I have read one previous Tom Clancy book, Red Storm Rising, and I was impressed.  Well written and well detailed book.  This is not the case with Balance of Power.  The blame, then, must be with the other author, Steve Pieczenik.  From the beginning when I saw another author I wondered if Clancy played more of a role than his name, and I don't think that he did.  This is yet another case of a book that was written to capitalize on Clancy's name.

The book is shallow and not too deep.  One chapter will present a situation, and the next chapter is the "enemy" or opposing force figuring out what just happened.  Powerful men seek to overthrow the government with force and economic pressure.  Break.  The next chapter Op Center comes to the same conclusion that the previous chapter revealed.  So there is no development, no discovery for the reader.

On the flip side it was fast paced and it kept me reading.  I won't be like the other Spanish reviewers and claim how badly Clancy missed the Spanish situation.  It is a work of fiction!  Of course he is going to miss the true picture of the climate of Spain if he is to make the book do as he wants.  So, no, I don't rate this off of that.

So that leaves the merit of the book.  Fast paced fun read, albeit not too deep or complexly intertwined.  It was good to imagine the undercover Striker team and their effectiveness.  But, alas, this is nothing more than another author capitalizing on Clancy's name.  Perhaps Clancy was consulted, or the whole series is his idea, but he doesn't seem to have written this one.  In fact, other Op Center books are written by Pieczenik and when you search them they come up under his name and not Clancy.  That doesn't make him a bad author, just not the complex author that we have come to respect in Clancy.

2.75 stars.
I have read one previous Tom Clancy book, Red Storm Rising, and I was impressed. Well written and well detailed book. This is not the case with Balance of Power. The blame, then, must be with the other author, Steve Pieczenik. From the beginning when I saw another author I wondered if Clancy played more of a role than his name, and I don't think that he did. This is yet another case of a book that was written to capitalize on Clancy's name. The book is shallow and not too deep. One chapter will present a situation, and the next chapter is the "enemy" or opposing force figuring out what just happened. Powerful men seek to overthrow the government with force and economic pressure. Break. The next chapter Op Center comes to the same conclusion that the previous chapter revealed. So there is no development, no discovery for the reader. On the flip side it was fast paced and it kept me reading. I won't be like the other Spanish reviewers and claim how badly Clancy missed the Spanish situation. It is a work of fiction! Of course he is going to miss the true picture of the climate of Spain if he is to make the book do as he wants. So, no, I don't rate this off of that. So that leaves the merit of the book. Fast paced fun read, albeit not too deep or complexly intertwined. It was good to imagine the undercover Striker team and their effectiveness. But, alas, this is nothing more than another author capitalizing on Clancy's name. Perhaps Clancy was consulted, or the whole series is his idea, but he doesn't seem to have written this one. In fact, other Op Center books are written by Pieczenik and when you search them they come up under his name and not Clancy. That doesn't make him a bad author, just not the complex author that we have come to respect in Clancy. 2. 75 stars.