Rating: 
Summary: It can't touch his previous work
Review: As a Clancy fan since the beginning, I look forward to each new offering. I found the Op Center series to be good--but not to the usual high standards of the author. This book was just not the style of work I have come to expect and love. There were the usual dozen characters by chapter five, and they just kept multiplying. There was little character development of the main characters (beyond undercurrents) by chapter 15 when I gave up. The chapters themselves are written as though they are meant for a reader with a short attention span; a few pages with two or more sections containing different parts of the story plot. It is very difficult to follow. I would not recommend this book to long time Tom Clancy fans.
Rating: 
Summary: A good Clancy Technological thriller
Review: The author, Tom Clancy, is known for being a military technology buff, and porting his love over to his novels. Originally an insurance broker, he wrote his first novel, The Hunt For Red October in 1984. From then on, he's been well known for being an excellent military writer as well as creator of military and terrorist scenarios. His skills as a writer, show in this book, as well as his interests in technology and terrorism. Net Force is a novel, that starts, and doesn't stop. Like a roller coaster, it drops you down and takes you for many twists and curves in the plot. Net Force, is also a frame story. It had many different stories going on at once in it, that all combine to a fantastic climax. Me being an avid reader of Clancy novels, I found this book extremely enjoyable. Character development started right off, as they went in about Michaels (The new director of Net Force) and his reactions to the many chaotic events that happen around him. Clancy showed human flaws in his normal characters. I really enjoy those types of characters, so I suppose that struck a chord with me. Also, Clancy's use of imagination as well as technological knowledge was superb. To describe the internet, a growing almost living thing, twelve years into the future, and go into that much detail, is incredible. The antagonist, just like the protagonist, is indeed, human. Although his goal is world domination, he attempts to succeed in very simple and humanly possible ways. He makes mistakes (which ultimately lead to his downfall) and underestimates Net Force. Of the many sub-stories however, I enjoyed the Russian, "The Rifle's" most of all. Clancy later carries this character ahead to the 3rd book, and ties it together very well.
Rating:
Summary: Almost a book
Review: This story is out of reality at any time, it has an almost love story, almost FBI thriller, almost futuristic, almost childish, and I can keep going about almost everything, apart of that, you can skip almost half of the book and you will understand it, so to resume this review this book is a complete (not almost, complete) waste.
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING Thriller
Review: Tom Clancy is an amazing author. We have begun to expect thrilling novels from him. Net Force is just a step above the rest.
The book begins with the assassination of Michael Day, the head of Net Force. Net Force is the governments computer control agency, believed by some to be ore powerful than the FBI and CIA. The assassination is the spider in the web of events leading to the exciting conclusion. There are five main characters in this novel: The Selkie, who is an assassin trying to take out the replacement head of Net Force, Plekhanov, who is trying to take over Ukraine, Alex Michaels, who is the new head of Net Force, and Toni Fiorella, the martial arts master.
This book has some very thrilling moments like "Ruzhyo placed the wavering crosshairs on the mans chest" and "He turned and saw the old lady with her cane held over her shoulder like a baseball bat, ready to belt his head into the bleachers." are just some of them.
I suggest you read this literary masterpiece, it will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Rating:
Summary: It's Not Typical Clancy Fiction...
