Tom Clancy is one of my favorite authors, and he has written the Jack Ryan series of novels. Many of Clancy's books have been made into movies. The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, and recently released The Sum of All Fears have all been excellent movies that were based on his novels. His books are not far fetched, and the stories could all take place in the real world. Clancy shows the political side of events in a way that is not boring or tiresome. The action is captivating, and there is much "edge of your seat" suspense that keeps you wondering what will happen next. .
Throughout the series, the life of Jack Ryan changes a great deal. If you start at the beginning, you follow Ryan's life from an ex-marine stockbroker, to the President of the United States, and the journey is an unexpectedly exciting one. The first book that I read in the series was Patriot Games, for I had seen the movie with Harrison Ford and wanted to read the book. I often like to read books that have been made into movies so I can compare the two. Often, there are minor differences in the Tom Clancy novels that have been into movies, for it is hard to cram a 900 page book into a two hour film version. However, the movies based on Clancy's novels are quite enjoyable, even though one gets more out the book. .
The topics that Clancy chooses to write about are war, terrorism, corruption in politics and government, and other everyday topics that people often choose not to think about. He shows a behind the scenes look at what causes a war, and he gives us both sides of the story. The trouble between the US and the Soviet Union ( later becomes Russia) was a favorite topic for Tom Clancy to write about. Over the course of many books, the relationship changes from a very hostile one, to a delicate friendship that is not totally trusting. Clancy's stories are similar to what has happened in the past with the relationships between US and other countries.
