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Tom Clancy's Op-Center #14
Into the Fire
Tensions flare in Northwest Asia and Op-Center races to prevent World War III in this chilling, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller from the authors of the USA Today bestseller Out of the Ashes.
When a team of assassins murder a high-ranking North Korean general and his family in their sleep, making it look like a robbery, events are set in motion that could shake the balance of world powers. Meanwhile, a U.S. naval combat ship, the USS Milwaukee, is attacked by North Korean forces in the middle of a training exercise off the shore of South Korea, and Commander Kate Bigelow is forced to ground the ship to avoid being captured. The crew takes refuge on a tiny island, trapped dangerously between the grounded ship and a fleet of hostile North Korean soldiers.
Op-Center intelligence discovers a secret alliance behind the attack--a pact between China and North Korea that guarantees China total control of a vast oil reserve found beneath the Yellow Sea. As both sides marshal their forces for a major confrontation at sea, Chase Williams and his Op-Center organization devise a plan to secretly spirit the American crew from the island and out from under North Korean control. But the North Koreans are not finished. In a desperate gamble, they unleash a terrorist cell on the American homeland. Only Op-Center can uncover their plan and stop it in time to prevent a major catastrophe that could lead to all-out war.
When a team of assassins murder a high-ranking North Korean general and his family in their sleep, making it look like a robbery, events are set in motion that could shake the balance of world powers. Meanwhile, a U.S. naval combat ship, the USS Milwaukee, is attacked by North Korean forces in the middle of a training exercise off the shore of South Korea, and Commander Kate Bigelow is forced to ground the ship to avoid being captured. The crew takes refuge on a tiny island, trapped dangerously between the grounded ship and a fleet of hostile North Korean soldiers.
Op-Center intelligence discovers a secret alliance behind the attack--a pact between China and North Korea that guarantees China total control of a vast oil reserve found beneath the Yellow Sea. As both sides marshal their forces for a major confrontation at sea, Chase Williams and his Op-Center organization devise a plan to secretly spirit the American crew from the island and out from under North Korean control. But the North Koreans are not finished. In a desperate gamble, they unleash a terrorist cell on the American homeland. Only Op-Center can uncover their plan and stop it in time to prevent a major catastrophe that could lead to all-out war.
349 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2015
475 people are currently reading
989 people want to read
About the author
Dick Couch
34 books159 followersMr. Couch graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1967. He graduated from BUD/S training in Class 45 in 1969. He was a case officer for the CIA.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
January 12, 2020
Picks up after a slow start. Wish the Captain were of stronger character earlier rather than later. 7 of 10 stars
February 26, 2020
The hermit kingdom is looking to take on an apparently limping superpower by once again scoring a propaganda coup by taking a naval crew hostage, but this time Op-Center and a resilient US Navy Commander have different ideas. Into the Fire is Dick Couch and George Galdorisi’s second installment in the Op-Center franchise reboot which sees North Korea and the United States on a collision course for war and the crew of a US ship caught in the middle.
After finding substantial reserves of oil and other energy resources in the Yellow Sea, North Korea negotiates with China to get military equipment in exchange for said energy resources, so China doesn’t have to depend on the Middle East. However, to get those energy resources North Korea needs to expand its claim in the area and plans to do so by taking a crew of a US Navy ship as hostage believing the U.S. would agree for something so simple as changing the lines of their territorial waters. Masking their operation at sea with troop movements to the DMZ, the North Koreans target the minesweeper USS Milwaukee during a joint exercise with South Koreans. The Milwaukee’s captain, Kate Bigelow, unknowing that she’s the target leads two North Korean ships on a chase before a missile strike cripples the ship forcing her ground it on a small South Korean island not far from the North Korean coast. Just before the attack, Op-Center’s top Geek Aaron Bleich notifies Director Chase Williams and begins following the high-seas drama until the ship’s grounding. Williams sends Op-Center’s Joint Special Operations Command team to Japan where it gets together with local SEAL team to find a way to get the crew off the island as the North Koreans and a US Fleet are at literal arms-length from the island on the verge of war. Using an experimental minisub to ferry the crew from the island to waiting nuclear subs, the JSOC stops a North Korean commando unit before calling in cruise missiles to destroy the Milwaukee. However North Korea’s supreme leader wants to send a message to the world and activates a terror cell in New York to destroy the UN, but Bleich’s Geek team finds out and notifies Williams who sends in a FBI Critical Incident Response Group team to New York to stop the attack. After one of the North Koreans calls her mother to say goodbye, not believing her leader’s promise they’ll make it out alive, Bleich’s team gives the CIRG and NYPD a location near the UN to surround and prevent the team from accomplishing their mission though they commit suicide and takeout a CIRG helicopter with a quarter of the team. The US and China come to an agreement about isolating North Korea and the energy resources in the Yellow Sea, but neither side is happy especially the Chinese at the loss of face at North Korea’s actions.
The focus on one plot was in instant improvement over the initial book of the reboot of the franchise helmed by Couch and Galdorisi, then add a quickly moving story that keeps the reader engaged throughout. The Op-Center team in Washington headed by Williams and prominently featuring Bleich and his Geek Team was well executed, yet the Op-Center personnel with the JSOC team seemed a little heavy on direct involvement from office personnel like Mike Rodgers did in the original series. Kate Bigelow was the character who did the heavy lifting through the book and was well written, unfortunately her first officer was a cliché out-of-his-depth liability that was a poor attempt to make Bigelow look better when she didn’t need it.