Review: Yes, I agree with other reviewers who say that Net Force is not classic Tom Clancy fiction. I feel that to read and enjoy Net Force, you need to put the fact that Clancy is the author out of your mind. try to enjoy the book as the hi-tec action story it is and you may find that you enjoy it. But if your expecting a typical Clancy book, you will be in for a dissapointment. The toughest thing about enjoying Net Force however, is getting into the book. The technology terms can get confusing. If your not a fan of computers or sci-fi you may have a difficult time getting to like the novel. Some paragraphs are very complicated to the point where you will actuallly have to re-read a paragraph or two just to get the full meaning. Once you get into the well written story you will have a tough time putting it down. The characters are very well crafted and interesting. Plus there are a number of sub plots which intersect with the main plot which I found to be interesting and enjoyable, I liked Net Force, but many people didn't. The key is to sit back and enjoy it for what it, a great futuristic action book and not a typical Tom Clancy book
Rating:
Summary: Beginning of a worthwhile series
Review: I've read a few of the NetForce novels, including this one that launched the series, and thought I'd pop around and see what some of the Amazon.com users like me thought about them. I'm really surprised they're not more well received. Some thoughts in reply to several comments I've seen readers make here:1) Tom Clancy did not write these novels. He and Steve Pieczenik are listed as "created by," and it appears that a writer named Steve Perry may have done most of the actual writing of at least two of the three NetForce novels I've read. His name is an attention-getter, and it is somewhat odd to me that so many reviewers comment on "this isn't Clancy's best work." Of course not. It's obviously not his writing, so the books cannot be accurately reviewed from that angle. 2) Comments regarding there being less than Clancy's usual tons of technical detail are irrelevant as well. Personally the technical detail bores me anyway, and there is too much here for my tastes, making it one of the weaknesses of the NetForce series IMO. YMMV; some reviewers want more technical detail, I want less. There's enough in this series to be illustrative, but for me (I prefer plot exposition, moving the story along, and character development) the writer stops to explain various weapons more than enough. It slows the story down, but at least it's not too distracting. 3) Someone commented that this series "is not written for people who actually use computers." Ahem. I have operated a commercial website for several years as a part-time job, and my full-time job is on my PC as well. I have rebuilt and upgraded entire computer systems by myself with minimal instruction. I practically *live* in e-mail. And I do enjoy this series. Again, perhaps the reviewer was looking for some kind of extensive technical detail on the computer systems and how they function and interface, but gimme a break, that's *work* to me. I read for pleasure, not to take my work with me into those hours. The internet crime focus and extensive descriptions of a futuristic virtual-reality-driven internet are definitely interesting reading. Having said all that, the prospective reader of this series must also be aware that it is not just a series of self-enclosed stories but an actual serial of sorts. One of the bad guys in this novel returns later in the "Night Moves" book (third in the series), our heroic geek Jay Gridley meets someone in that one who changes his life and becomes part of future episodes, the working relationship between Alex & Toni (with occasional comments about an attraction) bears fruit in future volumes, and Colonel Howard's family life (plus the life of his son Tyrone) is another thread that runs throughout much of the series. The NetForce books realistically include people of multiple races, backgrounds, personalities, interests, religions, politics, etc., and consistently have the interesting multiple perspective of viewing the story through the eyes of various characters. It also introduces us to some little-known martial arts, primarily from Indonesia, but in the later "CyberNation" book we get some sharply drawn bad guys and one of them has a Brazilian fighting style. By and large, this is a series which I will continue to follow with interest.
Rating: 
Summary: an ok book, but I've read better Clancy.
Review: This book is what I feel is a major departure for Clancy. It reads quite a bit different than most of his other works. In my opinion it's more like the Op Force books, than say Red October or Patriot Games. The book is very detailed in regards to Computer stuff and tech talk so a newcommer to this stuff might be a little confused. I realize that the book is fairly old but I doubt the future will look as clancy has portrayed it. I don't think VR is going to be that integrated or advanced in 10 years time. Especially on a global scale as he portrayed it. The characters are ok, but with so many of them its hard to really get to know them. By the end of the book I had begun to really associate with them, but it took too long for me to really care about them. BTW I was realluy rooting for the bad guys in this one, they're the best characters by far I think. So in my opinion grab this book if you're a computer and clancy fan. Or if you can get a copy for cheap. It's not a book that everyone will enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: FUTURISTIC GLIMPSE
Review: Tom Clancy is a genius at research on any topic - and he excels in the futuristic world of the virtual world computer. If you enjoy the science of computers, the possibilities of virtual world then this is a must read. It will be a scary prospect when considering RW (real world vs. VR (virtual reality) - but brace yourselves because Clancy has hit the nail on the head. If you are a fan of his writing - don't miss this one.
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING Thriller
Review: Tom Clancy is an amazing author. We have begun to expect thrilling novels from him. Net Force is just a step above the rest.
The book begins with the assassination of Michael Day, the head of Net Force. Net Force is the governments computer control agency, believed by some to be ore powerful than the FBI and CIA. The assassination is the spider in the web of events leading to the exciting conclusion. There are five main characters in this novel: The Selkie, who is an assassin trying to take out the replacement head of Net Force, Plekhanov, who is trying to take over Ukraine, Alex Michaels, who is the new head of Net Force, and Toni Fiorella, the martial arts master.
This book has some very thrilling moments like "Ruzhyo placed the wavering crosshairs on the mans chest" and "He turned and saw the old lady with her cane held over her shoulder like a baseball bat, ready to belt his head into the bleachers." are just some of them.
I suggest you read this literary masterpiece, it will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: Tom clancy is one of my favorite writers and his net force series is great. The first book starts off a lot of diffrent trails to be expanded upon in future additions to the series. This book is not for a one time reader but if you love to get into something this is it. Clancy doesnt end the book with action till the last page.
|
