Rating: Summary: Gripping thriller Review: Heard the taped version of TOM CLANCY'S OP-CENTER: DIVIDE AND CONQUER by Jeff Rovin . . . this is a gripping thriller about tensions between Iran and the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan . . . conspirators within the State Department are at work, trying to cause tensions to flair . . . at the same time, they try to convince the President of the United States that he is mentally unstable . . . it is up to Paul Hood and the members of the Op-Center to prevent the outbreak of war and save the President's honor . . . there's a lot of plot squeezed into these tapes, and though I'm not ordinarily a fan of this genre, I admit that I liked this tale . . . my enjoyment was magnified by as a result of an excellent narration by Robert Foxworth.
Rating: Summary: This is by far the best of the Op Series Review: I dont want to give away the plot but I will say this. This is by far the best of this series in terms of plot and action. If you are going to read any books in this series read this one.
Rating: Summary: Best Op-Center Book Since the First! Review: I have been really disappointed in the Op-Center series since the first book. They have just seemed to have mediocre story lines, and not much character development at all. Also, the never-ending quotes by "famous people" just gets to be tiresome. However, this book's storyline was intriguing, and the Paul Hood character seemed to begin to feel like a real person again. One who the reader could actually enjoy talking to. I am glad for the fact that Rodgers was not such a main character in this book. Rodgers seems like too much of a protaginist to me. Also, he seems to quote more from books, essays, and speeches than the other characters. So, if you like Paul Hood, but could do without Rodgers, this is a good book for you!
Rating: Summary: Best Op-Center Book Since the First! Review: I have been really disappointed in the Op-Center series since the first book. They have just seemed to have mediocre story lines, and not much character development at all. Also, the never-ending quotes by "famous people" just gets to be tiresome. However, this book's storyline was intriguing, and the Paul Hood character seemed to begin to feel like a real person again. One who the reader could actually enjoy talking to. I am glad for the fact that Rodgers was not such a main character in this book. Rodgers seems like too much of a protaginist to me. Also, he seems to quote more from books, essays, and speeches than the other characters. So, if you like Paul Hood, but could do without Rodgers, this is a good book for you!
Rating: Summary: Not as good as the previous in the series Review: I have to say that I was expecting a little bit more. This book is somewhat to far-stretch in terms of who's doing what. Everybody is conspiring against each other and Paul is the man. Well even though he did pretty good in the other book, I think he losing it to Jack Ryan which contains a much deeper character. With the recent ups & downs of TC's books, maybe he should slow down a bit and work harder on his characters (Op-Center, Net Force, Power Plays, Jack Ryan). We had jack for what, almost 2 decades? Paul's characters will almost have the same number of books in 3 years as well as having a few ones with Net Force and the Power Play so the depth is not there as it was before. But the book was good enough for me to look forward for the next one, which I hope TC will take more time to do.
Rating: Summary: Not as good as the previous in the series Review: I have to say that I was expecting a little bit more. This book is somewhat to far-stretch in terms of who's doing what. Everybody is conspiring against each other and Paul is the man. Well even though he did pretty good in the other book, I think he losing it to Jack Ryan which contains a much deeper character. With the recent ups & downs of TC's books, maybe he should slow down a bit and work harder on his characters (Op-Center, Net Force, Power Plays, Jack Ryan). We had jack for what, almost 2 decades? Paul's characters will almost have the same number of books in 3 years as well as having a few ones with Net Force and the Power Play so the depth is not there as it was before. But the book was good enough for me to look forward for the next one, which I hope TC will take more time to do.
Rating: Summary: The Best Yet Review: I loved this book. It is wonderfully crafted, and is a real page-turner. It focuses on fewer characters, providing more depth about Paul Hood -- whose humanity makes him one of the greatest characters in these types of books. The plot in this Op Center is especially good -- very devious and smart. Strategy and deception play a much larger role than military force in this Op Center, which makes the story so compelling. Essentially, in this Op Center, we encounter a Paul Hood who is beginning to get past a lot of difficult personal issues that built up in previous Op Centers. Just as this is happening, however, Paul Hood finds himself in a real maze of intrigue that requires all of his cunning and intelligence. In short, the best Op Center ever. You will love this one.
Rating: Summary: New Op Center Best of the Clancy Brand-name Books Review: I'm a big reader of all the Clancy books, both the hard covers he works on every few years and the series written under his masthead by other authors. This new Op Center, written by Jeff Rovin (as it seems all the Op Centers were if you read the credits in the back of the book), is the best of the bunch. (In my opinion, Netforce and Powerplay series aren't really worth reading compared to Op Center.) In Divide and Conquer, the returning hero, Paul Hood finally confronts his personal demons and gets on with the business of saving the country. The plot is plausable (which is always a good thing in a techno-thriller) and very gripping....I read the book in one sitting and I look forward to the next in the series...sounds like there will be trouble brewing in India....
Rating: Summary: Not suspenseful - disappointed. Review: I'm a fan of Tom Clancy and read all his books. I think this was a disappointment from the view that it was not suspenseful. This book was "plain vanilla"/bland. The Op center series seems to be getting less and less interesting - Tom could have done a better job. It reads like his non-fiction books. I keep Tom's books that I like - this is one that's going in to the trash can.
Rating: Summary: Brains over brawn - all-Hood. Review: I'm beginning to read the Op Center series just to see when Paul finally leaves his family and moves in with Anne. Where's the rest of the support team? No one would be fool enough to take on the Oval Office without bouncing more ideas off your intelligence analysts. Hey, Clancy, et al, it's time to delve into the lives of the supporting players a la Clear and Present Danger. The absence of the Striker team and the backchannel use of the Russian Op Center lends more and more credibility to the writers for a believable story. Yes, it's possible to have excitement without bullets but the action around the Caspian Sea should keep the blood-n-guts and hard-core spy thriller readers occupied. But the mental breakdown of the President? Interesting plot line but I wasn't convinced this was the way it could be done.
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