Tom Clancy's Op-Center Series - No.11

by

Jeff Rovin

Created by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik

5 out of 10

I really do get disappointed by the commercialism of the 'Tom Clancy' authors these days. While it is undoubtedly a legitimate technique to utilize the worlds and characters created by other authors, this particular work will never be anything like a Clancy at its best.
As these series develop they seem less and less like Clancy.
The characters are becoming unbelievable and the plots lack both plausibility and grit. The "Clancy" of old exploded nuclear weapons in the USA, overturned corrupt presidential régimes and had key characters die when least expected. He took risks based on somewhat believable, though remote, probabilities and displayed to us all some wonderfully flawed characters.
The flawed General Rodgers and Paul Hood of Op-Centre despite their almost diametrically opposed judgments both succeed at the end, but reality isn't like that. It is inevitable that this plot will resolve in the best way for the ongoing society that is the US of A, though the reality of September 11 clearly indicates that truth is never as glowing as Op-Center's successes.
All that said if this wasn't plastered with Tom Clancy's name all over it, the book could probably stand as a reasonable airplane read.
There is a rapidly developing plot but the reader is given too many facts when the surprises could have been so much better had they been revealed later in the plot.
The first murder is engrossing, carefully thought out and well paced but then it all goes downhill. Rovin can obviously write, arouse emotion and deliver action but he is just not able to put this incredibly complex plot together. I doubt anyone could. Maybe it was released for the USA election fever.
Op-center needs to go back to its roots - action, technology, planning and teamwork. I can only hope that number 12 finds its way there. Smart plots building on the characters already developed, with a few surprises, will lead this team back from the wilderness. I hope so as airplane seats are getting smaller and a good yarn is essential to pass the time.

© David K. Evans (2004)