tom clancy, known for his espionage books, has over 40 books to his name, selling millions of copies worldwide. His work both fiction and non-fiction is a library staple for any true fan of spy novels.
After his passing at the age of 66 in 2013, the Tom Clancy franchise came to a halt, but not for long. Years later, new books written by several of his co-authors appeared, reaching the book market.
You are reading: Best tom clancy books to start with
To the surprise and delight of fans, the books were just as good as the Tom Clancy originals, with no clear differences in writing styles. this caused some wild speculation, which made his legacy as interesting as his books.
In this article, I’ll examine 16 of Tom Clancy’s best books, written before his death. many have been made into successful movies, and even some video games! it also spawned the 2018 amazon original series jack ryan, named after the protagonist.
best tom clancy novels
Most of Clancy’s books revolve around Jack Ryan, a character who is a former CIA analyst in the Navy. Although most of his novels are works of fiction, there have been some theories about the authenticity of the events that inspired some of his books.
It has been argued that to get the best experience in the Ryanverse, since the fandom rightly refers to the setting of the Jack Ryan books, you should read the books in chronological order.
In our list, we’ve done just that, but we’ve also included the year of publication for those who prefer to read them based on when they came out.
#1. patriot games (1987)
The inspiration behind the 1992 film of the same name starring Harrison Ford, this book illustrates the beginning of the Jack Ryan saga. Set in London, ex-Marine Jack Ryan, now a family man, is on vacation with his family when he finds himself in the midst of an Ira terrorist attack.
Working to foil terrorists and save the British royal family, Jack Ryan finds himself in imminent danger.
In an effort to keep his pregnant wife and daughter safe, he agrees to join the CIA as an analyst to stop the Ulster Liberation Army and, above all, protect his family.
#2. red rabbit (2002)
This book takes place in the 1980s and is another of Jack Ryan’s early days before *spoiler alert!* heading the CIA or becoming President of the United States in the Ryanverse.
In this book, the second in the series, professor and historian Jack Ryan has just joined the CIA as an analyst.
still in london, ryan’s first day is interesting as he inadvertently comes across a document that leaves him in the middle of conspiracy and intrigue.
From trying to foil an assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II to coming face to face with the KGB, Ryan’s first official operation is one he won’t forget.
#3. the hunt for red october (1984)
tom clancy’s debut novel is not number 1 on the list, but it would have been if it weren’t for the chronological order. A phenomenal piece of literature that quickly launched his career at the age of 37 and made it to multiple bestseller lists, including the New York Times.
If that’s not enough, the book became a box office hit in 1990 starring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin.
The first clancy book and the third installment in the jack ryan series is set during the cold war. chronicles the events surrounding a Soviet nuclear submarine wanted by both the Russian and American governments.
Jack Ryan wasn’t looking to be a field operative, but he couldn’t resist going after the sub when his papers landed on his London desk. Battling danger and the threat of war, Ryan must locate the submarine in a race against time.
#4. the cardinal of the kremlin (1988)
After missing a target in the South American seas, CIA analyst Jack Ryan finds himself in a race to develop the “Star Wars” missile.
This time against Colonel Mikhail Filitov of the Soviet Union, Jack Ryan must be the first to crack the technology.
but when the colonel beats him to it, everything breaks loose. secrets are leaked and double agents are exposed. And with a possible third world war on the horizon, both men fight for their lives in the ultimate game of hunter and prey.
#5. Clear and Present Danger (1989)
Another underground novel that inspired a movie, Clear and Present Danger finds Jack Ryan in the middle of a drug war between Colombians and the United States.
ryan, recently appointed deputy director of the cia, must fight his way into this high-stakes operation after not knowing the details. he seeks the help of a mysterious field officer and soon realizes that the real threat comes from someone much closer than they originally thought.
With twists and turns that will leave your head spinning, this is truly one of clancy’s best.
#6. the sum of all fears (1991)
another clancy classic that was made into a movie and made the new york bestseller list.
We are in the late 1990s and it seems all is right with the world. However, a nuclear bombing at the super bowl and jack ryan are caught up in a whirlwind of tension and conflict.
This incident provokes conflicts between the United States, the Russians, East Germany and the Palestinians. It seems that everyone is involved in the attack.
In this intriguing novel, Ryan must quickly get to the bottom of the incident before the heads of state start to lose their minds and everything comes crashing down around them.
#7. debt of honor (1994)
Three incidents on different worlds culminate to give us the explosive events of the debt of honor. After retiring from the CIA, the US government again seeks Jack Ryan’s help, but this time at the White House.
A Japanese businessman has devised the perfect plan to overthrow the United States.
Old friends are enemies, enemies are now friends, and you can’t trust anyone! In this exciting game, Ryan, with the help of friends from the CIA, needs to quickly assess and dismantle the terrible plans that have been set in motion.
#8. executive orders (1996)
After shocking events, the nation is left with no president, no congress, and essentially no government. This finds Jack Ryan in a position he never dreamed or wanted; president of the united states of america.
