American novelist Tom Clancy carved a niche for himself as an author and published novelist. His stints writing military science and espionage novels made Tom Clancy’s books a must-read during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Throughout his career, which spanned nearly three decades, the American author published more than 17 books. best-seller and also sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Born in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States, Tom Clancy took the literary world by storm with his first book, The Hunt for Red October, published in 1984.
Before his writing career, Tom Clancy began his career working as an insurance agent. Meanwhile, he graduated in English literature in 1969 from Loyola University, Baltimore. however, in 1980 he bought an insurance agency from his wife’s grandmother and while he worked there he dedicated his free time to writing; An act that later culminated in a lifelong career beginning in 1982. He spent more than two and a half decades of his adulthood writing novels before passing away in 2013. Tom Clancy’s books and novels span the techno-thriller, fictional espionage, non-fiction, crime and military history. Interestingly, most of his works have been adapted into commercially successful movies and video games.
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Here, we take a look at Tom Clancy’s books ranked from best to worst. I hope you find it very interesting. happy reading!
a complete list of tom clancy books and novels ranked from best to worst
1. the hunt for red october (1984)
- goodreads: 4.1/5
- common sense media: 4/5
- audiobooks .com: 4.6/5
- audible: 4.8/5
- abebooks: 4.1/5
This happens to be the book that introduced Tom Clancy’s phenomenal career and cemented his place as one of America’s bestselling authors of all time. The novel unleashes the writer’s penning skills for spy and military thrillers. The scenarios and details of this novel are so realistic and accurate, that people thought the writer had previously worked as a spy.
its plot centers on marko alexandrovich ramius, a lithuanian submarine commander in the soviet navy, who intends to defect to the united states with his officers aboard the experimental red october nuclear submarine during the cold war. Although the entire Soviet Atlantic fleet is ordered to pursue the submarine and destroy it at all costs, the Americans are also determined to find it first and bring it safely to port in the intelligence coups of all time.
Suspenseful from start to finish, The Search for Red October was adapted into a 1990 film of the same name, starring Alec Baldwin and Sean Connery. furthermore, it also served as the basis for three computer video games. Shortly after its publication in 1984, the novel quickly topped the New York Times bestseller list and also received high praise from the US government, especially then-President Ronald Reagan.
2. patriot games (1987)
- good reads: 4.1/5
- common sense means: 4.2/5
- audiobooks .com: 4.5/5
- audible: 4/5
Yet another crime fiction thriller from Tom Clancy, Patriot Games is an indirect sequel to his other book, Without Remorse (released in 1993). This novel tends to enthrall the reader with its plot targeting human emotions of passion and revenge which keeps you eagerly anticipating what is to come. This book follows Jack Ryan as his family becomes a target for the Ulster Liberation Army, after thwarting their attack on the Prince and Princess of Whales in London. Released in 1987, this book was adapted into a film of the same name in 1992, starring Harrison Ford and Samuel L. Jackson. Both the novel and its screen adaption were critically acclaimed and commercially successful.
3. Clear and Present Danger (1989)
- goodreads: 4.1/5
- common sense media: 4/5
- audiobooks .com: 4.4/5
- audible: 4.7/5
- abebooks: 4.1/5
This political and crime fiction thriller is one of the most interesting books by Tom Clancy. Featuring a great blend of suspense and humor, Clear and Present Danger still resonates today following its in-depth look at the causes and effects of the War on Drugs. Ranked among the bestselling novels in the ‘80s, the novel revolves around the covert war between American Special Forces and the Columbian drug cartels. As Jack Ryan advances to the top of the CIA, he discovers that he is being kept in the dark by his colleagues, who are conducting a covert war against a Columbia-based drug cartel. When the mission failed, Jack goes on a rescue mission to save the abandoned US soldiers.
Shortly after its release in 1989, the novel dominated the New York Times bestseller list for a long time. Furthermore, he was joined in a feature film of the same name with Harrison Ford reprising his role as Jack Ryan in 1994. The novel received critical acclaim and is considered Tom’s best work since The Hunt for Red October (1984).
