Teeth of the Tiger - Tom Clancy

leebase · 11-29-2010, 04:18 PM

I'm a big Tom Clancy fan -- certainly of his "Jack Ryan" series (Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games). Used to be every year or two there was a new one. Highly anticipated by me, and bought in big hard backs. I hate big hard backs, but I bought them because I didn't want to wait.

Dec. 7, the latest in the series comes out, the first one in ten years, "Dead of Alive". So I decided to reread the last book, "Teeth of the Tiger" to get my mind back into that universe. It was a "good" book. Not great, perhaps, but still enjoyable for someone like me. I had wondered what Clancy would be able to do with the series after his character, Jack Ryan, becomes president. Where do you go from there?

Well, you have Jack write up a bunch of blank pardons while he's still president and set up a super secret, unofficial, CIA type agency with wet work options, no due process etc. Kind of the type of book that roots for the vigilante. Add in a new generation, including Jack's own son -- take out Jack as anything but a passing reference, and now Clancy is free to continue on doing that thing he do.

But does HE do it? Sadly, the forthcoming "Dead or Alive" is not completely authored by Tom Clancy. I had no problem with Clancy's spinoff series being designed by him but written by others. But this is a "main" book -- and I just can't fathom why Clancy didn't write it himself after making us wait 10 years for the book.

Oh well. Clancy may not be at his best in "Teeth of the Tiger" but it's still a decent book to read for those that like the genre. And given today's terrorist climate -- it's still a relevant book.

Lee

Illinifan · 11-30-2010, 03:52 PM

When I finished reading Teeth of the Tiger, I said to myself "Where's the second half of the book?" I've been waiting 7 years to get the answer to that question. TotT was short by Clancy standards and the story just kind of ended without much resolution. One of the elibraries I have a card to has Dead or Alive on their list already and I have my name on the wait list. Gonna be a good use of Bluefire so I can read it on my iPod touch.

As far as the co-authorship goes, as long as the byline is

Tom Clancy with Grant Blackwood

I'm good with that.

Here's hoping he still has the magic.

leebase · 11-30-2010, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illinifan

Here's hoping he still has the magic.

Glad I'm not the only fan left

Lee

Treven · 12-01-2010, 03:52 PM

...and another.

MV64 · 12-01-2010, 09:07 PM

I'll check it out, I've loved every single one of his books. My favorites are probably Debt of Honor, Clear and Present Danger, Sum of all Fears, and Executive Orders.

But I'm a bit leery about this. Usually co-authors mean Tom Clancy OK'ed the story and the other guy wrote it. And those books usually suck...

But I'm holding out hope, still.

Illinifan · 12-15-2010, 05:26 PM

The brick and mortar library came through before the elibrary did, so I now have a HB copy of "Dead or Alive" in my possession. Unfortunately, I pulled it off the 7 day shelf so I'm going to have to burn the midnight oil for this one. It's almost 850 pages. So there's the answer to my question. The second half of TotT is in DoA.

I'll post my observations/opinions on the "Clancy-ness" of the story as I get into it.

leebase · 12-15-2010, 07:35 PM

I'm 1/3rd through -- and it's a lot richer than TotT, back to the old level of Clancy IMHO.

Lee

MV64 · 12-17-2010, 10:25 AM

Does it actually feel like Clancy, or is it just some other guy writing (Blackwood) with Clancy getting the credit?

JSWolf · 12-17-2010, 10:26 AM

I'm actually waiting for Without Remorse to be available at the library so I can start the series. I've seen the movies, but not yet read the books.

leebase · 12-17-2010, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MV64

Does it actually feel like Clancy, or is it just some other guy writing (Blackwood) with Clancy getting the credit?

Teeth of the Tiger only has Clancy's name on the book. It was not nearly as good as other books in the series, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

The latest, with a co-author, feels to me like the earlier books in the series. I'm enjoying it a lot.

Lee

dengar · 12-21-2010, 01:35 PM

Just finished Dead or Alive. Here is my take on it. Clancy basically took Al-Qaeda and substituted it with the URC giving us a feel-good ending to the story and a small jab to the US Goverment for not catching Bin Laden.

Still a good read though...

Illinifan · 12-22-2010, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I'm actually waiting for Without Remorse to be available at the library so I can start the series. I've seen the movies, but not yet read the books.

Yeah, that's the question for newbies to Clancy: Do you read the books in the order they were published or do you read them the way they fall in the chronology of the "Ryan-verse"? What seems like a hundred years ago, I read "Cardinal of the Kremlin" when it came out and the read "Hunt for Red October" and then "Patriot Games". I've read all the rest in publication order.

I personally lean towards publication order, but to each his own.

As far as "Dead or Alive" goes, I'm up to Chap 35 and it feels like the old Clancy.

leebase · 12-22-2010, 09:36 PM

The books hold up well as stand alones. Chronological or published order would both be fine.

Lee

MV64 · 12-23-2010, 12:11 PM

I would lean toward reading them in publication order. Patriot Games and Hunt for Red October are great books and they're normal sized. That way, you can get hooked on those and prepare yourself for the colossal-sized Clancy books later on.