Into the Fire is a action-packed, quick moving thriller that keeps the reader hooked from beginning to end. Overall Dick Couch and George Galdorisi brought together an intriguing plot and great cast of characters to bring forth a good book, though there are missteps it doesn’t hurt the book too much to make the reader lose interest.
After finding substantial reserves of oil and other energy resources in the Yellow Sea, North Korea negotiates with China to get military equipment in exchange for said energy resources, so China doesn’t have to depend on the Middle East. However, to get those energy resources North Korea needs to expand its claim in the area and plans to do so by taking a crew of a US Navy ship as hostage believing the U.S. would agree for something so simple as changing the lines of their territorial waters. Masking their operation at sea with troop movements to the DMZ, the North Koreans target the minesweeper USS Milwaukee during a joint exercise with South Koreans. The Milwaukee’s captain, Kate Bigelow, unknowing that she’s the target leads two North Korean ships on a chase before a missile strike cripples the ship forcing her ground it on a small South Korean island not far from the North Korean coast. Just before the attack, Op-Center’s top Geek Aaron Bleich notifies Director Chase Williams and begins following the high-seas drama until the ship’s grounding. Williams sends Op-Center’s Joint Special Operations Command team to Japan where it gets together with local SEAL team to find a way to get the crew off the island as the North Koreans and a US Fleet are at literal arms-length from the island on the verge of war. Using an experimental minisub to ferry the crew from the island to waiting nuclear subs, the JSOC stops a North Korean commando unit before calling in cruise missiles to destroy the Milwaukee. However North Korea’s supreme leader wants to send a message to the world and activates a terror cell in New York to destroy the UN, but Bleich’s Geek team finds out and notifies Williams who sends in a FBI Critical Incident Response Group team to New York to stop the attack. After one of the North Koreans calls her mother to say goodbye, not believing her leader’s promise they’ll make it out alive, Bleich’s team gives the CIRG and NYPD a location near the UN to surround and prevent the team from accomplishing their mission though they commit suicide and takeout a CIRG helicopter with a quarter of the team. The US and China come to an agreement about isolating North Korea and the energy resources in the Yellow Sea, but neither side is happy especially the Chinese at the loss of face at North Korea’s actions.
The focus on one plot was in instant improvement over the initial book of the reboot of the franchise helmed by Couch and Galdorisi, then add a quickly moving story that keeps the reader engaged throughout. The Op-Center team in Washington headed by Williams and prominently featuring Bleich and his Geek Team was well executed, yet the Op-Center personnel with the JSOC team seemed a little heavy on direct involvement from office personnel like Mike Rodgers did in the original series. Kate Bigelow was the character who did the heavy lifting through the book and was well written, unfortunately her first officer was a cliché out-of-his-depth liability that was a poor attempt to make Bigelow look better when she didn’t need it.
Into the Fire is a action-packed, quick moving thriller that keeps the reader hooked from beginning to end. Overall Dick Couch and George Galdorisi brought together an intriguing plot and great cast of characters to bring forth a good book, though there are missteps it doesn’t hurt the book too much to make the reader lose interest.
August 20, 2016
It's title “Into the fire” should have been more tongue-in-cheek for the sake of honesty, to the effect of “The best there is rescues those who aren't the best there is”, because almost everyone is an expert in everything, they never make mistakes, and people are repeatedly called the best there is.
The problems with this book are two dimensional characters, dialogue that doesn't sound natural, and it's riddled with cliches.
The cliches in the story are obvious to the point of eye rolling. To begin, the Op Center is a black budget type center that requires a super special cosmic level of security to enter. They collect their intel from NSA, FBI, CIA servers that the agencies apparently don't know about or they just allow it, and then they have their own undisclosed sources that are greater than the intelligence agencies capabilities.
The data collectors sit in the “geek tank” and they can hack or tap anything from a computer without any trouble whatsoever, because they're the best there is, on the best machines, and they pee excellence first thing every morning. One of their tech geeks was a former hacker who was jailed and then hired by the FBI. This almost never happens in real life, because they hire their own hacks from accredited schools, not jail cells.
The Op Center has it's own team of special operators all of which are typical cutouts for military novels. The team is assembled from contractors and FBI HRT types. They're all former Special-Seal-Delta-Rangers with at least 5 tours under their belt as a Space Shuttle Door Gunner. Much like Iceman from Top Gun that's how these operators operate; ice cold, no mistakes. One of these operators used to be in the 75th Ranger Regiment but then he became a Delta force team leader. From my knowledge of special operations, one does not go from being Light Infantry to leading a Delta team. You have to have been ODA (operational detachment alpha) first, after completing the school, before you go to Delta force. Everyone else in the story is either a former Delta force or super SEAL team member, they all know each other, and they all know about the rock stars of the spec-ops world.
While this team, CIRG, or rather Team Awesome is waiting around for orders, a part of their extraction plan requires a method to get to the navy ship that's under North Korean fire. But what luck, one of the guys has a brother who's a SEAL Captain. And when they need a mini-sub, what luck, they have one that was left over from a canceled project after the first one sank to the ocean floor. Oh, and SEAL teams just deploy when they feel like it, and all memos are President eyes only, completely void of any Committee, or even Congress.
