Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Fallout

Tom Clancy's Op-Center #22

by Jeff Rovin

As fears of a dangerous nuclear confrontation between China and the US escalate, China targets individual members of the Black Wasp team in this heart-pounding entry in the bestselling series.

After successfully extricating one of Beijing’s top scientists from captivity and escorting him to America, the Black Wasp commandos find themselves targeted by Chinese assassins. The killers are not only highly trained but invisible, launching tactical strikes from multiple embassies in Washington, D.C. The Chinese squad has also infiltrated American intelligence and is aware of every move Black Wasp makes. Complicating matters, the new president of the United States seems willing to let Op Center take the fall for the mission that precipitated the crisis.

The shocking murder of one of their own forces the surviving team members to seek both a safe haven and an ally in the fight for survival -- an unexpected partner who might, in fact, be part of the problem.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

336 pages, Paperback

Published May 30, 2023

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I kept listening for something positive to occur...and then the catastrophe ended. 0 of 10 stars

[John Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if the Black Wasp group became the A-Team? I pity the fool that doesn’t enjoy this book....

Book Information

Jeff Rovin's latest book, "Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Fallout," is an eagerly anticipated addition to his extensive literary portfolio. Clocking in at 336 pages, the book is set to be published on May 30, 2023. The audio version, which features Roger Wayne as the narrator, runs for 8 hours and 9 minutes. Rovin is a prolific writer, having authored over one hundred books, including several New York Times bestsellers, under his own name, various pseudonyms, or as a ghostwriter. He has written over a dozen Op-Center novels, an impressive feat that speaks to his familiarity with the franchise created by the late Tom Clancy. Many thanks to McMillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy of the book for review.

Summary

Black Wasp, a group of elite soldiers who operate secretly out of a group called Op-Center and are answerable only to the President of the United States, have successfully rescued a top Chinese scientist from captivity and brought him to America. However, their victory is short-lived when they are suddenly targeted by skilled Chinese assassins.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, the new US president seems to be willing to blame Op-Center, the organization overseeing Black Wasp, for the crisis that has ensued. When a team member is murdered, the remaining team members are forced to seek refuge and find an ally to help them survive. However, this ally may not be trustworthy, and their loyalties may be questionable.

My Thoughts

If you're a fan of Tom Clancy's Op-Center series, then you won't want to miss this latest addition, Fallout, the 22nd book in the series. Rovin does a great job of crafting a standalone story that is fast-paced, exciting, and full of political maneuvering. If you are not a fan—read it anyway---it’s fantastic.

Even as someone who hadn't read any of the previous books in the series, I was immediately drawn into the action and found myself rooting for the small unit of elite soldiers (Black Wasp) taking on a seemingly insurmountable challenge. The story pits doing what’s right (perhaps at great cost) against making choices for political or personal benefit. It puts soldiers in an impossible position as we examine the choices they make. Rovin's writing style balances action, dialogue, and character development perfectly, allowing the reader to become invested in the characters' journeys.

The plot itself has surprises, twists, and turns, with a satisfying cliffhanger that will leave you eager to dive into the next book. I found myself so engaged in the story that I sat in my car listening for 30 minutes just to find out what happens next.

One of the highlights of the audio version of Fallout was the exceptional performance by Roger Wayne, who brought the characters to life. His narration added an extra layer of excitement to the already gripping story.

Recommendation

Overall, I highly recommend Fallout to fans of the Op-Center series and anyone who enjoys a thrilling, action-packed read. While it may help to have read the previous books in the series, this book stands on its own and is an excellent introduction to the world of Op-Center.

Rating

4 Black Wasp Stars

[Jeremy Peers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hooked from the first page! China is super pissed after the raid and extraction of a Chinese scientist. For retribution, China sabotages the reentry of a space shuttle resulting in a total loss and killing a member of Congress. Unbeknownst to the members of Black Wasp, they are being targeted for assassination after their identities were discovered. Their lives, and possibly the future of Black Wasp, are being used as a political football. With the president seemingly willing to throw them under the bus, they have only each other to rely on.

