Rating: 
Summary: An Entertaining Book!
Review: This book shows the problems that the new President of Russia encounters when he tries to turn Russia into a democracy. The President has to do battle with hardliners,the Russian Mafia and various other bad guys. The Op-Center crisis team,Striker has been sent in to help the new President restore order. They discover a Russian version of Striker. Op-Center faces a grave chakkenge trying to aid Russia. The book turns into one action sequence after the other.If there is one thing that this book has is action. Read this book. You will not be dissapointed.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining
Review: I had a hard time putting down this novel, and this though I am neither a Clancy fan nor familiar with the Op-Center premise. As an engineering student, I of course appreciated the gadgetry, though all the weaponry description was at times a bit excessive. Some reviewers complain without cause that the characters are faceless. This strikes me as strange, as Clancy and Pieczenik even go into a fair amount of detail with the engineer in charge of the Atatürk dam who doesn't survive the chapter, and I even found myself half sympathizing with the terrorist Ibrahim. Also, Rodgers' conduct does not seem unbecoming, since his decision to offer up information on their vehicle had to do with the current situation and his hopes of using his cooperation to gain an advantage over the captors, and the constant personality clashes in Washington, while perhaps a little caricatural, add to the tension. Furthermore, I appreciated that the Kurds were not simply bashed as terrorists, but that their cause was at least acknowledged as a real one, I enjoyed seeing civilians and non-Americans acknowledged as equally capable and resourceful as the still sometimes a bit too heroic US armed forces, and I was glad that Clancy did not offer an easy pat solution to the Middle East conflicts. All in all, a page-turner worth my time.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Book!
Review: This was the first book written in the Op-Center series. Much to my surprise it turned out to be a very good book. Op-Center and it's military arm Striker are created for the purpose of crisis management. The head man of this new agency Paul Hood proved to be a very readable leading man. The Op-Center group is forced to intervene in a long standing world hotspot. There are once again problems brewing in Korea between North-South Korea. It falls upon the forces of Op-Center to prevent a major war. Paul Hood and the Striker team are able to save the day and prevent a major crisis. A very believeable scenario. This was definitely a book that you will enjoy. The whole Op-Center series has been very good.
Rating:
Summary: Great plot sends you into enemy territory
Review: This story starts out with a bombing overseas and the governemnt secret agency that is chosen to take care of this attack. The op-center is a where a group of highly intelligent people gather information using satellites and spies from all over the world. This book reminds me of spy movies such as James Bond or even of books like "Rainbow Six" also written by Tom Clancy. Mr. Clancy does a great job of showing the reader exactly what is going on because of the way he uses his words. In the story he talks about an operative who notices spies stopping into this same place but in different disquises. He then talks about how the operative notices the same chronic bad breath. The kind you can smell from across the room. That line right there told me a whole lot about this spy. It also showed that this spy was not doing everything possible to change his disquise. He also talks about the atmosphere of the bar where the operative works and comments on the stale air as well as the continous backround noise that is going on. This really lets the reader get into the story and experience exactly what the character is experiencing. The vietnam setting just mad the story have a whole different twist. Clancy talked about the DMZ(Demiliteized zone) and how it was so small and lined with guards on either side. He also lets the reader see exactly howprotected this zone is by saying "Reagan was the first person ever to cross through the DMZ and live" This gives a certain mystique to this zone. While I enjoyed this book very much I think there was a little too much hi-tech talk in this book about computer programs and hardware like that. Even though I could understand what was being talke about I don't think that someone without a background in computers could figue out all that was being talked about. I you are someone who is into hi-tech espionage I owuld definately recommend this book for you.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Readable Book!
Review: This was a very readable book. This book reflects some of the events that are at this moment happening in the world. You are beginning to see the emergence of Neo-Nazi groups in Germany as well as in the rest of Europe. Clancy uses these groups to play an ultimate. Paul Hood and Striker are on the scene in Europe doing business for op-center and are able to save the day for the forces of good. The ringleader of the Neo-Nazis is definitely an evil individual. Striker is able to save the European area as well as the rest of the world from chaos. This was a very good read. You will not be dissapointed.
Rating:
Summary: Just another good Op-Center
Review: I've read the entire Op-Center series now, and I must say I enjoyed it very much. The combination of great plotting, allota tension and master-insight in the military and intelligence business, together, make the Op-Center novels a must for Clancy fans, and a very good read for other readers. But if you can't make your decision on which Op Center you want to read first, I'd surely recommend Acts of War, since it's the best novel in the series... What makes this novel so readable, is the fact that the situation in the Middle East, which is the scenery for this story, is just so incredibly complicating, that one can impossible know what will happen in the next chapter. Also, Clancy and Pieczenik seem to have great insight in the military and intelligence business, thus creating a very realistic story, instead of yet another misplaced ferry tale. But still though, I am strict, and therefor rate this book with 4 instead of 5 stars... I'm still waiting for the true masterwork, which will unevitably follow this great chain of bestselling novels.
Rating: 
Summary: Rare lack of knowledge
Review: I usually am a fond reader of Tom Clancy's works, may they be fictional or factual. But this thing shows a rare lack of knowledge, which I find annoying. I am german, a citizen of Hanover, where Clancy set much of his plot - and the connection between real events and the story plot would make SOME research neccessary, I guess. But all the research found in this novel is reading a roadmap of Germany, and even that is done badly. Anything else is pure fiction, and the relation to real events is only in the name. Where is the author that takes up so much time researching things BEFORE writing? THIS thing is just making money...
Rating: 
Summary: Great Read
Review: Tom Clancy decision to collaborate with Steve R. Pieczenik was the best decision he ever made. As a result of this collaboration Clancy's books have become interesting.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Book!
Review: I certainly enjoyed this book. It deserved better than three stars. The Syrian terrorists blow up a dam placing a water supply at risk. This is part of a bigger plot to leave the Syrian President unprotected. Op-Center(Striker) intervenes.The life of the Syrian President is saved and the terrorists are brought to bay. You even have an appearance by the undercover forces of the Israelis who play a role in saving the day. One of the Op-Center people is tortured by the terrorists but finally saved. All in all a very good book. One of the better ones in the Op-Center series that would have to be ranked right after State of Seige.
Rating:
Summary: Recommended Clancy Novel
Review: Not every author can grab your attention from the first sentence and some take several pages to do it. Although I was only partially interested in the book from the beginning (this being my first of this genre), I gave it a chance and soon found the book to be quite intriguing. Clancy's style seems to be to create several plots and switch between them throughout the novel. I gave the book four stars because it had a great plot and okay description but some of the occurences were not plausible. For example, the Striker team included Privates and sergeants but it would be more likely that this type of team would contain professionals. Moreover, 25 is too young for a Lieutenant Colonel in my opinion. However, the book wasn't too taxing upon a reader's belief. All in all, I think this is a good book and I recommend it.
| 
