Rating: 
Summary: Severely disappointing
Review: This is a good book, it's just not my kind of book. I spent a long time reading it and even had to schedule my reading so I wouldn't fall behind and stop reading it like I do with many books I'm not really interested in. Well, it really picks up at around page 600. Before that there are a lot of political affairs and descriptions of military tactics, which will probably bore most people but not enough to stop reading altogether.Towards the end, when the pace of the story does get faster, however, I found myself becoming more and more aggravated. I just couldn't stand the splitting dichotomy that my mind's eye reeled from. The technical facts and political background is flawless, perfect. This makes the whole book sound real throughout. Clancy could say that the President had a pet monkey and I'd believe him because he has such good ethos. But near the end of the book, these so carefully described political characters became such an annoying work of fiction I became aggravated. I hope I'm not ruining the book for anyone, but at the end, the characters just become plain STUPID. Imagine reading for 600 pages about fairly intelligent people with their own goals and aspirations, then suddenly have them become mindless non-persons unable to think or act clearly. This is of course a major opinion on my part, but I just found the way the characters acted near the end impossible to believe and frustrating because they didn't fit into character at all nor were their actions realistic. There are some positive points, however. After reading this, I have a lot more respect for people serving in the armed forces. It clearly gives a good perspective for what life in the military can be like, with ranks, commanders in chief, the chain of command, and trying to follow superiors. The dialogue was entertaining and the character interactions were believable, but Tom Clancy could do away with the constant references to sexually-pleasing women every 60 pages or so. Overall I was disappointed in this book. I am looking forward to the movie as I hope it will be a little bit more entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: Not what I expected
Review: At 900-some pages, this book is hard to get started on. It could be compressed to about 400 pages, if the more useless parts were cut out. It was a very interesting story, but it was executed in a wrong way. One thing that bothered me was the excessive use of profane language. Does cussing really improve a book any? The thoughts of these people are horrendous. Women are constantly called names, and people suddenly yell out "S.O.B." in capital letters in their minds. The idea of a nuclear explosion at the Super Bowl is pretty exciting, but you have to read a ways to get to the real action. Read "The Hunt For Red October" instead of this. Or at least BEFORE it.
Rating: 
Summary: Masterpiece
Review: This is the first Clany book I've read and I have to say it's perfect. This is a true novel. He goes from discussing history with a Georgetown professor, to blowing someone's head off, and then to passionate love making in a single stroke. It's just incredible. This is one of, if not the, best books I've ever read. I'm 17 and enjoyed every word. Keep up the good work. I recommeneded this to everyone including my AP English teacher. She typically hates works of this genre, but couldn't put this book down.
Rating:
Summary: The Sum of All Fears
Review: Wow! How does he do it? Book after book, hit after hit. I've read seven of his books. I give them all so far five stars. This book really made me think. Thilling, Scary, exciting. Thanks Tom... Bill Davis, a fan.
Rating:
Summary: REad this book
Review: Tom Clancy works his magic again, as he continues the Jack Ryan series with another block buster of a book. I would have given this book a higher rating, but compared to the genius of some of Mr. Clancy s other books i can not. I highly urge everyone to read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Always hard to read and hard to put down.
Review: I find it hard to read a Clancy book. it is great to find one that I can even finish. This one I did finish. It was a great story. A great beginning. and a complex story. A humdinger of an ending. A great story over all. Keeps you guessing.
Rating: 
Summary: Navy saga, Boatswain's Mate is better
Review: Typical Clancy stuff but not my favorite writer. Maybe the movie will bring it to life. I recently read Boatswain's Mate, a sailor's story by Pat Johnston, and found it to be more interesting. The characters are more down to earth than Clancy's high flying CIA operatives.
Rating:
Summary: Dull and dry
Review: Until "The Bear and the Dragon" came along, this was my least favorite Clancy novel. Unlike his earlier stuff, he takes FOREVER to get the story cooking, and it's the first one where his personal politics really start to get in the way. In a book where it takes a whole chapter for a nuclear bomb to go off, you can expect to read some fairly arcane technical trivia.
("The Bear and the Dragon" also has this in common with "Sum." They're the only ones where he tries to write sex scenes, and, well, let's just say it's not his forte. He should have learned from this novel that he doesn't do it well, and left it alone.)
This is the only Tom Clancy novel I have been unable to reread. Some of them I've read five or six times. This one I just can't make it through a second time.
Rating:
Summary: Great read...once again
Review: Once again, perennial best-seller Tom Clancy has crafted a story which is both entertaining and frightening. Considering the events of September 11th, it is not surprising that this book has taken on gargantuan proportions. I do not wish to take anything away from this book. It is well-crafted and very detailed - sometimes a bit too detailed for most people's taste. However, for those who want to understand everything there is, no one is better to do that than Clancy. The Sum of All Fears is wonderfully written and will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the story. It also does not hinder readers who may pick this up as their first Clancy novel. Each character is drawn accordingly and enough information is given so they aren't strangers to the first-timer.
Rating:
Summary: The Sum of All Fears
Review: Tom Clancy's The Sum of All Fears is quite possibly tied for his best work (Clear and Present Danger may be the only that surpasses it). Clancy combines his talent for character self-exploration with the action that only he can describe. Though criticized for his long character developments and explanations, watching Jack Ryan and his colleagues overcome their personal problems, along with the challenges that face the world, excites anyone willing to look deeper into the true meanings of his books. The Sum of All Fears appeals to those who want action-packed adventure and those who want to understand the characters (not just looking for a cheap thrill). Also, on an unrelated note, the Phantom on the cover looks really cool.
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