Who's best: Forsyth or Clancy?

These are two top thriller writters that use real-world politics has a background for their stories. Clancy got famous with The Hunt for Red October. Forsyth got the spot-light with The Day of the Jackal.

Personally I like Forsyth more. His stories are much more "real" that those of Clancy. Clancy is too much James Bond-like, with Ryan always coming to the rescue.

 

I'd say Clancy, because that's the only guy that I've read from.

 

Clancy is much too detailed. I don't care about the make of gun the fifteenth generic terrorist sniping at John Clark carries nor about who invented that particular make of gun and what his or her motivation was for doing so. Clancy writes like he thinks he's Victor Hugo. He's not.

And while Forsyth is good, I have to say from the small amount of reading I've done in all three instances, Rob Ludlum takes the prize from both of the above mentioned.

 

These are two top thriller writters that use real-world politics has a background for their stories.

Tom Clancy's awful. He doesn't use real-world politics. At least not current ones. He uses the Cold War, and since that ended, he just shoehorns other bad-guy nations into the Evil Empire role and pretends like they're Russia. I thought Red October was OK and Red Storm Rising pretty decent for a military thriller, but it was all downhill from there.

Haven't read that other guy.

 

Clancy's politics may not be realistic, but they are interesting the way that he does them. I liked SSN, the way that he set that up.

 

Clancy is a Good writer. I love Rainbow Six and the Games too.

 

I'd have to say Clancy.

 

I'd have to say Clancy also pretty much because I haven't heard of Forsyth.

 

^^^^^yes Clancy is more mainstream. But Forsyth keeps himself to himself (not that's a bad thing)- he does not go running around doing games and stuff, although there were movies based in his books (The Day of the Jackal, The Fourth Protocol and Dogs of War). Besides his reserch is impecable.

 

Yeah, Forsyth is more credible than Clancy in my opinion. Just a much better style and much more intensity.

 

Clancy needs to realize the Cold War is truly over. Forsyth needs to publish more, though.

 

Clancy needs to realize the Cold War is truly over.

Yep, he does.

Forsyth needs to publish more, though

I perfer quality over quantity. Forsyth books have tons of reserch and information involved. Better to write few, good books than many, average or poor, books.

 

The only book i ever liKed From Clancy is Hunt for the Red October.


Forsyth could you list his books or I know PM me pls thanks

I never heard him. -new ?

 

Forsyth isn't new. Anyway here's some links for my favourte books of him:

Avenger

The Day of the Jackal

The Fist of God

The Odessa File

The Fourth Protocol

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Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was the worst thing to ever happen to Tom Clancy's career.

I loved Tom Clancy's Cold War stuff, especially Cardinal of the Kremlin. But I've hated everything he's published (with the exception of Red Rabbit) since the dissolution of the USSR.

It's less story and more and more of his politics injected in for lack of a better enemy than terrorists.

Frederick Forsyth? I'm ashamed to say that I've never read any of his work, but I do have a copy of The Odessa File around here somewhere.

 

I'm ashamed to say that I've never read any of his work

You've insulted my honor, sir. Pistols or swords at dawn. Bring your witness.

 

Clancy correctly predicted a 911 style airline attack 7 years before it happened (the novel Debt of Honor, in which an airliner crashes into the U.S. Capitol building during a joint session of congress). He is the best "Techno" thriller author alive. And He has sources in the Military that scares the heck out of the Pentagon brass. All of his books are A+ in my book. But then again I did grow up in the Cold War era.

 

^^^^^^please. What happened in 9-11 wasn't completly a suprise. Attempts to use airplanes against buildings date back to 1973. And a military plane crashed in the Empire State Building in the 40s.

Clancy sold out. Forsyth also wrote about Cold War, but moved on.

 

I'd have to go with Clancy. I've read a handful of Forsyth's books, but I think Clancy's are both better-written and more enjoyable. I could live without his own personal right-wing politics being inserted into the story, but that doesn't detract from my enjoyment.

 

I wonder if asking him to do a little research on the PLA in The Bear and Dragon (where things really began to go downhill) was too much?

 

I just happen to think the "Red Storm Rising" is the best novel I have ever read (if you under the age of 30 don't bother reading it, it's about WWIII in europe, something before your time...). As for 9-11, I remember Tom Brokaw interveiwing Clancy that evening, I don't remember anyone interviewing Foryth...

 

if you under the age of 30 don't bother reading it, it's about WWIII in europe, something before your time...).

What does THAT mean, Mr. I'm older and better than you? Do you think that just because we are younger, we wouldn't understand it?

As for 9-11, I remember Tom Brokaw interveiwing Clancy that evening, I don't remember anyone interviewing Foryth...

Clancy is american, Forsyth is british. Forsyth keeps a low profile and has contacts in british intelligence. He was more credebility IMHO and his novels are BELIVABLE.

 

it's about WWIII in europe, something before your time...)

Wait... World War 3 was before my time?

 

Clancy, because I feel that with The Negotiator onward, Forsyth's books went downhill (though Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Dogs of War, The Fourth Protocol, and The Devil's Alternative are all great books), and while Tom Clancy definitely started to lose steam, his later books were better than Forsyth's later work.

 

Clancy needs to realize the Cold War is truly over. Forsyth needs to publish more, though.

As long as he can write good books I say he can stay in whatever time period he wants. I've loved all his books. Without Remorse, Executive Orders, the Bear and the Dragon and Cardinal in the Kremlin were his best.