Some of the characters in this story are “the best there is”. In fact, on one page alone, three characters are called the best there is, two of which were called that in back-to-back sentences, and half a paragraph down, the navigator for a mini sub is called the best there is. It's ad naseum to the point that I began adding “because it/he/she is/was the best there is”, at the end of every sentence to demonstrate the joke that this book really is.
But not to leave the pilots out of the "best there is" category, a couple guys have a conversation about which pilot they wish was flying them in on this mission from the 160th SOAR. Oh that would be so-and-so.....because he's one of the best. But they couldn't get the 160th, so they got this new helo pilot who got booted for filing a false flight manifest, and even though she's new to this, she's one of the best out there and comes with high recommendations. If anything, the people using her services are the best there is, so by extension, so is she.
Kate Bigelow is the commander of the Milwaukee. This is her first command. This story was written in 2015 when the whole “women in combat arms” was being forced on the military. In this story, the ships commander is female, so is the gunnery officer, so is the officer in charge of the infirmary. As luck would have it, helicopter pilot named Sandee, is also female. The political undertone in the book is obvious, to the point of obnoxious. The writers essentially summed up the women in combat arms debate by writing a fictional story about their awesomeness under fire by the North Koreans. To add to that, her XO is male and constantly questioning her orders in public, demonstrates gross incompetence, and at one point wanted to surrender to the North Koreans. But not Kate, no sir, she's tough as nails.
This book was written to fill pages and add as many words as possible to make up for a complete lack of dialogue and an interesting story. We know that Kate is the commander of the ship, but her name is mentioned many times and is mostly written as COMMANDER KATE BIGELOW. This serves two purposes. First, it adds more words to fit a minimum word count, and second, all caps is larger font, pushes other words off to another page, which in turn, adds another page or two on the back end.
On this same thread, the nomenclature and names for weapons systems and equipment is continuously drug out to fill more pages. The secured Iridum satellite phone isn't mentioned as the sat-phone for brevity. Instead it's repeatedly called the secured Iridium satellite phone. The same goes for naval systems that have an acronym, but instead of using the acronym, they use the entire name which fills an entire line on the page. When characters are talking to each other, one of them asks to hand him something like this “hand me the AN/ANS-5 secured radio...”. Nobody talks like that. “Hand me the radio” would have sufficed.
When the beach and USS Milwaukee were being searched by Team Awesome (which now includes a SEAL team), they specifically write that the men showed up in “assault vets, assault packs, assault weapons, and this and that kind of gear. But then one man showed up who wasn't wearing an assault vest, assault pack, night vision, or assault rifle, he only carried his .45 caliber handgun.” This is a paraphrase of that sentence, but it's pretty close to being identical. These page filling gimics are used relentlessly. I began adding “the best there is” at the end of every sentence and it became a running joke for the rest of this terrible read. “He only carried his .45 caliber handgun, because it's the best there is.”
The late great Tom Clancy would use this book as kindling. I know I am. I don't think he would allow it to have his name stamped on the cover for fear that his brand would start cratering into the abyss (but then again there was the Splinter Cell series). I don't even think this book qualifies as intellectual Cheeze Wiz. I highly recommend that the authors read the books, How to write a damn good novel, 1 and 2. The sarcasm is the same over used fluff, every character involved is somehow unbeatable, the capabilities of the computer hacks are unstoppable, the timing is always right, no one fails, and then throw some political undertones in for good measure and you have just described this awful story. If this were on film, it would go straight to DVD for $5.99 at WalMart.
The problems with this book are two dimensional characters, dialogue that doesn't sound natural, and it's riddled with cliches.
The cliches in the story are obvious to the point of eye rolling. To begin, the Op Center is a black budget type center that requires a super special cosmic level of security to enter. They collect their intel from NSA, FBI, CIA servers that the agencies apparently don't know about or they just allow it, and then they have their own undisclosed sources that are greater than the intelligence agencies capabilities.
The data collectors sit in the “geek tank” and they can hack or tap anything from a computer without any trouble whatsoever, because they're the best there is, on the best machines, and they pee excellence first thing every morning. One of their tech geeks was a former hacker who was jailed and then hired by the FBI. This almost never happens in real life, because they hire their own hacks from accredited schools, not jail cells.
The Op Center has it's own team of special operators all of which are typical cutouts for military novels. The team is assembled from contractors and FBI HRT types. They're all former Special-Seal-Delta-Rangers with at least 5 tours under their belt as a Space Shuttle Door Gunner. Much like Iceman from Top Gun that's how these operators operate; ice cold, no mistakes. One of these operators used to be in the 75th Ranger Regiment but then he became a Delta force team leader. From my knowledge of special operations, one does not go from being Light Infantry to leading a Delta team. You have to have been ODA (operational detachment alpha) first, after completing the school, before you go to Delta force. Everyone else in the story is either a former Delta force or super SEAL team member, they all know each other, and they all know about the rock stars of the spec-ops world.
While this team, CIRG, or rather Team Awesome is waiting around for orders, a part of their extraction plan requires a method to get to the navy ship that's under North Korean fire. But what luck, one of the guys has a brother who's a SEAL Captain. And when they need a mini-sub, what luck, they have one that was left over from a canceled project after the first one sank to the ocean floor. Oh, and SEAL teams just deploy when they feel like it, and all memos are President eyes only, completely void of any Committee, or even Congress.
Some of the characters in this story are “the best there is”. In fact, on one page alone, three characters are called the best there is, two of which were called that in back-to-back sentences, and half a paragraph down, the navigator for a mini sub is called the best there is. It's ad naseum to the point that I began adding “because it/he/she is/was the best there is”, at the end of every sentence to demonstrate the joke that this book really is.
