Reading Tom Clancy books

The book I am currently reading is Red Rabbit and is one that I began recording my reading back in June 2011. The book did get packed up and I didn't read it for a few months. But it's a long time to have a book on the go. I am working my way through it at a steeper rate now. It's about a Russian plan to assassinate the pope and how they plot to do it without being directly attributed. It goes into detail about the role of CIA spies in foreign embassies, the special relationship between the US and Britain, and develops the main character's (Jack Ryan) back story. The rabbit in the title refers to a Russian defector who has knowledge that would be very useful to the US who has to run from the country rather than remain in situ. It is a very long book and I'd say one for die hard Clancy fans rather than a casual reader.

Here is a rundown of the other Clancy books I've read, they are not presented in any order.

Red Storm Rising was the first Clancy novel I read and I ripped through it with mounting excitement. I'd say this is a good starter book if you want to get into Clancy.

I read the Bear and the Dragon fairly late into my Clancy reading and it is another book I would say that is best for people who are already fans of Clancy.

The Cardinal of the Kremlin was good for casual readers as well as fans of Clancy.

Clear and Present Danger was a great book and would also be a good starter for people wanting to get in to Clancy. It was also made into a film but like many of the Clancy film adaptations, I don't think the film did the book justice. It did have Harrison Ford playing the Jack Ryan character though.

Debt of Honor was a good read and focuses on the characters John Clark and Ding Chavez, who are more operational than Clancy's other main character Jack Ryan.

Executive Orders was a difficult read, I thought it was very wrapped up in Washington politics. It did feature a dramatic plane crash. It's not a book I would recommend except to Clancy fans.

The Hunt for Red October was a brilliant story and a great book to get into Clancy with. The film was also very good with Sean Connery playing a defecting Russian submarine commander.

Patriot Games was another good read, worthy of attracting new readers into Clancy. The focus is on Jack Ryan and his family and IRA terrorists. Harrison Ford played Jack Ryan in the film of the same name, Sean Bean played the Irish baddie.

The focus of Rainbow Six was on John Clark and a role he took up after leaving operational service. It's a good read, perhaps a little on the long side for someone new to Clancy but for the fans it is a great book. I'm surprised it's not been made in to a film (as far as I'm aware it hasn't anyway).

The Sum of All Fears was a great read, I think someone new to Clancy would enjoy it. There was a film with Ben Affleck playing Jack Ryan, I'm not a huge fan of Ben Affleck.

More Clancy: I've some more Tom Clancy books in my cupboard still to read after Red Rabbit. I like to mix up my reading though, so probably won't start another Clancy straight away. Then there are a series of books that use other writers under the Clancy name, I have read a few of those and they are good but not interesting to me as the Clancy ones.