American author Tom Clancy has passed away aged 66 after a brief illness, it has been announced today. Best known for creating the character of CIA analyst Jack Ryan, Clancy enjoyed a hugely successful career, penning 17 New York Times Bestsellers, and was the co-founder of Red Storm Entertainment, the video game company behind bestselling franchises such as Rainbox Six, Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell.
Born in Baltimore in 1947, Clancy wrote his first novel The Hunt for Red October in his spare time, with the book going on to sell over 5 million copies and launching a career that quickly saw him earn a reputation for penning complex and highly technical military espionage thrillers. Four of Clancy’s Jack Ryan books have been adapted for the screen (The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger and The Sum of All Fears), with Star Trek star Chris Pine also set to portray the character later this year in the reboot Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.
Along with other novels such as Red Storm Rising, The Cardinal of the Kremlin, Without Remorse, Rainbox Six and Red Rabbit, Clancy also lent his name to several book series penned by ghost writers, including Op-Center and Net Force, along with the video game franchises EndWar and H.A.W.X.
Originally published October 2, 2013. Updated April 10, 2018.