But not to leave the pilots out of the "best there is" category, a couple guys have a conversation about which pilot they wish was flying them in on this mission from the 160th SOAR. Oh that would be so-and-so.....because he's one of the best. But they couldn't get the 160th, so they got this new helo pilot who got booted for filing a false flight manifest, and even though she's new to this, she's one of the best out there and comes with high recommendations. If anything, the people using her services are the best there is, so by extension, so is she.
Kate Bigelow is the commander of the Milwaukee. This is her first command. This story was written in 2015 when the whole “women in combat arms” was being forced on the military. In this story, the ships commander is female, so is the gunnery officer, so is the officer in charge of the infirmary. As luck would have it, helicopter pilot named Sandee, is also female. The political undertone in the book is obvious, to the point of obnoxious. The writers essentially summed up the women in combat arms debate by writing a fictional story about their awesomeness under fire by the North Koreans. To add to that, her XO is male and constantly questioning her orders in public, demonstrates gross incompetence, and at one point wanted to surrender to the North Koreans. But not Kate, no sir, she's tough as nails.
This book was written to fill pages and add as many words as possible to make up for a complete lack of dialogue and an interesting story. We know that Kate is the commander of the ship, but her name is mentioned many times and is mostly written as COMMANDER KATE BIGELOW. This serves two purposes. First, it adds more words to fit a minimum word count, and second, all caps is larger font, pushes other words off to another page, which in turn, adds another page or two on the back end.
On this same thread, the nomenclature and names for weapons systems and equipment is continuously drug out to fill more pages. The secured Iridum satellite phone isn't mentioned as the sat-phone for brevity. Instead it's repeatedly called the secured Iridium satellite phone. The same goes for naval systems that have an acronym, but instead of using the acronym, they use the entire name which fills an entire line on the page. When characters are talking to each other, one of them asks to hand him something like this “hand me the AN/ANS-5 secured radio...”. Nobody talks like that. “Hand me the radio” would have sufficed.
When the beach and USS Milwaukee were being searched by Team Awesome (which now includes a SEAL team), they specifically write that the men showed up in “assault vets, assault packs, assault weapons, and this and that kind of gear. But then one man showed up who wasn't wearing an assault vest, assault pack, night vision, or assault rifle, he only carried his .45 caliber handgun.” This is a paraphrase of that sentence, but it's pretty close to being identical. These page filling gimics are used relentlessly. I began adding “the best there is” at the end of every sentence and it became a running joke for the rest of this terrible read. “He only carried his .45 caliber handgun, because it's the best there is.”
The late great Tom Clancy would use this book as kindling. I know I am. I don't think he would allow it to have his name stamped on the cover for fear that his brand would start cratering into the abyss (but then again there was the Splinter Cell series). I don't even think this book qualifies as intellectual Cheeze Wiz. I highly recommend that the authors read the books, How to write a damn good novel, 1 and 2. The sarcasm is the same over used fluff, every character involved is somehow unbeatable, the capabilities of the computer hacks are unstoppable, the timing is always right, no one fails, and then throw some political undertones in for good measure and you have just described this awful story. If this were on film, it would go straight to DVD for $5.99 at WalMart.
August 1, 2016
The adventure part of the book was captivating, but this book reminded why I stopped reading Tom Clancy years ago. To quote this book, Clancy always told you how the watch is made instead of what time it is. This book is more of the same. There was no end to the explanations of ranks, firepower of ships, breakdowns of different agencies, etc. I just don't care how many bolts there are in the submarine. I just want to read an adventure.
There was really no suspense late in the book in the big reveal about the energy deal between North Korea and China because the reader knew all about that throughout the book. And the failed terrorist plot really read like a second book; it really didn't need to be in here.
There was really no suspense late in the book in the big reveal about the energy deal between North Korea and China because the reader knew all about that throughout the book. And the failed terrorist plot really read like a second book; it really didn't need to be in here.
July 3, 2015
Fun read. Reminded me of the first time I watched The Hunt for Red October. I think a lot of readers will be put off by the exuberant and frequent use of military and especially naval acronyms (JOOD, COMSUBGRU, etc). I personally love that stuff and relish all the technical details that many other reviewers have resented. If there's a bullet fired I want to know what caliber and what the effective range is. So this book suited me just fine.
April 17, 2016
First.......Tom Clancy did NOT write this book...he 'created' it. I really hate when authors do this bit of smoke and mirrors. Quit reading James Patterson for this reason.
I couldn't get past the first third of this book, try as I might. It was dry as toast. Blah, blah, blah, technical data, blah, blah, blah, technical data, and so on. Finally my eyes rolled back in my head and I put it down for the last time.
Don't waste your time.
I couldn't get past the first third of this book, try as I might. It was dry as toast. Blah, blah, blah, technical data, blah, blah, blah, technical data, and so on. Finally my eyes rolled back in my head and I put it down for the last time.
Don't waste your time.
May 23, 2015
Too technical, didn't care about the characters
May 25, 2015
This books spends WAY too much time on one event, whereas the main event at the end is relegated to a few pages. Clancy would be rolling in his grave, if he could see this rambling book of nonsense.