4. no regrets (1993)
- goodreads: 4.2/5
- common sense media: 5/5
- audiobooks .com: 4.2/5
- audible: 4.6/5
- abebooks: 4.2/5
Although the main character of this novel, John Clark later became one of the recurring characters in the Jack Ryan series, the storyline was set during the Vietnam War. It chronicles the life of John Clark, a lovestruck Ex-SEAL who crosses the line of justice and morality to become the CIA legend known as Mr. Clark. Before joining the CIA, Clark fought a one-man war against drug dealers in Baltimore, attracting the attention of Jack’s father Emmet, who is a Baltimore police detective. At the time, Jack Ryan was still a teenager.
Released in 1993, No Regrets is a prequel to his 1987 thriller, Patriot Games. In addition to being suspenseful, it also has harrowing scenes that culminate in an act of revenge and an emotional rollercoaster ride. Upon its release, the book debuted at the top of the bestseller lists to critical and fan acclaim.
5. executive orders (1996)
- goodreads: 4.1/5
- audiobooks.com: 4.2/5
- audible : 4.7/5
- abebooks: 4.1/5
A sequel to Debt of Honor, Executive Orders picks up from where the former ended. It places Jack Ryan in a situation he never expected he would be – serving as the US President. And while he struggles to rebuild the government amid threats and fighting wars on multiple fronts, he survives an assassination attempt and a biological warfare attack on the United States. As a result, he is forced to learn fast or pay dearly.
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Released in 1996, this book is dedicated to former pothos Ronald Reagan, who has been instrumental in the worldwide success of Tom Clancy’s. It topped the New York best-seller list and was also commercially successful; selling over 2.3 million copies shortly after its publication. Although it is a debt of honor sequel, the book was an incredible success than the previous one.
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6. the sum of all fears (1991)
- goodreads: 4/5
- audiobooks.com: 4.6/5
- audible : 4.7/5
- abebooks: 4/5
Yet another suspense-filled and compelling book from Tom Clancy, The Sum of All Fears tackled a vital and elusive quality – grace under pressure while taking readers on a nonstop rollercoaster to a nail-biting finish. This novel, which is a sequel to Clear and Present Danger (released in 1989), follows Jack Ryan, who is now the Deputy Director of the CIA, as he tries to stop a crisis surrounding the Middle East peace process where Palestinian and former East German terrorists conspire to bring the United States and the Soviet Union into nuclear war.
The novel was released in 1991 and was adapted into a movie of the same name in the Jack Ryan series in 2002, starring Ben Affleck as Ryan. In addition to receiving high praise from fans and critics, the book was a success; thus reaching no. 1 place on the new york times bestseller list. it also inspired several video games that ubisoft released in 2002.
7. the cardinal of the kremlin (1988)
- goodreads: 4/5
- audiobooks.com: 4.4/5
- audible : 4.4/5
- abebooks: 4/5
A sequel to his first book The Hunt for Red October (released in 1984), The Cardinal of the Kremlin follows Jack Ryan, as he leads a CIA operation that is aimed at extracting the agency’s highest agent in Kremlin, codenamed CARDINAL. However, Cardinal is also being hunted by the KGB as well as the Soviet intelligence agency’s director. Jack will have to get to him first before the KGB does.
Packed with an in-depth look at Cold War espionage, The Cardinal from the Kremlin is considered a great spy novel and a close rival to the hunt for Red October. with its big plot, the book became the best-selling novel of the year, recording over 1.2 million in sales. it also inspired a video game series of the same name.
8. rainbow six (1998)
- goodreads: 4.1/5
- audiobooks.com: 4.1/5
- audible : 4.6/5
- abebooks: 4.1/5
It’s super-amazing seeing the connection between Tom Clancy’s books and reality. It is known that this novel was written years before the 9/11 attack and the War of Terror era. However, Tom anticipated a world in which terrorist cells could create as much fear as the most reckless rogue nations. The suspense-filled 1998 techno-thriller centers on a special-ops team put together by John Clark and Ding Chavez. Made up of their bravest soldiers, the group try to combat a worldwide genocide attempt by eco-terrorists.
