|
== The Jack Ryan series (arranged by event chronology, not order of publication) ==
* ''[[Literature/Without Remorse|Without Remorse]]'' -- The [[Backstory]] of [[Badass]] CIA operative John Clark, who goes on a [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge]] against a vicious drug gang following the murder of his girlfriend.
* ''[[Literature/Patriot Games|Patriot Games]]'' -- Ex-Marine Jack Ryan, an American tourist in London, rescues the Prince of Wales from [[The Troubles|Irish terrorists]] and comes to the attention of both the IRA and the CIA. This was the second book to be filmed, with [[Harrison Ford]] as Ryan.
* ''[[Red Rabbit]]'' -- Ryan, a new CIA analyst, must assist in locating a Soviet defector with information about a KGB plot to assassinate [[The Pope]].
* ''[[The Hunt for Red October]]'' -- Clancy's first published novel, featuring a rogue prototype Soviet nuclear missile submarine. Ryan is the man on the spot to assist its officers with their plan to defect to the United States. Made into a feature film with Alec Baldwin.
* ''[[Literature/The Cardinal Of The Kremlin|The Cardinal Of The Kremlin]]'' -- America's top agent in the Soviet Union is compromised, just as he comes into possession of plans for a system that could change the [[Cold War]] nuclear stalemate forever. Ryan must play a dangerous mind game against the head of the KGB to rescue the agent, with the balance of power in the Soviet government at stake.
* ''[[Clear and Present Danger]]'' -- A rogue adviser to the President launches a covert and illegal war on the Columbian narcotics industry, and Ryan must rescue the soldiers before they are abandoned to their fate. The third film from the series and the second to star [[Harrison Ford]].
* ''[[The Sum of All Fears]]'' -- Arab terrorists get their hands on a nuclear bomb and try to set it off within the United States, and a burned out Ryan is the [[Only Sane Man]] in a dangerously paranoid U.S. administration. Loosely adapted into the fourth film as a sort of reboot, featuring [[Ben Affleck]] as a newbie Ryan, with the Arabs swapped for Neo-Nazis.
* ''[[Literature/Debt Of Honor|Debt Of Honor]]'' -- After an economic crisis, [[Japan Takes Over the World|Japan decides to launch a new war of territorial acquisition]]. Ryan must help his country figure out how to fight back on two fronts: economic and military, with a navy dangerously drawn down by past presidents.
* ''[[Literature/Executive Orders|Executive Orders]]'' -- The war with Japan is over, at a terrible cost. Meanwhile, Iran, sensing weakness in the badly damaged U.S. government, embarks on a campaign of terrorism and biological warfare in an attempt to unify the Muslim world by force. Not only is Ryan's leadership ability called into question like never before, but he and his family have once again become targets of a ruthless and powerful enemy.
* ''[[Rainbow Six (novel)|Rainbow Six]]'' -- [[Badass]] Clark and Junior Badass Ding Chavez join an international paramilitary counterterrorism force. Little do they suspect that they'll be facing an enemy within their own country. Adapted into [[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (video game)|a series of video games]].
* ''[[Literature/The Bear And The Dragon|The Bear And The Dragon]]'' -- China, facing an economic and political crisis, [[China Takes Over the World|decides to invade Russia.]] The U.S. must cement a friendship with its once-greatest foe to fight off the aggressor. But what will Ryan do when the threat turns nuclear?
* ''[[Literature/Teeth Of The Tiger|Teeth Of The Tiger]]'' -- In the world after Ryan's departure from government, there are new terrorist threats. Ryan's son, also named Jack, joins a Black Ops group dedicated to attacking them on their own turf.
* ''[[Literature/Dead Or Alive|Dead Or Alive]]'' -- The further adventures of Jack Ryan Jr. and his fellow counterterrorists of "The Campus". Also, the elder Ryan comes to the reluctant decision to run for office again.
|