Op-Center: Fallout is a very good technothriller with a frighteningly plausible scenario. Rovin does a good job of developing characters and keeping the story moving with heart pounding action. I'm looking forward to seeing what Rovin has in store next.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Op-Center: Fallout.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC through NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with a space returning to Earth with 4 astronauts when all power is lost. They are unable to get the vehicle into proper entry and are all burned up.and there are no survivors. Why did this happen?

Flash forward and the story then starts with the "Black Wasps" team training. The head of the team is Chase Wright who receives a call from his friend "Berry". He is told about a double agent who wishes to meet Chase. Chase agrees and goes to the location where he is abducted. Another member of the team, Major Breen, goes to the location where Chase's phone is located. Once he arrived and found the phone, he was killed.

It is then that the remaining members of the team realize that they have been targeted. They even learn that family members are fair game as well. Two of the members go on the run while the Capt. Mann remains at her residence. The other two begin planning on how to save Chase. These two soon meet up with another organization.

To discover who was responsible for CXhase's abduction, whay event happened that resulted in this type of action as well as how the team made out in the end, then you need to read this book. The ending is unexpected.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This was an intense book!!! From the opening page to the conclusion, I had no idea what would happen next. Chase Williams, head of Op Center, gets captured by the Chinese and Black Wasp is tasked with his rescue. Jaz Rivette and Grace Lee are the two operatives assigned the task of recovery. I found this to be quite a page turner, even though I didn't agree with some of the plot twists. But overall, a very good story!!!

[terry copper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced

If a thumbnail of this is true there's a whole other world working to keep ours safe! Keep you on your toes reading

[Kelly Kimbrough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book through Goodreads. This is the first book of this series that I have read. This was a good read that felt like an old Clancy novel. It was a fast read and kept you turning the pages. This book is about a secretive military group called Black Wasp that does things no one knows about and the government doesn’t admit to doing. Their leader falls prey to a double cross with the Chinese government and the group goes a little rogue to rescue him.

[Darren Bourn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author, Jeff Roivin, and the folks at @NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.

Embarrassing but true factoid: Although I'm somewhat of a Tom Clancy "regular," this is the first of the twenty-one previously written Op-Center books I've read in a long while (I think I recall reading a few of the first few books, but I am pretty sure that I have not read any of the recent "chapters". It won't, I assure you, be the last (unless for some reason they stop being written).

It's all very fast-paced and, as might be expected, the outcome goes right down to the wire. There's even a cliffhanger that could change the direction of future books. None of this I can elaborate upon without spoiling things for other readers, but suffice it to say it's all very exciting and forced me to delay bedtime in order to find out how things turned out. That said, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Bring on the next one - I'm eager to see how that cliffhanger is resolved!

Jeff Roivin's entry into Tom Clancy's Op-Center universe (Fall Out) starts out with a bang. As an American Space Shuttle heads back to Earth, it suddenly runs into some technical issues. The crew scrambles to manually land, but suddenly the thrusters ignite and they are thrown off course causing the space shuttle to explode as it tries to reenter Earth's atmosphere. It soon becomes clear that the explosion is a retaliatory move by the Chinese for the extrication of a top Chinese scientist by Op-Center and the Black Wasps, and they are not satisfied with one act of retribution. It becomes clear that the Chinese want to obliterate Op-Center, The Black Wasps, and everyone who is close to them.

I thought this was a good entry into the series. The main reason I gave this book four stars instead of five was that I felt you were missing a little bit if you didn't know the back story of the Chinese scientist being extricated. While this didn't make the story confusing, I think you would struggle as the previous novel was barely explained, yet it was the whole premise of the retribution. Aside from that, I thought this was an excellent read. The book was fast-paced and there was a good combination of political intrigue, action, and espionage.

Overall, I feel if you're a reader of the series, this is a great book. If this is your first time reading this series, you might feel a little bit missing. Either way, this book is very enjoyable and worth the read.

As with all my literary ramblings, these are just some of my five cents worth

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Embarrassing but true factoid: Although I'm somewhat of a Tom Clancy "regular," this is the first of the 21 previously written Op-Center books I've read. It won't, I assure, be the last unless for some reason they stop being written. That's despite not being a big fan of espionage, torture (especially torture) and all that gory military stuff.