This novel seamlessly unleashed in-depth military tactics, a colorful cast of commandos, and fast-paced action scenes that will keep you hooked until the very end. Rainbow Six topped bestseller charts and was released simultaneously with a video game series that sold over 25 million copies shortly after its release. Regardless of its wide acclaim, it was heavily criticized for the implausibility of the plot and some of the minor characters giving it a flat, dime-novel feel.
9. debt of honor (1994)
- goodreads: 4.1/5
- audiobooks.com: 4.4/5
- audible : 4.5/5
- abebooks: 4/5
Amongst all Tom Clancy’s books, Debt of Honor happens to be his most intricate tales. The storyline delves into industrial espionage, economic policies, and misguided patriotism. It also creates an authentic look at how easy it is for two nations to stumble into a war with one another. This novel, which is a sequel to his other novel, The Sum of All Fears (released in 1991), features Jack Ryan as he assumes the post of National Security Advisor; when a secret cabal of Japanese industrialists seize control of their country’s government and wage war on the United States. Notably, it was in this book that, Tom Clancy first foretold the 9/11 attacks. While it received critical acclaim from fans and critics, the book was heavily criticized for its racist depiction of Japanese characters as well as the financial details that slowed down the plot.
10. the bear and the dragon (2000)
- goodreads: 3.9/5
- audiobooks.com: 4.4/5
- audible : 4.6/5
- abebooks: 3.8/5
Also, one of the books in Tom Clancy Jack Ryan’s series, The Bear and the Dragon was released in 2000. It was a sequel to Executive Orders (released in 1996). Although it has a great storyline, nevertheless, the book was not well-received like the former. Regarded as Clancy’s longest novel, the 1,028 paged-book entails President Jack Ryan’s approach to the war between Russia and China. After a Chinese police officer kills a Roman Catholic Cardinal, the American armed forces help Russia quell the Chinese invasion of Siberia.
Shortly after its release, the book received mixed reviews. While it was hailed for its cinematic climax and abundance of African-American characters, it was also criticized for its length, over-reliance on right-wing politics, and racist depiction of Chinese characters.
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summary list of tom clancy books and novels ranked from best to worst
1. the hunt for red october (1984)
2. patriot games (1987)
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3. Clear and Present Danger (1989)
4. no regrets (1993)
5. executive orders (1996)
6. the sum of all fears (1991)
7. the cardinal of the kremlin (1988)
8. rainbow six (1998)
9. debt of honor (1994)
10. the bear and the dragon (2000)
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other works of the author
Over the course of his career, which spanned from 1984 to 2013, Tom Clancy authored more than 20 books. His most popular works to date remain the Jack Ryan series. Before his death in 2013, the author published 19 novels, of which he wrote 13. The remaining 6 were written in collaboration with other authors. more of his works in collaboration with him were also published after his death. include:
- red strom rising (1986 with larry bond)
- ssn: strategies for submarine warfare (1996)
- red rabbit (2002)
- the tiger’s teeth (2003)
- dead or alive (2010 with grant blackwood)
- against all enemies (2011 with peter telep)
- locked on ( 2011 with mark greaney)
- threat vector (with mark greaney in 2012)
- command authority (2013 with mark greaney)
tom clancy books are classified into 14 different categories:
- jack ryan books
- ops center books
- splinter cell books
- ghost recon books
- endwar books
- hawx. books
- power play books
- net force books
- net force explorers books
- campus books
- independent novels
- military reference nonfiction books
- commander nonfiction books
- division books
tom clancy’s jack ryan books in publication order
- the hunt for red october (1984)
