ‘Debt of Honor’. Every time some government official said something about ‘who would have thought to use commercial jets as missiles’, I would think, ‘Tom Clancy did’.
There is also a new movie out on Christmas Day – Jack Ryan: Shadow One, starring Chris Pine as Jack Ryan. It has a good cast and director (Kenneth Branaugh) Sounds good.
Two blows this year, two good men, Vince Flynn and Tom Clancy. RIP.
I remember reading my first Tom Clancy novel, Without Remorse. After that I was hooked. A true legend has passed.
His books got me through many long nights on CQ/SDNCO. He will be missed.
I enjoyed snickering at Hunt, enjoyed the hell out of Red Storm (wargamer since 1977), but after that it sort of got ridiculous. The clincher for me was the smirking on TV when interviewed after 9/11. Hated him ever since… just because of the smirk. RIP, but….
RIP, Mr. Clancy.
The Clancy novel that scared the absolute sh!t out of me was “The Sum of All Fears”. It’s one of only two books I’ve ever literally stayed up all night reading involuntarily (e.g., because I couldn’t put it down – King’s “The Stand” was the other.)
And yes – with a couple of minor changes it’s 100% plausible as hell.
Godspeed, sir.
Red Storm Rising was my first foray into the world of Mr. Tom Clancy.
Hard to believe he’s gone.
…and I really have to come out from under my rock more often. I just found out today, in an article about the passing of Tom Clancy, that Vince Flynn died this year, also. I don’t count his work as equal to Clancy, but I’m going to miss him as a favorite author, too.
Clancey is same age as H. Clinton and Mitt Romney…66 is way to young to pass – RIP.
“Clear and Present Danger” is one of my favorite movies…it rocks from start to finish.
When Hunt for Red October was released for critics review, the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) nearly blew a gasket. He was a gifted researcher and master at social engineering. He was able to piece together a book that was essentially a derivative classified document. It is called compilation – taking unclassified materials, piecing it together into reasonable and factual order.
He was questioned by all the three letter agencies and for a time was employed by at least one of them as futurist in a think tank. He was smart, but he was first a skilled collector of information.
He loved the Navy Chief and he knew we ran the Navy.
I remember reading “Hunt for Red October” just after getting out of the Navy and thinking to myself, “Who the hell is talking to this guy?”. The best line he ever wrote was in “Hunt” where he said (paraphrased) “As a whole, Submariners are reguarded as rather odd by the rest of the Navy, and Submarine Sonar Techs are reguarded as rather odd by the rest of Submariners”. I laughed my ass off. It was absolute truth.
First book of his was Rainbow 6. Read it after playing the ever living hell out of the game as a kid. Took me upwards of a month to collect enough cans while wandering around to get the money to buy it too, damn hard backs. I know most of you guys are going to remember him for his books and that’s where I’m at along with my dad. With that said, his work in the gaming industry early on was pretty damn good too. Splinter Cell’s an interesting what-if scenario, but the one I’ll very clearly remember was Ghost Recon. Especially after the events in the game sort of actually happened, what with Russia invading Georgia on roughly the same timeline as the game.
Might need to go dust off my copy of Rainbow 6, Red Storm Rising (and it’s counterpart Red Army…) and Clear and Present Danger.
You guys are much too well read for a mil blog. Me, I liked the movie. My wife liked the movie. Hell, I don’t know anyone who liked the movie. And Clancy? A throw-back kind of guy.
‘Hell, I don’t know anyone who DIDN’T like the movie.’ (Joe. More Joe.)