March 26, 2019
When dealing with James Bond type action, it is quite hard not to become repetitive. Into the Fire Tom Clancy’s Op-Center by Dick Couch nails this and more in this suspenseful and fast moving thriller. After reading this book, I would rate this a five star book without a doubt. Couch achieves originality in this book by distinguishing the book in three different ways. The first way that he does this is by weaving in real life characters and scenes into this realistic fiction, so as to make the situation even more relatable. He then reaches back to historical events and scenes to build the backstory and base of his conflicts, which sets them up to be amazingly detailed and concise. Finally he develops different sub conflicts that are going on in the background of the main conflict.
In Into the Fire the first thing that jumps out at the reader is the fact that this book is set in a very relatable setting. It is set around 2015-2016, and tensions are high between North Korea and the US. This mirrors the situation that the real world was faced with, which was the fact that Kim Jong-un was an insane baby who wants to make his country a world superpower. Another fact that helps us to relate this book to this time period is the fact that North Korea’s leader is in fact Kim Jong-un. If that wasn’t good enough, just like in the real world, Kim has ordered massive troop build-ups and has ramped up military alerts and tensions between South Korea and the US. This in turn leads the US to lend help to the South Koreans, and this causes a whole heap of trouble. All of these facts coupled with what actually happened in the real world really draws the reader in and helps to keep them engaged in the book.
Another way that Couch keeps readers engaged in this book is by basing the background for the main conflict on an actual event that occurred between North Korea and the US. The main conflict of this book is that North Korea attacks a Navy LCS ship, the USS Millwakee. This ship was attacked during a minesweeping exercise, which was being conducted between the South Koreans and the US. The goal of the North Koreans is to take the ship and hold the crew hostage. This was not actually a made up situation because it was based off the USS Pueblo incident, which happened in 1968. This was where the North Koreans captured and held the crew of the USS Pueblo, a spy ship that was disguised as an environmental research ship. This gave the North Koreans leverage to ensure that the US would stay out of waters that they claimed as their own. This whole situation helps build the backstory of this book, and again keep the readers engaged in the book.
The third thing that Couch does to distinguish this book from others in the genre is that he creates different sub conflicts that despite not being completely related to the main conflict, adds some needed details or adds more to the problem in order to make it just a bit more suspenseful. These conflicts range from simple little arguments that happen between different characters that reveals more about them, to a subordinate that is uncooperative and continually questioning orders and commands which complicates the situation further. This in turn keeps the readers on their toes as to what is going to come next. This again keeps readers engaged in the book and wanting more.
Overall this book was a great read and was extremely hard to put down thanks to the use of current and past events. It also was never repetitive thanks to the variety of sub conflicts that were written in. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes realistic military fiction and is a bit of a James Bond fan. This book definitely gets a five out of five stars.
In Into the Fire the first thing that jumps out at the reader is the fact that this book is set in a very relatable setting. It is set around 2015-2016, and tensions are high between North Korea and the US. This mirrors the situation that the real world was faced with, which was the fact that Kim Jong-un was an insane baby who wants to make his country a world superpower. Another fact that helps us to relate this book to this time period is the fact that North Korea’s leader is in fact Kim Jong-un. If that wasn’t good enough, just like in the real world, Kim has ordered massive troop build-ups and has ramped up military alerts and tensions between South Korea and the US. This in turn leads the US to lend help to the South Koreans, and this causes a whole heap of trouble. All of these facts coupled with what actually happened in the real world really draws the reader in and helps to keep them engaged in the book.
Another way that Couch keeps readers engaged in this book is by basing the background for the main conflict on an actual event that occurred between North Korea and the US. The main conflict of this book is that North Korea attacks a Navy LCS ship, the USS Millwakee. This ship was attacked during a minesweeping exercise, which was being conducted between the South Koreans and the US. The goal of the North Koreans is to take the ship and hold the crew hostage. This was not actually a made up situation because it was based off the USS Pueblo incident, which happened in 1968. This was where the North Koreans captured and held the crew of the USS Pueblo, a spy ship that was disguised as an environmental research ship. This gave the North Koreans leverage to ensure that the US would stay out of waters that they claimed as their own. This whole situation helps build the backstory of this book, and again keep the readers engaged in the book.
The third thing that Couch does to distinguish this book from others in the genre is that he creates different sub conflicts that despite not being completely related to the main conflict, adds some needed details or adds more to the problem in order to make it just a bit more suspenseful. These conflicts range from simple little arguments that happen between different characters that reveals more about them, to a subordinate that is uncooperative and continually questioning orders and commands which complicates the situation further. This in turn keeps the readers on their toes as to what is going to come next. This again keeps readers engaged in the book and wanting more.
Overall this book was a great read and was extremely hard to put down thanks to the use of current and past events. It also was never repetitive thanks to the variety of sub conflicts that were written in. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes realistic military fiction and is a bit of a James Bond fan. This book definitely gets a five out of five stars.
February 25, 2021
I'm down to read good military novels like "Unbroken" (Laura Hillenbrand) but "Into the Fire" does NOT deserve space on your bookshelf. Perhaps I should have lowered my expectations for a fictitious work but Tom Clancy has written some excellent pieces so I thought I'd give it a try. If I had realized that this book was only "created by" Tom Clancy, I don't think I ever would have picked it up...
I never truly "got into" this book as it's filled with page after page of cliche, cookie-cutter characters with no personality or fallibility. Every character is "the best that there is" at their job. The dialogue is annoying at best, cringingly unrealistic at worst:
"It's damp as hell and cold as a well digger's ass, excusing the language ma'am." Bigelow considered this. She knew the master chief was from West Virginia and a small mining town near Martinsville. He would know the temperature of a well digger's ass."