Members of the uber-secret Black Wasp group affiliated with the (so far) government-sanctioned Op-Center pulled off a coup that made the Chinese look bad - or so they decided - and they retaliated with an almost unthinkable act. Trying to get to the bottom of it - and prevent escalation - Chase Williams, head of the Op-Center, agrees to meet with a man who's been trusted by Matt Berry, head of think tank Trigram Institute. That, alas, didn't turn out well; and now, the other Op-Center members are on high alert against real threats to their own lives while at the same time trying to figure out how to help their much-admired commander. Thrown in the mix is a Chinese defector and his family - a man the Chinese very much want back - and a wishy-washy President who doesn't seem to have a backbone.

It's all very fast-paced and, as might be expected, the outcome goes right down to the wire. There's even a cliffhanger that could change the direction of future books. None of this I can elaborate upon without spoiling things for other readers, but suffice it to say it's all very exciting and forced me to delay bedtime in order to find out how things turned out. And just for the record, two other things: first, there's really not a ton of the aforementioned gory military stuff; and second, the book really, really needs another serious editing pass. Way too many glaring errors to be overlooked at this stage of the game. That said, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Bring on the next one - I'm eager to see how that cliffhanger is resolved!

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book. Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Fall out starts out with a bang. As an American Space Shuttle heads back to earth, it suddenly runs into some technical issues. The crew scrambles to manually land, but suddenly the thrusters ignite and they are throw off course causing the space shuttle to explode as it tries to reenter Earth's atmosphere. It begins to become clear that the explosion is a retaliation by the Chinese for the extrication of a top Chinese scientist by Op-Center and the Black Wasps, and they are not satisfied with one act of retribution. It becomes clear that the Chinese want to obliterate Op-Center, The Black Wasps, and everyone who is close to them.

I thought this was a good entry into the series. The main reason I gave this book four stars instead of five was that I felt you were missing a little bit if you didn't know the back story of the Chinese scientist being extricated. While this didn't make the story confusing, I think you would struggle as the previous novel was barely explained, yet it was the whole premise of the retribution. Aside from that, I thought this was an excellent listen. The book was fast paced and there was a good combination of political intrigue, action, and espionage. I also liked that they threw the main characters of the Op-Center hierarchy right into pearl.

Overall, I feel if your are a reader of the series, this is a great book. If this is your first time reading this series, you might feel a little but missing. Either way, this book is very enjoyable and worth the read. Thank you to @NetGalley @MacmillanAudio and Jeff Rovin for a free advanced readers copy for an honest review.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Fallout AUDIO by Jeff Rovin is the latest in the series although I had no trouble falling right into the story. Black Wasp is a small, off-the-books, group of elite soldiers who operate under the auspices of Op-Center. In this case, they have rescued a Chinese scientist and the Chinese want him back. They are also angry that Black Wasp got the better of them and they are out for revenge. One death, two parents killed, and one kidnapping so far and the president does not have their backs. They have to take this into their own hands and do what they can, which turns out to be considerable.

I love stories like this, especially in audio: fast-paced, focused stories involving people who are skilled and ready to do their worst, letting nothing stop them. It is a greater good against selfish motive plot in which the right thing wins out, no matter how they feel. Sometimes it is difficult to know which is which. This was a totally enjoyable listen, due not only to the terrific book but to the masterful readership of Roger Wayne who was the perfect choice to read this book. His voice held the perfect tone of urgency at all times without being hysterical. He made it the perfect listen.

I was invited to listen to a free e-AUDIO of Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Fallout by MacMillan Audio, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MacMillanAudio #JeffRovin
#Tom ClancysOpCenterFallout

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC through NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with a space returning to Earth with 4 astronauts when all power is lost. They are unable to get the vehicle into proper entry and are all burned up.and there are no survivors. Why did this happen?