11-29-2010, 04:18 PM	#1
leebase Karma Kameleon Posts: 2,960 Karma: 26738313 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iPad Mini, iPhone X, Kindle Fire Tab HD 8, Walmart Onn	Teeth of the Tiger - Tom Clancy I'm a big Tom Clancy fan -- certainly of his "Jack Ryan" series (Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games). Used to be every year or two there was a new one. Highly anticipated by me, and bought in big hard backs. I hate big hard backs, but I bought them because I didn't want to wait. Dec. 7, the latest in the series comes out, the first one in ten years, "Dead of Alive". So I decided to reread the last book, "Teeth of the Tiger" to get my mind back into that universe. It was a "good" book. Not great, perhaps, but still enjoyable for someone like me. I had wondered what Clancy would be able to do with the series after his character, Jack Ryan, becomes president. Where do you go from there? Well, you have Jack write up a bunch of blank pardons while he's still president and set up a super secret, unofficial, CIA type agency with wet work options, no due process etc. Kind of the type of book that roots for the vigilante. Add in a new generation, including Jack's own son -- take out Jack as anything but a passing reference, and now Clancy is free to continue on doing that thing he do. But does HE do it? Sadly, the forthcoming "Dead or Alive" is not completely authored by Tom Clancy. I had no problem with Clancy's spinoff series being designed by him but written by others. But this is a "main" book -- and I just can't fathom why Clancy didn't write it himself after making us wait 10 years for the book. Oh well. Clancy may not be at his best in "Teeth of the Tiger" but it's still a decent book to read for those that like the genre. And given today's terrorist climate -- it's still a relevant book. Lee

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11-30-2010, 03:52 PM	#2
Illinifan Connoisseur Posts: 95 Karma: 210032 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Dayton, OH Device: iPad 4, iPhone 4, iPod touch, Sony PRS 300	When I finished reading Teeth of the Tiger, I said to myself "Where's the second half of the book?" I've been waiting 7 years to get the answer to that question. TotT was short by Clancy standards and the story just kind of ended without much resolution. One of the elibraries I have a card to has Dead or Alive on their list already and I have my name on the wait list. Gonna be a good use of Bluefire so I can read it on my iPod touch. As far as the co-authorship goes, as long as the byline is Tom Clancy with Grant Blackwood I'm good with that. Here's hoping he still has the magic.

12-01-2010, 03:52 PM	#4
Treven Addict Posts: 222 Karma: 680 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: the Left Coast Device: iPad	...and another.

12-01-2010, 09:07 PM	#5
MV64 Addict Posts: 271 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	I'll check it out, I've loved every single one of his books. My favorites are probably Debt of Honor, Clear and Present Danger, Sum of all Fears, and Executive Orders. But I'm a bit leery about this. Usually co-authors mean Tom Clancy OK'ed the story and the other guy wrote it. And those books usually suck... But I'm holding out hope, still.

12-15-2010, 05:26 PM	#6
Illinifan Connoisseur Posts: 95 Karma: 210032 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Dayton, OH Device: iPad 4, iPhone 4, iPod touch, Sony PRS 300	The brick and mortar library came through before the elibrary did, so I now have a HB copy of "Dead or Alive" in my possession. Unfortunately, I pulled it off the 7 day shelf so I'm going to have to burn the midnight oil for this one. It's almost 850 pages. So there's the answer to my question. The second half of TotT is in DoA. I'll post my observations/opinions on the "Clancy-ness" of the story as I get into it.

12-15-2010, 07:35 PM	#7
leebase Karma Kameleon Posts: 2,960 Karma: 26738313 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iPad Mini, iPhone X, Kindle Fire Tab HD 8, Walmart Onn	I'm 1/3rd through -- and it's a lot richer than TotT, back to the old level of Clancy IMHO. Lee

12-17-2010, 10:25 AM	#8
MV64 Addict Posts: 271 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Does it actually feel like Clancy, or is it just some other guy writing (Blackwood) with Clancy getting the credit?

12-17-2010, 10:26 AM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,189 Karma: 144286760 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I'm actually waiting for Without Remorse to be available at the library so I can start the series. I've seen the movies, but not yet read the books.

12-21-2010, 01:35 PM	#11
dengar Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 2810 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: PW2, K3, Ipad 4, Kindle Fire	Just finished Dead or Alive. Here is my take on it. Clancy basically took Al-Qaeda and substituted it with the URC giving us a feel-good ending to the story and a small jab to the US Goverment for not catching Bin Laden. Still a good read though...

12-22-2010, 09:36 PM	#13
leebase Karma Kameleon Posts: 2,960 Karma: 26738313 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iPad Mini, iPhone X, Kindle Fire Tab HD 8, Walmart Onn	The books hold up well as stand alones. Chronological or published order would both be fine. Lee

12-23-2010, 12:11 PM	#14
MV64 Addict Posts: 271 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	I would lean toward reading them in publication order. Patriot Games and Hunt for Red October are great books and they're normal sized. That way, you can get hooked on those and prepare yourself for the colossal-sized Clancy books later on.

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