I also wouldn't ever refer to my Samsung Galaxy S8 G95OU cellular telephone, but this type of page-filling vernacular is abundant: "As she made her way she took out her AN/SRC-59 Motorola XTS 2500I transceiver."
Anyway, reading this book was a slog. The plot was okay, though unrealistic and less than suspenseful, but when coupled with such obnoxious writing, I'm surprised I finished it. I don't understand how this book got SO MANY good reviews. It's pure drivel - Not even on par with Hardy Boys (which I loved as a kid). Perhaps I would have appreciated this more as a 5th grader...
I never truly "got into" this book as it's filled with page after page of cliche, cookie-cutter characters with no personality or fallibility. Every character is "the best that there is" at their job. The dialogue is annoying at best, cringingly unrealistic at worst:
"It's damp as hell and cold as a well digger's ass, excusing the language ma'am." Bigelow considered this. She knew the master chief was from West Virginia and a small mining town near Martinsville. He would know the temperature of a well digger's ass."
I also wouldn't ever refer to my Samsung Galaxy S8 G95OU cellular telephone, but this type of page-filling vernacular is abundant: "As she made her way she took out her AN/SRC-59 Motorola XTS 2500I transceiver."
Anyway, reading this book was a slog. The plot was okay, though unrealistic and less than suspenseful, but when coupled with such obnoxious writing, I'm surprised I finished it. I don't understand how this book got SO MANY good reviews. It's pure drivel - Not even on par with Hardy Boys (which I loved as a kid). Perhaps I would have appreciated this more as a 5th grader...
June 15, 2018
Another great Clancy-esque adventure. This one was fast paced and very detailed. I could almost feel myself out on a ship or submarine again. The little details, such as pants tucked into socks during general quarters, an Air Force drone operator at a console being put in for a high ranking air medal, and others made it really enjoyable. I haven't read a Clancy novel in a few years and, although this one has his name on it but is written by someone else, it sticks to the Clancy method. I will be grabbing other Op-Center stories.
August 20, 2018
Again very entertaining. (See my comments on the previous volume in this series.)
November 22, 2022
Liked the book lots of action and suspense a quick read
June 22, 2024
Good book, captivating all the way through. Very predictable but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
A definitely nod to the "Team America always saves the day" style of writing but if we don't like that we shouldn't be reading books in this category.
A definitely nod to the "Team America always saves the day" style of writing but if we don't like that we shouldn't be reading books in this category.
November 6, 2016
Ouff, ouff, and ouff...
This was an effort, albeit misplaced, to try and give the new Clancy OP- CENTER series another chance. Unfortunately my hopes were rapidly dashed and I thought I might be facing a first time toss in the trash event. Nevertheless I persisted despite the sour taste it left behind. I recently reviewed Scorched Earth which was, in fact the sequel to this piece. I did not care for the politically correct, pro-feminist, neuter-at-will, imbalance in that title, In this current one, the author bent over backwards to really ram it down the readers throat. The absolute nauseating culmination rounded out this trivial tale beginning on page 357. I won't bother the readers with a spoiler, suffice it to say that this was a trite, unrealistic tale that will certainly fall below the standards of those interested in realistic military type thrillers. I thought fair enough, the last one sucked I'll give it another chance. Unfortunately this one gets the stars and bars thumbs down super suck award. Going to try a new author. Just started the Lee Childs series hope that that proves more realistic and less prone to such left wing political manipulation
This was an effort, albeit misplaced, to try and give the new Clancy OP- CENTER series another chance. Unfortunately my hopes were rapidly dashed and I thought I might be facing a first time toss in the trash event. Nevertheless I persisted despite the sour taste it left behind. I recently reviewed Scorched Earth which was, in fact the sequel to this piece. I did not care for the politically correct, pro-feminist, neuter-at-will, imbalance in that title, In this current one, the author bent over backwards to really ram it down the readers throat. The absolute nauseating culmination rounded out this trivial tale beginning on page 357. I won't bother the readers with a spoiler, suffice it to say that this was a trite, unrealistic tale that will certainly fall below the standards of those interested in realistic military type thrillers. I thought fair enough, the last one sucked I'll give it another chance. Unfortunately this one gets the stars and bars thumbs down super suck award. Going to try a new author. Just started the Lee Childs series hope that that proves more realistic and less prone to such left wing political manipulation
July 18, 2015
Tom Clancy would approve of the way Dick Couch and George Galdorisi resurrected the Op-Center series of books. It took a little to get into but after that it becomes a book you don't want to put down. I am looking forward to the next book when it comes out.
June 28, 2015
On the positive side this book provided a perspective of North Korea and China political relationship and military capability. I enjoyed the story, I thought it was very readable although there were an awful lot of acronyms which tended to blend together.
May 5, 2015
Book was not what I thought it would be
April 5, 2019
In Dick Couch's Into the Fire the entire story is written through multiple viewpoints.
All personal perspectives tie into each other whether it's a young navy commander or an ecstatic young warrior. The stories move fast to keep the story running. Each perspective gives a small glimpse into the life of that person. The story begins building very early in order to set a strong foundation.
The main story begins with a normal joint American and South Korean training operation. A secret pact is made during the time of the training operation. The reader will begin to feel the tense situation that builds as the story is read. Into the Fire feels as if it were from a semi-realistic time period.