Flash forward and the story then starts with the "Black Wasps" team training. The head of the team is Chase Wright who receives a call from his friend "Berry". He is told about a double agent who wishes to meet Chase. Chase agrees and goes to the location where he is abducted. Another member of the team, Major Breen, goes to the location where Chase's phone is located. Once he arrived and found the phone, he was killed.

It is then that the remaining members of the team realize that they have been targeted. They even learn that family members are fair game as well. Two of the members go on the run while the Capt. Mann remains at her residence. The other two begin planning on how to save Chase. These two soon meet up with another organization.

To discover who was responsible for CXhase's abduction, whay event happened that resulted in this type of action as well as how the team made out in the end, then you need to read this book. The ending is unexpected.

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an uncorrected proof of this book from St. Martin's in exchange for an honest review. Here are my thoughts.

First, though this isn't my first experience with a Clancy novel (I loved the early Jack Ryans), I had not read any of the previous 21 Op-Center books written by Jeff Rovin. I do believe I'd have enjoyed this one a little more if I'd read those, if only for the fact that I'd have more emotional attachment to the main characters. As it was, I felt somewhat detached and so the dangers they experienced weren't as big a deal to me. That said, it does work fine as a stand alone novel. I didn't have any trouble catching up to what was going on at all.

If I'm comparing Rovin to Clancy, maybe not a fair thing to do but Clancy's name is on the cover so I'm going to, a few things stand out to me. First, Riven isn't nearly as detailed as Clancy. Some may find that a plus. I don't. That said, where Clancy can tend to drag a little with said details, Riven soars. This 328 page book took me less than a day to finish. It was fast paced and a very easy read. If you like espionage type thrillers, you'll likely enjoy this one.

[Dennis McCrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because of my background in Military Intelligence from the mid-1980’s, I have always been a huge fan of espionage/spy novels. Tom Clancy’s 1984 novel ‘The Hunt for Red October was the first novel of this genre that I read back in my days at Fort Huachuca. Since then I have tried to read his novels as they came out.

Clancy died in 2013.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. I received this ARC audiobook free through NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in return for my honest review. The thing that has always been one hallmark of Clancy and his novels has been his attention to current military technology and tactics. In fact I remember when ‘The Hunt for Red October’ came out, there was quite the turmoil about how Clancy had become aware of so much submarine tactics and technology, given he had been an insurance salesman with no military background. This novel, even though not written by Clancy, kept close allegiance to his writing technique/style and thus provides quite the adrenaline jolt.

As for the audiobook aspect, I enjoyed the voice actor Roger Wayne as well. Easy to listen to.

[Brandi]

Jeff Rovin's action-packed military and political thriller bursts onto the scene with a thrilling act of sabotage. As a fan of books inspired by Tom Clancy, I eagerly delved into this novel. However, I did encounter some challenges in keeping up with certain aspects of the plot. At times, it felt like a considerable stretch to connect certain dots that didn't realistically seem connectable. Despite reaching the halfway point, I found myself struggling to develop a deep investment in the storyline. Consequently, I resorted to using it as my bedtime audiobook, allowing its words to lull me to sleep. Although I cannot pinpoint any specific reasons for this book falling short for me, it is unlikely that I will seek out other books in this series based solely on my experience with this one.

*I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.**

[Matthew Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first one of these "Tom Clancy, but not written by Tom Clancy" books that I've read. I have enjoyed some of the OG Clancy novels and have been wanting to give one of these a shot, and this one did not disappoint!

I will say that although I think this one started and ended well, the middle was a little slow and I needed to reread some passages to really understand what was going on. However, this might be attributed to the fact that I have not read the previous 30-ish volumes in this series. I think if I back up a few books, then maybe I will understand the long story arc a little more.

Overall, a very entertaining military thriller that leaves the story wide open for the next volume. I'm sure that I will keep going with this series!

