Combat Ops

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon #2

by David Michaels

The U.S. Army's Special Forces are known for their highly specialized training and courage behind enemy lines. But there's a group that's even more stealthy and deadly. It's composed of the most feared operators on the face of the earth-the soldiers of Ghost Recon.

Captain Scott Mitchell and his Ghost Recon team are in the heart of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, on the hunt for terrorist leader Mullah Mohammed Zahed. And after years of government abuse and corruption, the locals trust the Taliban more than any promises from America. With enemey attacks increasing, Mitchell must maneuver his way through a minefield of bloodshed and politics if Ghost econ is to accomplish their mission. But one fateful decision may cost Mitchell and his team their honor - and their lives.

Genres: Fiction, Military Fiction, Thriller, War, Video Games, Mystery, Adventure

Paperback

First published March 29, 2011

Reviews

[Francisco J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read 337/337 pages, and I have to say that this book blends perfectly the elements of mystery, political intrigue, superb awareness of military tactics and military life, and an uncanny charater development that allows the reader to peer into the deep feelings and thoughts of the characters, forging a bond between characters and readers that mesmerizes anyone who reads. There's a reason why this book got on the New York Times' Best Seller list:)

[Chris The Lizard from Planet X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Combat Ops By David Michaels, is a video game tie-in novel based on Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon games franchise.

Combat Ops is a continuation of the story of fan favorite Ghost Recon character Captain Scott Mitchell, and introduces us to a cast of new and old characters each as badass as the next. The six man Ghost team is a quick fix for a tight situation when a terrorist leader called Mullah Zahed is secretly controlling a vital town in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Captain Michell and his ‘Ghosts’ are sent in to capture or kill him, but face many challenges along the way.

Tom Clancy has spawned a lot of material from books to games, and this novel is no different. It’s a fun, entertaining, easy read packed full of the kind of military jargon and weapon heavy detail war fiction is known for. There were a few editing errors but it’s not something that really detracts from the book which flows along at a good clip. The Ghost unit, headed by Captain Mitchell are deployed in double quick time to Afghanistan where, under the guise regular army unit, they have not only contend with local Taliban terrorists, Army politics, and hateful locals. The action soon heats up as he and his Ghost Team encounter and engage bad guy after bad guy.

Once the action gets going, it doesn’t stop. The Ghosts are dealt a number of curve balls which keeps the fun going. No spoilers here, but it’s safe to say, the baddies get theirs. As I said, it’s an enjoyable way to while away a few hours or more. Combat Ops completes its mission of being an entertaining military techno action-adventure and, for fans who game, it’s a cool way to see Captain Scott Mitchell.

[Jarrod · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best book of the three-book series. Mitchell seems like a real soldier. Real emotions, real conflicts and has a personality. This one is vastly superior to the other two books (I read them out of order).

Also, how does a teen-age afghan girl learn how to shoot a pistol so well with no training? Bad deal and unexplained, but really my only fault with the story. Lots of action and moving parts. It kept my interest throughout. Good, nice and quick easy read.

[Jack Stubblefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am quite the fan of Peter Telep's. Writing under a pseudonym for this book he gives us an action packed, blood soaked story to go with whatever was the latest edition of the Ghost Recon video game series. What surprised me most with this book was the look into the main character's thoughts and feelings on his chosen profession. I was not expecting that! the hopelessness and frustration of Scott Mitchell were deftly written. If you're expecting plenty of action, it's there for your pleasure. There is also a cautionary tale on the price of violence and duty on the human soul. Good stuff, Maynard!

[Mark Kloha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disturbing. Very disturbing. Nothing is black and white. Everything is disturbing. Perhaps that what real combat is. Never played the video games, just hope the video games aren't this depressing and upsetting. I still have book 1 and 3 to read. Bookstores for some reason carry books 2 and 3 but not the 1st book.

[Jon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have nothing good to say about this book. I wouldn't have finished it and may not have even begun reading it if I hadn't been spending several days in a hospital waiting room. At least it was easy and relatively short.

[Tony Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice political thriller told from the point of view of a man who's beginning to feel that what he does may not matter as much as he once thought. I couldn't put it down. I've played a few Ghost Recon games and I've read my share of Tom Clancy based novels. This is easily one of my favorites.

[Christopher Gómez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best of the trilogy and a great book overall. It really illustrated the truth of modern American warfare in the Middle East, especially Afghanistan, and reminded me of my own time in the sandbox in 2003.

[Walter Straus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not up to Clancy's standards - by a wide margin.

[Major Doug · Rating 1 out of 5]

No way an Army CPT could get away with what was done in this book.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had me hooked!

[D. Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent military clandestine combat. But, why would one not expect this.? Tom Clancy writes it.