The authors did an amazing job to keep readers focused. The book is written in a time where a situation like this could actually happen. This makes the book quite relevant and more appealing to a broader audience. The story can be read very fast since the book is interesting. Tom Clancy books are usually of this level and are just as good as the rest.
Into the Fire is being recommended to basically to everyone. Suspense, plot twists, action, and tense situations make the book what it is. Excellent story writing also allows this book to prosper. The main storyline takes many hard dives and fluctuates frequently with situations. Another recommendation would be for people who enjoy Tom Clancy in general.
To be totally honest this book really has no faults. The positives far outway the negatives. The effort placed in the writing of the story really shows. The story is long but can be read at a rate which seems like a short book.
All personal perspectives tie into each other whether it's a young navy commander or an ecstatic young warrior. The stories move fast to keep the story running. Each perspective gives a small glimpse into the life of that person. The story begins building very early in order to set a strong foundation.
The main story begins with a normal joint American and South Korean training operation. A secret pact is made during the time of the training operation. The reader will begin to feel the tense situation that builds as the story is read. Into the Fire feels as if it were from a semi-realistic time period.
The authors did an amazing job to keep readers focused. The book is written in a time where a situation like this could actually happen. This makes the book quite relevant and more appealing to a broader audience. The story can be read very fast since the book is interesting. Tom Clancy books are usually of this level and are just as good as the rest.
Into the Fire is being recommended to basically to everyone. Suspense, plot twists, action, and tense situations make the book what it is. Excellent story writing also allows this book to prosper. The main storyline takes many hard dives and fluctuates frequently with situations. Another recommendation would be for people who enjoy Tom Clancy in general.
To be totally honest this book really has no faults. The positives far outway the negatives. The effort placed in the writing of the story really shows. The story is long but can be read at a rate which seems like a short book.
November 11, 2017
You can tell Trump didn't read "Into the Fire." If he had, he'd be tweeting that Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, killed his own uncle by tossing him to a pack of hungry dogs. Clancy and his writing machine have no problem spreading racist rumors like that, in order to justify two fascist ideas:
1) The Ops Center (read: CIA) operates outside the law - at the whim of the President, and that's how it should be. And
2) The Ops Center should have the right to preemptively kill inside the USA, to hell with "Posse Comitatus." That's the law that limits Federal use of the armed forces on its own citizens, and this book directly attacks that limitation.
In the story, the government has assembled a team of really cool hackers who (as Snowden revealed) can and do spy on everyone, all the time, anywhere in the world. In case you don't want to give up your privacy and civil liberties, Clancy throws in some terrorist bombings in US shopping centers.
The danger of books like this is that some people will end up thinking, "Why are they pussy-footing around? Trump would just blow North Korea off the map!" Do yourself a favor - treat yourself to a glass of fresh-squeezed reality by watching this daily news show www.democracynow.org or reading https://theintercept.com/
1) The Ops Center (read: CIA) operates outside the law - at the whim of the President, and that's how it should be. And
2) The Ops Center should have the right to preemptively kill inside the USA, to hell with "Posse Comitatus." That's the law that limits Federal use of the armed forces on its own citizens, and this book directly attacks that limitation.
In the story, the government has assembled a team of really cool hackers who (as Snowden revealed) can and do spy on everyone, all the time, anywhere in the world. In case you don't want to give up your privacy and civil liberties, Clancy throws in some terrorist bombings in US shopping centers.
The danger of books like this is that some people will end up thinking, "Why are they pussy-footing around? Trump would just blow North Korea off the map!" Do yourself a favor - treat yourself to a glass of fresh-squeezed reality by watching this daily news show www.democracynow.org or reading https://theintercept.com/
January 11, 2018
Tom Clancy has developed a great franchise of national security novels with spinoffs focusing on the Jack Ryan family of politicians and operators and the Op-center novels featuring a private intel and special ops company that supports the president. These Tom Clancy inspired novels are notable in the professional quality of the authors who deliver fast past stories based on current events. This one features Kate Bigelow as the captain of a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the newest Navy ship class which carries modular payloads to operate in shallow “littoral” waters. When the North Koreans attempt to capture the ship’s crew to hold them hostage to persuade the US to recognize expanded NK territorial waters (to take advantage of undersea petroleum fields there), the Op-center must rush to the rescue. The best part of the book is the accurate portrayal of a naval officer struggling with the challenges of leadership.
August 3, 2019
A good book. The second in the 'reboot' of the Op-Center series, and I have to admit I'm still struggling to remember who's who and what the Op-centre structure is. Too many names of Op-Center personel are strewn about without much added value.
The story is good though the second 'event' feels a bit bolted on. I know it is not since the first stage of the book deals with the required bits and pieces on the Op-center side but the North Korea 'response' angle is introduced quite late, eventhough it was being prepped by NK for longer. It could have added more drama if it was woven into the story better.
The many North Korea storyline is very good, especially the events in the yellow sea. However if these events had been fleshed out possibly with a few more Navy elements this could have been a great novel without ever mentioning Op-Center, and having Commander Kate Bigelow as the main character. So three stars not four, though it is probably good enough for 3.5 if that were possible.
The story is good though the second 'event' feels a bit bolted on. I know it is not since the first stage of the book deals with the required bits and pieces on the Op-center side but the North Korea 'response' angle is introduced quite late, eventhough it was being prepped by NK for longer. It could have added more drama if it was woven into the story better.
