Oceania The Matthew Reilly fan thread

Red Rabbit is the next Tom Clancy film.

Actually the first three Wilbur Smith books would make great films as well...

E_S

 

Ender_Sai, can you please elaborate more on the differences between book and film for "The Sum of All Fears?"

Is Red Rabbit the film confirmed?!?

If they decided to make the later chronological Jack Ryan films, I think that they should bring back Alec Baldwin to play Jack... what do you think?

 

Ok, Gath: Yep, Rabbit is confirmed.

In the book, Jack is the DDCI - the Deputy Director of Central Ingelligence. He is promoted there after his post as DDI (Deputy Director, Intelligence - the CIA has 4 main arms, the DO - Directorate of Operations, field stuff, the DI, Directorate of Intelligence, the DST, the Directorate of Science and Technology, and the Security and Personnel Office, SPO) in Clear and Present Danger after Admiral Jim Greer dies. After an opening which is very similar to the film - an Israeli A4 being shot down with a nuke on board over Syria - we're introduced to Jack, DCI Cabot and the Washington political scene. Jack comes up with some magic peace plan for the Middle East, which is touted as idea but left on the backburner until an Israeli cop kills a peaceful Palestinian protestor in cold blood on camera. Then the plan Jack came up with goes ahead, and all are happy.

We also find out that Jack is paying for the college tution of Buck Zimmer - the chopper pilot killed in Clear, and that people begin to suspect Ryan is actually having an affair, which adds some nice domestic tension for Jack and Cathy. (Remember, Jack made around (IIRC) US$12,000,000 on Wall St.)

Anyways, the peace process upsets some Islamist terrorists who recruit an American Indian into their cause. They smuggle a bomb into the US and blow up the superbowl. IIRC, SecState or someone like that is killed, and Ryan undermines the President's decision to launch on Russia in retaliation. Hence, within two books Jack gets rid of two presidents. However, it does set the stage up for Jack to become National Security Advisor in Debt of Honour, which is really where the whole thing goes downhill.

Gatherer, you really need to start at the beginning and read the books in order. there are so many character that get introduced and reappear - Arnie van Damm, John Clark (aka John Kelly), Sergei Golovko etc. The books are, in order, The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, the Cardinal of the Kremlin, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of All Fears, Debt of Honor, Executive Orders, The Bear and the Dragon. Red Rabbit is best to read later on, as it's a prequel that requires some knowledge of who people like Sir Basil Charlston are.

Hope that helped. The problem with Clancy books when trying to describe them is that he has dozens of subplots which all tie together, and you can't relay them without ruining the book.

E_S

 

Ender - where did you get the info about the Red Rabbit movie... recommend any websites? Is Ben Affleck back in the role?

Why do you feel the series goes downhill? Is it becuase Ryan becomes President?

 

Yeah. Basically, Ryan gets too powerful and the stories are about his enemies coming out of the woodwork. Also, Clancy has a hard time seeing any wrongdoing on the US' behalf.

E_S