Advantages: Competently written
Disadvantages: The author's world view impinges onto every character

...Tom Clancy is the world's top selling thriller writer, selling millions of copies of his novels in dozens of countries. So close to reality are his descriptions of espionage in the United States that questions were asked in Congress about who was leaking him information. His latest novel, The Bear and the Dragon, is 1036 pages of small print long. Having just finished the final page (and the preceding ones too, of course) I can tell you that I have learned the following vital facts: 1. Chairman Mao Zedung was a paedophile with a taste for 12 year olds. 2. American stuff is better than foreign stuff. 3. Abortion is very, very wrong. 4. Tony Blair says "old boy" and "chaps" when talking in private. 5. In order to convince a high-level Chinese secretary to betray her country to the Americans, buy her some Victoria's Secret... Read review

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Advantages: Addictive
Disadvantages: Short

...Tom Clancy has made many games in the past and this being one of his newest releases well to be frank it isn’t very good. Obviously he doesn’t create the games but you all no what I mean :P This being the actual 3rd game in the series of rainbow six it lives up to its expectations from its graphics, game play and its other key features such as the weapons and tactics need to play. We see the same scenarios though contained in the other rainbow six’s like kill all terrorists save the hostages etc. To be honest they aren’t all that great but do look decent the surroundings do look rather detailed from a far but up close there rather disappointing such as walls and pictures. Also the graphics for the player well you is very poor no were near as good as what they could with especially with to days hardware however not everyone... Read review

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Advantages: None I can think of. Clancy trades on his past reputation.
Disadvantages: Far, far too long. Boring!

...~ ~ American author Tom Clancy couldn’t have wished for a more loyal reader than the mad cabbie. I would wait in eager anticipation for any new novels to make their appearance in the bookshops, and immediately part with my hard-earned spondoolicks (money) to buy them as soon as they did. You might notice that I used the past tense when referring to my passion for the writing of Clancy in my opening paragraph. That’s because after reading his recent novel, “Red Rabbit”, I have now been cured of my addiction, and will no longer be one of the first in the queue to buy any new novels he may write. ~ ~ So what has changed with Clancy’s style of writing that has turned me from a fan into a critic? Simple enough really. He has turned from an exciting writer who would have you reading late into the wee small hours to finish one of his... Read review

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Advantages: Contains all 4 films based on Tom Clancy books
Disadvantages: Fans of the books may be disappointed with accuracy

...Tom Clancy was one of the best selling authors of the 80's and 90's with his political thrillers topping the charts. Indeed, Clear and Present Danger was the best selling novel of the 1980's and he was only one of three authors to sell over 2million copies on a first printing in the 1990's. However good his books, this review is instead on the DVD boxset, which includes all four Clancy books currently made into films. These are: The Hunt for Red October (1990), Patriot Games (1992), Clear and Present Danger (1994) and The Sum of All Fears (2002). The boxset includes all four DVDs in a hard cardboard case and is sold as a certificate 15. The cheapest that I found it on the internet was for about £17 when p+p is considered. THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER The first Jack Ryan film was released in 1990 starring Alec Baldwin and Sean... Read review

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Advantages: another fine techno spy thriller
Disadvantages: none really

...This is just another in the long line of fine Tom Clancy novels. This is one of those books that you just absolutely don't want to put down. You have to love Clancy for giving us books like the Net Force series. In this fast paced spy thriller you encounter computers, assassins, and virtual reality. What more can you ask for? I applaud Clancy and his co-author Steve Pieczenik for their great effort in this book and look forward to picking up the next one in the series. These guys really know how to collaborate well and write a very good book for the sci-fi and/or spy fan in all of us. You will be totally caught up in every single person's individual plights. If you have never read a Tom Clancy novel before and you like the spy/thriller genre - you could do worse than start here... Read review

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Advantages: None really
Disadvantages: No characters, no storyline, repeated phrases, repetetive

...Just seeing the name Tom Clancy on the front of a book guarantees me a good read. Which was why I was disappointed with this offering from the king of technothrillers - it just does not live up to anywhere near the high standards I have come to expect from Clancy. One obvious cause of this lacklustre book is that it is based on a GAME - a certain recipe for disaster. Anyway, I will give you a general overview on the book before I criticise it any further. First, here is the blurb from the back cover: "China has invaded the oil-rich Spratly Islands. The American response has been swift - and deadly. And the Third World War has begun... Captain Bartholomew Mackey is the skipper of the USS Cheyenne, a nuclear submarine dispatched to the Spratlys to protect a carrier group. But in a few moments, the Cheyenne's mission - and the world... Read review

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Advantages: 2player co-op,online, extra challenges,multiple difficulty levels
Disadvantages: some of the extra challenges are almost impossible

...for online and 2 player modes. In the game you can play any of the soldiers in your two teams and comman them to do and go wherever you want. All in all I had no problem with this game other than my inability to complete the more difficult challenges.A huge range of game play and difficulty.It gets even better online if you're any good that is! A fantastic shoot em up game and a brilliant Tom Clancey, well worth buying.... Read review

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Advantages: Additictive reading
Disadvantages: None

...Have to say that I believe that this is one of Tom Clancy\'s finest moments. Whilst working well as a book to provide background information on John Clarke, a character seen throughout the Jack Ryan series of books, this novel also works suprisingly well as a stand alone book. Even if you have never read any of Tom Clancy's other books, you will be extremly satisfied with the storyline. The novel itself is more violent than the more strategic nature of Clancy's other books. The basic story relates to Kelly/Clarke living two lives, that end up overlapping to a large degree. Violence that he has seen in Vietnam is replicated on the streets of America through the work of drugs dealers and pimps. Clarke is an ex-SEAL now working as an underwater explosives expert back in America. Having surivived his hitch in Vietnam it is his wife... Read review

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Advantages: Great action, description, technical data, storyline
Disadvantages: None!

...by the Americans is well into production and American fears of its completion press CARDINAL into risking his cover to get them the information. Afghan mudjaheddin attacks on Russians keeps up the action and interest of the reader. The storyline is excellent, the action and the descriptions equally so. Technical data is very interesting, and the book builds to climaxes when needed. An unforgettable and compulsive page turner, I would reccommend this book to anyone who likes Tom Clancy, and especially those who have read the three preceeding books. Remember, reading the series in order always adds to the experience! Thoroughly reccommended.... Read review

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Advantages: Superb story, with great detail and a realistic feel.
Disadvantages: None

...The story follows two interspersed storylines. The main one centres around Clancy's central character Jack Ryan. Clancy uses this book to document the early stages of Ryan's career in the CIA. Although the action around this character is less than in previous books Clancy makes up for this by delving deeper in to Ryans personality letting us see more about his beliefs and motivations. But, for me the main story concerns the Foley's and their more active days as CIA field agents, trying to extricate a Rusian defector. This is told superbly and in reading it you appreciate just how much research Clancy must do. The result is a tremendous sense of realism in his work that is matched by very few authors. All in all a first class read, that will only serve to wet your taste for the next novel in the series.... Read review

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