And if that’s not enough, he’s got enemies hunting him left and right. but with the responsibility falling on him, he must rise to the occasion.
executive orders marks one of clancy’s most riveting works, you’ll feel for ryan and hold your breath with every page turn.
#9. rainbow six (1998)
This is one of the few underground novels that doesn’t star Jack Ryan. Rainbow Six instead tells the story with a different protagonist, John Clark.
CIA agent Jack Clark is a recurring character in the Jack Ryan books since his debut appearance in Clancy’s Without Remorderment. In this novel, the former marine heads a secret unit organized by some NATO countries and whose code name is rainbow.
When several seemingly unrelated incidents occur in suspicious ways, Clark seeks the help of some of his trusted associates. they set out to prove the link and stop some horrific terrorist attacks to save the world from shock and devastation.
#10. the bear and the dragon (2000)
in the bear and the dragon, jack ryan is the newly elected president of the united states. and his job hasn’t gotten one bit easier.
yet it faced momentous events, from revolutions to economic downturns. but all this does not compare to the greatest challenge that still lies ahead.
The assassination of the president of the svr, formerly the kgb, the Russian intelligence agency, leaves him in a difficult position. Who could have done it with a group of suspects that includes the Russian mob, defecting KGB agents and an endless list of political enemies, finding out won’t be easy.
With the help of his trusted partner, John Clark, Ryan has to quickly find the truth before everything falls apart.
#11. the teeth of the tiger (2003)
a covert company in maryland is a front to recruit agents to fight terrorism. the campus, as it is covertly called, has zeroed in on 3 potential recruits.
a hobbyist fbi agent, his twin brother who is a marine captain just back from deployment, and jack ryan jr.! yes, the ryanverse also includes president ryan’s son.
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wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps, jack jr. heads to campus. In order to help serve his country in the fight against terrorism, there he learns that nothing is what it seems.
#12. dead or alive (2010)
dead or alive, it’s years after jack ryan jr. joins the squad. he now he is a skilled agent facing one of the deadliest enemies known as “the emir”.
Orchestrating many terrorist attacks, no man or country has succeeded in capturing him. Driven by a sense of duty and aided by trusted associates of his father, Jack Jr. will embark on a mission to catch the “emir”. dead or alive.
However, it’s far from an easy mission, as Jack Jr. and his team have to find him before he can unleash his diabolical plan to bring the nation to its knees.
#13. locked in (2011)
locked on brings us many of our favorite characters from the ryanverse. President Jack Ryan has decided to run for another presidential term rather than opt for early retirement. But his sense of duty has created havoc for one of his closest friends and associates, John Clark.
President Ryan’s opponent will stop at nothing to win, going so far as to smear John Clark’s good reputation. Now President Ryan and Clark are on a mission to clear his name.
On another mission, Jack Jr. and his fellow campus operatives have to find out why terrorists from Dagestan are meeting with Pakistani officials.
Time is running out for both Jack Sr. as for jr., and they need to find out what’s going on fast before all hell breaks loose.
#14. threat vector (2012)
the chinese president is under pressure from general su ke qiang to invade taiwan. another day at the office for jack ryan. the only difference is that it is the oval office.
now president ryan has to find a way to stop the chinese plan. But, with Chinese anti-missile ships and cyber attacks, he has a lot of work ahead of him.
And if that’s not enough, President Jack’s only salvation is the campus, but even that isn’t working in his favor as it seems there’s a spy in their midst and he’s about to blow all their covers!
#15. command authority (2013)
As a rookie CIA analyst, Jack Ryan unsuccessfully hunted down a notorious KGB killer codenamed Zenith. now 30 years old jack jr., he might have a chance to finish what his father started.
A new leader with a mysterious past has emerged in Russia. No one really knows where President Valery Volodon came from, but what everyone is sure of is that he has plans to bring Russia back to former glory.
Meanwhile, after radioactive poisoning, Jack Jr. and his fellow campus associates are now following a trail that leads directly to Russia.
with both ryans fighting for their lives, this is one of the classic clancy thrillers.
#16. support and defend (2015)
After his passing in 2013, Tom Clancy’s co-writer Mark Greaney took over the reins. And so far, he’s done an amazing job of emulating Clancy’s signature style and continuing their world of action-adventure.
It was published two years after Clancy’s death. Mark Greaney’s Support and Advocacy follows undercover FBI agent Dominic Caruso as he faces the most dangerous challenge of his eventful career thus far.
And this time, without the help of his fellow students on campus, he’ll have to face the enemy alone.
final thoughts
tom clancy, in my opinion, is without a doubt a master of the spy thriller genre. His books of his captivate you and make you turn page after page with excitement!
regardless of some theories about the degree of participation of their co-authors in the writing process, the clandestine touch is undeniable.
the ryanverse fandom is pretty loyal. In our opinion, this is due to the fact that Clancy has managed to create an intriguing yet realistic alternate universe for its characters.
The Jack Ryan series, as well as all of the other books and novels written under his name, are readily available for purchase in a variety of formats, including paperbacks, eBooks, and audiobooks.
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