The many North Korea storyline is very good, especially the events in the yellow sea. However if these events had been fleshed out possibly with a few more Navy elements this could have been a great novel without ever mentioning Op-Center, and having Commander Kate Bigelow as the main character. So three stars not four, though it is probably good enough for 3.5 if that were possible.
August 10, 2022
Now the real Op Center reboot starts. Out of the Ashes was a good intro, but it did not excel where the typical Op Center book excelled: a singular operation - or rather a singular enemy. It's the usual antagonist this time with North Korea, and the combined sea and land action, involving both foreign and domestic elements, were present. Lots of Chekhov's guns, to be honest, but the bit of predictability was peanuts compared with seeing a well-oiled machine get to work.
And hey, if the diminished privacy implied by the big data capabilities of government organizations is inevitable, then at the very least we can maybe get a beefed-up security apparatus out of it. Into the Fire at least presents an optimistic use case of big data analysis.
And hey, if the diminished privacy implied by the big data capabilities of government organizations is inevitable, then at the very least we can maybe get a beefed-up security apparatus out of it. Into the Fire at least presents an optimistic use case of big data analysis.
July 3, 2020
CC1
This was another excellent chapter on the Opt center series. Chance and his team are doing an excellent job of protecting the president. It proves it you got the funding and backing of the president to can operate efficiently. I liked the way they picked up Sanded and looks like Bigelow to team. It still would be nice to know what happened in the previous administration. But this was excellent story 2 crisis at one time. The first time Chase had lost team members. Totally enjoyed. 5stars plus !!!!Can't for next episode. Thanks Carl Clause
This was another excellent chapter on the Opt center series. Chance and his team are doing an excellent job of protecting the president. It proves it you got the funding and backing of the president to can operate efficiently. I liked the way they picked up Sanded and looks like Bigelow to team. It still would be nice to know what happened in the previous administration. But this was excellent story 2 crisis at one time. The first time Chase had lost team members. Totally enjoyed. 5stars plus !!!!Can't for next episode. Thanks Carl Clause
May 28, 2024
A North Korean General is murdered, but it is covered up to look like it was a robbery. An American warship is attacked by North Korea off the shores of South Korea. A North Korean Terrorist Cell is targeting New York City. Op Center must deescalate the situations and avoid a world war.
The plot was a little disjointed as it felt like parts of the story were added on just to lengthen the book. There was a fair amount of action. Overall worth the listen if you are reading the series, otherwise it can easily be skipped.
The plot was a little disjointed as it felt like parts of the story were added on just to lengthen the book. There was a fair amount of action. Overall worth the listen if you are reading the series, otherwise it can easily be skipped.
October 23, 2024
I prefer techno-thrillers that are tactical and involve the technology without overburdening the reader with minutia. I also prefer that the technology remain believable. I love good science fiction, but I want my thrillers more grounded in reality. I also enjoy good military fiction that creates realistic scenarios or historical constructs. I also enjoy the fiction of Dick Couch. This novel succeeds with all these elements. It is a well plotted, well paced, and a believable construct. The characters are interesting. I think Kent would find this novel interesting.
October 12, 2017
I can't freakin' believe that I read this book before I read the other Op-Center books.
Anyways, this book focuses on Op-Center, an actually effective government cell, and how they stop a North Korean terrorist attack on American soil.
Actually, it's more focused on the actions of Captain Kate Bigelow of the USS Milwaukee as she gets attacked by North Koreans, who are in an alliance with China, because they're guaranteeing the Chinese some oil in the Yellow Sea. Meanwhile, the South Koreans don't do jack because they're all, in essence, useless in the book.
Anyways, this book focuses on Op-Center, an actually effective government cell, and how they stop a North Korean terrorist attack on American soil.
Actually, it's more focused on the actions of Captain Kate Bigelow of the USS Milwaukee as she gets attacked by North Koreans, who are in an alliance with China, because they're guaranteeing the Chinese some oil in the Yellow Sea. Meanwhile, the South Koreans don't do jack because they're all, in essence, useless in the book.
June 5, 2021
Very entertaining; perhaps more detail than some people want
I liked the book, perhaps for the very reason that some won't: the authors demonstrate a solid knowledge about the U.S. military and include details that may go over the heads of some readers. For me, the details kept me entertained, and there was plenty of action to move the story along. It was really nice to have a strong female leader. I'm glad I bought the book.
I liked the book, perhaps for the very reason that some won't: the authors demonstrate a solid knowledge about the U.S. military and include details that may go over the heads of some readers. For me, the details kept me entertained, and there was plenty of action to move the story along. It was really nice to have a strong female leader. I'm glad I bought the book.
March 17, 2017
A Really Good Yarn!
To begin I'll say I read for enjoyment. This review was written with that slant. This book tells the story of our relationships with China and North/South Korea during one incident. It's a quick read and holds your interest. There should be no worries about the new authors keeping the legacy of Tom Clancy alive and well.
To begin I'll say I read for enjoyment. This review was written with that slant. This book tells the story of our relationships with China and North/South Korea during one incident. It's a quick read and holds your interest. There should be no worries about the new authors keeping the legacy of Tom Clancy alive and well.
June 10, 2017
Shallow plot, shallow characters, overly political content, technical terms and acronyms overused but action and drama lacking. It also seems that Steve Pieczenik was not used as a consultant. Tom Clancy would have never been who he was without Pieczenik. These co-authors do not come even close to Clancy's style.
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