Red Rabbit

Yeah, and Ding is a team leader. I really enjoyed Rainbow Six. Man, if someone really put a team like that together...WOW.

Agree that Alec Baldwin was the best Ryan. He was a great casting--age was right, attitude was right. Harrison Ford was just too old, and Ben Affleck? Gimme a break. If you know anything about Ryan's history, no way does Affleck even come close to fitting the bill. That was a money move, pure and simple.

I didn't mind Dafoe as Clark in Clear and Present Danger, but I didn't like what they did with his character. They made him look like a mercenary, rather than a field agent. The character is better than that.

As far as who could play a young Clark (remember Without Remorse is set in the early 70's), I think Mark Wahlberg has potential, but he'd need some work in the acting department. His performance in Planet of the Apes wouldn't be good enough, IMO. Of course I'm biased--we're talking about one of my favorite fictional characters ever. He deserves the best!

But I digress.

Whoever played John Kelly (as he would be in Without Remorse, would have to sell the impression of being one of the first Navy SeALS, before the officially existed. He'd have to have a quiet intensity about him, and a very dark side. Kinda like Mel Gibson in The Patriot. Michael Bien (Navy SEALS, Terminator) would be good if he was 10 years younger. Actually he'd be perfect if he was younger. He may be the best option, unless you go with a relative unknown.

About Chavez, yeah. That was a great casting job. He looked, sounded, and acted exactly how I pictured him in my mind.

 

I read the book a few weeks ago and must say it is without a doubt the worst Jack Ryan book (and I've read them all). Still, it was only 'okay', but a non Tom Clancy fan would probably not find reading it worthwhile.

 

That's kinda the feeling I'm getting. You know where these folks are going to end up, so it's neat to see where they came from.

 

Oh I LOVED without remorse! It was the first one I read..and my fav so far.DAMN what a good book I'd LOVE to see it as a movie. I've always wondered WHY they didn't make it one.

Rainbow Six would be a good movie too....LOVED the ending in that book...LMAO

 

John Clark is DA MAN. I was getting a bit sleepy watching Sum of All Fears (just ate before I went) and then they showed John Clark. I perked up, "Hell yea". I thought that dude was ok, still not quite my impression of him though. I thought it would be nice to see a bullet flying through the window rather than cutting the guys throat in the end. Sorry to give part of the movie away to those who haven't seen it.

From what I gather Clancy has the rights to this character for movie purposes so I would think he would have a say in who plays him unlike Ryan.

 

Yep - and it just takes sooooo long to get there. Maybe the slowest paced and least suspensful book in the series. Without Remorse is my fav btw.

 

It's Tom Clancy. They are all slow paced.

 

I'm new to Clancy. I've only read Sum of All Fears. Where do I start, what progression in the storyline?

 

I haven't read much Tom Clancy since most of what I see is his collaboration on the Op Center series.

As I remember though the progression is Patriot Games, Hunt for Red October, Clear and Present Danger and Sum of all Fears.

Do yourself a favor and pick up Red Storm Rising. It's not part of the Jack Ryan or Clark series but IMO it's his best book.

 

Couz is right about Red Storm Rising, Magnus. It's a complete scenario from the cause of WWIII to the cease-fire, albeit from a Cold War perspective. Excellent book.

About the Jack Ryan series. Couz is almost right. Here's the progression, in chronological order:

Without Remorse. Set in the mid-70's, I think. It's mainly about Mr. Clark (as you know him), but Jack makes a cameo appearance just before he enlists in the Marine Corps. Jack's dad is one of the...um...main characters. I shan't say any more, other than it's an awesome read.

Patriot Games. This is the book that gets Jack into CIA.

The Hunt For Red October.

The Cardinal of the Kremlin.

Clear and Present Danger. WAY better than the movie. And may have special relevance to current events of the past few weeks.

The Sum of All Fears. Again, WAY better than the movie, but if you've read it, you already know that. That book about gave me ulcers.

Debt of Honor. Very interesting scenarios, especially in light of 9/11/01.

Rainbow Six. Again, this one's more about Mr. Clark and Ding Chavez, but still a testosterone packed kick butt book. Jack plays a minor role.

The Bear and the Dragon. Jack plays a more significant role. China and Russia go at it, with some interesting foreshadowing about what has happened with Russia's relationship to NATO recently.

Red Rabbit. I've got this one sitting on my shelf, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. I think it actually fits somewhere between Cardinal and Sum. But if you don't read it yet, you won't get lost.

Clancy is one of my top two authors of all time. If you enjoy techno-thrillers, suspense, and stories that could conceivably be pulled from legitimate headlines of the not-too-distant future, you'll love him!