- patriot games (1987)
- the cardinal of the kremlin (1988)
- clear and danger present (1989)
- the sum of all fears (1991)
- no regrets (1993)
- debt of honor (1994)
- Executive Orders (1996)
- Rainbow Six (1998)
- The Bear and the Dragon (2000)
- Red Rabbit (2002)
- Tiger’s Teeth (2003)
- Dead or Alive (2010)
- Blocked (2011)
- Threat Vector (2012)
- command authority (2013)
- support and defend (2014)
- full force and effect (2014)
- under fire ( 2015)
- commander in chief (2015)
- duty and honor (2016)
- true faith and loyalty (2016)
- period contact (2017)
- might and empire (2017)
- line of sight (2018)
- oath of office (2018)
- contact with the enemy (2019)
- code of honor (2019)
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tom clancy’s jack ryan books in chronological order to read
- No Regrets (1993)
- Patriot Games (1987)
- Red Rabbit (2002)
- The Hunt for Red October (1984)
- the cardinal of the kremlin (1988)
- clear and present danger (1989)
- the sum of all fears (1991)
- debt of honor (1994)
- executive orders (1996)
- rainbow six (1998)
- the bear and the dragon (2000)
- Tiger’s Teeth (2003)
- Dead or Alive (2010)
- Blocked (2011)
- Threat Vector (2012)
- command authority (2013)
- support and defend (2014)
- full force and effect (2014)
- under fire ( 2015)
- commander in chief (2015)
- duty and honor (2016)
- true faith and loyalty (2016)
- period contact (2017)
- might and empire (2017)
- line of sight (2018)
- oath of office (2018)
- contact with the enemy (2019)
- code of honor (2019)
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You can get all the books listed here for free with Kindle Unlimited subscription plans (first month free). click here to subscribe
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tom clancy campus books in publication order
- support and defend (2014)
- dead or alive (2010)
- blocked (2011)
- threat vector (2012)
- command authority (2013)
tom clancy military reference nonfiction books in publication order
- submarine (1993)
- armored knight (1994)
- fighter wing (1995)
- marine (1996)
- airborne (1997)
- carrier (1999)
- special forces (2000)
the tom clancy operations center books in publication order
- op-center (1995)
- mirror image (1995)
- state games (1996)
- acts of war (1996)
- balance of power (1998)
- siege (1999)
- divide and rule (2000)
- line of control ( 2001)
- mission of honor (2002)
- sea of fire (2003)
- call to betrayal (2004)
- war from eagles (2005)
- from the ashes (2014)
- into the fire (2015)
- scorched earth (2016)
- zone dark (2017)
- for honor (2018)
- wasp sting (2019)
- god of war (2020)
- red storm rising (1986)
- ssn: strategies for submarine warfare (1996)
- against all enemies (2011)
- into the storm (1997)
- every man a tiger (1999)
- shadow warriors (2002)
- ready for the battle (2004)
- politika (1997)
- ruthless.com (1998)
- clock in the shadow (1999)
- biological attack (2000)
- cold war (2001)
- vanguard (2002)
- zero hour (2003)
- wildcard (2004)
- net force (1999)
- hidden agendas (1999)
- night movements (1999)
- breaking point (2000)
- point of impact (2001)
- cybernation (2001)
- state of war (2003)
- changing of the guard (2003)
- trampoline (2005)
- the archimedes effect (2006)
- dark web (2019)
- virtual hooligans (1998)
- the deadliest game (1998)
- one is the loneliest number (1999)
- the last Escape (1999)
- Endgame (1998)
- Cyber Spy (1999)
- The Great Race (1999)
- Shadow of Honor (2000) )
- private lives (2000)
- safe house (2000)
- gameprey (2000)
- identity duel ( 2000)
- world of death (2000)
- high wire (2001)
- cold case (2001)
- fugitives ( 2001)
- cloak and dagger (2002)
- death match (2003)
- splinter cell (2004)
- operation barracuda (2005)
- checkmate (2006)
- fallout (2007)
- conviction (2009)
- endgame (2009)
- blacklist aftermath (2013)
- ghost reconnaissance (2008)
- combat operations (2011)
- chokepoint (2012)
- wildlands: dark waters ( 2017)
- hawx. (2009)
- endwar (2008)
- the hunted (2011)
- the disappeared (2013)
- new york meltdown (2016)
- broken dawn (2019)