[Carolyn Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting fast-moving story

The story, as told from Mitchell’s point of view was fascinating but unsettling. This will be a book that I will remember and want to know “what next?”

[JJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ghost Recon: Combat Ops starts as an intense page-turner of an action novel, ends the same way, and gets incredibly boring in the middle.

It's been awhile since I read the first Ghost Recon novel, but I definitely have fonder memories of it than I will of Combat Ops. The action is reasonably well-written and tense, and the final chapters absolutely flew by as I was committed to seeing how it all unfolded. Unfortunately, beyond a similarly-gripping opening, this book is too much internal politics and army people yelling at each other and not enough actual combat ops. Don't get me wrong -- I like interpersonal drama as much as the next person. But there are only so many times the same argument about how the Ghosts should accomplish their objectives and what they're fighting for can get rehashed among the same groups of people before it wears out its welcome. In addition, most of the characters are basically cardboard cutout soldiers with one or two character traits and see no development throughout the story.

So if the drama was well-written and exciting, this would have been a much better book. As it is, Ghost Recon: Combat Ops doesn't do enough of the only thing it does well: the combat ops.

[R.B. Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a huge Ghost Recon fan. I wanted this to be good. Been playing the games for 20 years. But it wasn't. The book fell short in many different ways.

Mitchell went back and forth from being a master sergeant to a captain (unintentional) in the first couple chapters, not to mention a few other mistakes with military accuracy. Looking beyond that, I blew through the first few chapters.

Scott's POV is kind of nice, as you get a little bit of background with family and relationship (I loved the games, so this was cool). But the middle was a lull I couldn't push through. Military jargon and pushing military talk into normal dialogue felt so forced in many parts, including the best man speech. The antagonist scenes dragged by, uninteresting. And more...

I did not finish the book; I decided to shelve it. It doesn't seem worth continuing, and even if the ending rocked, I wouldn't continue the series. It doesn't give me Ghost Recon vibes at all. There is better stuff out there.

[Daniel Reilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The nicest things I can say about this book is that it exist it has pages and Tom Clancy's name looks really nice on the cover. Past that nothing else about this book was enjoyable.

The main character is just deeply unlikeable the fact his very secret squad that has to be kept secret is known by so many people from the get go is pointless. That we have the to believe that our main character has to fight off attacks from the Taliban, the people in country he is in, politics, the CIA and his own military just gets ludicrous. The ending it self is just pointless "everything you did was all in vain but here is a letter from a random 13 year old who is proud of you" that makes it all better.

I might be better off reading Tom Clancy's actual works before his passing because this was just slog

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Two of the Ghost Recon Trilogy was a lot of fun! Combat OPS was a quick, easy read with a lot of action and this time around Scott Mitchell and his Ghosts are in Afghanistan hunting a big-name Taliban leader. The politics of war are really holding Mitchell back as well as inter-team issues and family issues at home. I would have given this 5 stars but the ending lacked the description I was hoping for. I really enjoyed it and I'll be starting Book Three this weekend! Great stuff!

[Johnny G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked about this book is that it drops the reader in Afghanistan, about 20 years ago, and cuts through a lot of the techno-mumbo-jumbo. I felt like I was with Mitchell, calling a lot of difficult shots in a difficult environment. I also like the tall paperback version of these books - it fits well in my hands. What I didn’t like was that there was actually too much action, and to me, it was unbelievable at times. Nevertheless, I will read on in this Tom Clancy spinoff series!

[Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't canon, but much like the first book it is a decent action novel with a few holes in it, especially if you play the games. I read this book to brush up on the lore a bit and found it to be a pleasant read, but with some sub-plots that could have been developed more so as to make the book more imaginative. Worth reading for a light read

[Mike Ventura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first of the series, but still enjoyable. Gets more into closed-door office politics than the first book in the series. It makes the book more realistic, but my preference in this genre leans more towards fiction being fiction.

[Sam Gunawan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first person point of view makes this book reads like a romance novel. Story line is too linear and lack the depth of other Tom Clancy books. I fell asleep numerous time trying to finish this book.

[Ian T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting page after page right up to the end!

It reads like an exciting novel, difficult to put down, even if there are important things I should be doing! Can’t wait for the nest installment in Clancy’s tradition.

[Andrew Herbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Combat fiction junk food.
It is what it is.

[Letitia Makowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all Tim Clancy's books!
Lots of action

[Jayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

meh

[Seth Washburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent continuation of the ghost series. Well written and plotted out story.

[Kevin Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brings new meaning to the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing and communication break down.

[Edward Furtak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, easy to read and love the use of modern and future technology.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

was surprisingly better than i expected

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still seems to have his name, but knows almost NOTHING about Clancy...