Tom Clancy's Op-Center: State of Siege »

Known for originating the techno-thriller genre, Tom Clancy writes complex novels dense with hardware and international intrigue. Perhaps the strongest indication of his power as a writer is the fact that he is often treated by the media like a character in one of his books, asked for opinions about military readiness and the subject of rumors about being debriefed by the Pentagon. Not bad for a former salesman who was rejected for service because of bad eyesight.

Driven by greed, a group of U.N. peacekeeping soldiers becomes involved in activities on the wrong side of the law. When their tour of duty ends, the mayhem begins. The rogue soldiers---outfitted with stolen U.N. arms and ammunition---devise a shocking scheme to get the world's attention.

Meanwhile, Op-Center head Paul Hood has cleared out his desk. But his retirement is short-lived. Demanding one hundred million dollars in ransom, the assassins have taken over the U.N.---where ambassadors from ten nations have gathered for a gala function at which Hood's daughter will perform.

This time, it's personal. And the Op-Center forces will strike with deadly vengeance.

Publishers Weekly

The Op-Center series, created by Clancy and television producer Pieczenik, contains a large cast of characters that runs the U.S. government's elite crisis management team. This sixth and latest installment twists three seemingly unrelated plots into an engrossing, albeit contrived, story. A multinational terrorist group called the Peacekeepers, comprised of former U.N. soldiers, plans an attack on the U.N. during a private Saturday-night party in the Security Council chambers. Meanwhile, an angry Cambodian couple seeks revenge for a murder committed long ago. And Paul Hood, the center's recently retired head, is trying to piece everything together, but his troubled personal life only hinders his job. As the story lines converge, readers are taken deep inside the heart of America's defense, intelligence and crisis management networks. Stilted dialogue and unfortunate stabs at sentimentality, however, diminish the overall suspense. (July) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.