I really enjoyed his books, he even had a series (several) that he had co-authors, but they followed his formula and were very entertaining. My first one was Hunt for Red October. I think I enjoyed following Jack Ryan the most of all his characters. I think he lost the right's to some of those characters to his wife in a divorce settlement or something like. I always thought that was weird.
Way back when, a guy walked into my office here on a Saturday when we are normally closed. He said he needed to make copies of a manuscript he just completed. I was speed reading it as the pages exited the machine and asked him what it was about. I did not know it then but I was looking at the first draft of the Hunt for Red October. The fellow told me he was from Baltimore and that he had a summer place here at the Jersey Shore. It was only when he was on TV months later promotimg his book that I realized I was talking for 30 minutes with Tom Clancy in my office.
Funny how things like that happen...good story. If you had had one of those new "Memory" copiers then, You'd have had an original First draft in your memory bank.
:cry: So sad my favorite book Hunt for Red October and Patriot games. he has a new book coming out in November. and so young