[Eric Cousineau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another outstanding installment in the Op-Center series. Once again, the author has provided us with rich well-developed characters and a fast-moving story line leaves you breathless and at the edge of your seat in this high-octane action thriller. If you are looking for a military thriller with a complex but believable plot surrounded by lots of action, this book is for you. I couldn’t put it down. This thriller grabs you from the first page and doesn’t give you a moments rest until the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Clancy's Op-Center Fallout is the twenty-second book in the series. This is the first one I have read in the series. I had a little difficulty feeling attachment to the main characters, if I had read some of the prior books, I might have felt more involved in the story. How ever this is a fast moving with many twists and turns as you would expect. It is a riveting, and intense page turner with a cliffhanger which leaves you wondering about what comes next.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[SteVen Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review -Tom Clancy Op-Center Fallout – Jeff Rovin
“Tom Clancy’s Op-Center Fallout”, by author Jeff Rovin, is another well-developed, fast-moving story that left me intrigued and at the edge of my seat in this high-octane action techno thriller. After successfully extricating one of China’s top scientists from captivity and escorting him to America, the Black Wasp commandos’ actions have fueled the possibility of a perilous nuclear confrontation between China and the US. They’ve angered the Chinese thus have found themselves targeted by some highly trained, very covert Chinese assassins. Complicating matters, the new US president willingly lets the Op Center take the fall for the rescue mission that precipitated the crisis. There are various subplots with numerous twists and turns and ample action in this highly intense action thriller. I relish Rovin’s writing regarding the US/China confrontational relationship. His storytelling has a way of keeping the reader engaged in aggressive and difficult situations that seem plausible, probable, and real. This book is more of a concentrated suspense thriller than the classic Clancy Jack Ryan political espionage thrillers. I enjoyed it and look forward to future Op Center books involving the top-secret covert Black Wasp paramilitary team.

[carl clause · Rating 5 out of 5]

CC1

Excellent a long time coming. Well the old center team got their butt handed to them at beginning. But Chase Williams held on and the rest of the team came the. Matt Berry was the cog in machine. Between him and Black Wasp they got Chase and inflicted humiliation on Hao. Excellent job. 10 stars plus!!!!! Thanks, Carl Clause

[Marci Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all the Op-Center books! This one was a great one and had me hooked right from the beginning! The scary part is that I can see this happening in our world today and really hope that most of this is just imagination and fiction and true-to-life possibilities! I can't wait for the next installment to see what happens and where Black Wasp moves to!

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite part about this book is the unwavering loyalty of the Black Wasps commandos as they face the daunting challenge to rescue their captured leader.

The real-life confrontational relationship that USA and China have in real life makes reading books about these kinds of dangerous situations almost too disturbing to comfortably digest.

[Anthony Philosophos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fallout portrays a realistic view of what a conflict with China might look like. Rovin's book continues in the Clancy fast paced tradition. You won't put the book down once you start.

I received this book as a free copy.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase]]

I received an audiobook copy via NetGalley and it is a DNF at 45%. This is my first time trying a Tom Clancy novel, after loving Tom Clancy movies, and I just couldn't stay focused. The story isn't holding me, the characters aren't memorable and I constantly find myself lost.

[Cari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't read any Tom Clancy books for quite a while. I thoroughly enjoyed Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Fallout written by Jeff Rovin. The special ops genre is one of my favorites. Now that I have finished this book, I want to check out some of the previous Tom Clancy novels!

[Lizenbyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the first chapter to the last one. The Americans have brought back a Chinese scientist, and they want him and his family back. Through a long series of crisis and intrigue the book moves forward with the Americans getting the best of the Chinese.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Fallout by Jeff Rovin fall short for a supposed Clancy tale. It starts out with the Chinese destroying a new automated spaceship & a newly elected president afraid to escalate the situation. Hard to believe even harder read about. By the end, the president seems to grow a pair though not completely. Fast read with too much discussion & limited action.

[Grant F · Rating 4 out of 5]

It goes against my normal creed to read books out of order but I did with this one and was not disappointed. It seems like these books can be read out of order, but I get the feeling it is still best to read these chronologically. Also my first Clancy book (although it's technically Jeff Rovin).

[Barbara Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this novel as an advanced copy. Another very well written Tom Clancy military thriller, that keeps your attention through the entire 328 pages.

[Deborah Wall · Rating 4 out of 5]

China cold war

This story has the feel of the old Clancy books but is updated to show the mixed feelings toward what it means to fight an enemy even when justified.