Tom Clancy dead at 66

Tom Clancy, author of several spy novels, and creator of multiple “universes” for novels, video and board games, died Tuesday at the age of 66. A native of Baltimore, MD, Clancy started his literary career in the early 1980’s with the introduction of Jack Ryan, in The Hunt for Red October. The Ryan character has been carried through multiple novels, and has been adapted for the silver screen multiple times, with the final installment, Command Authority, due for release in early December.

Business Insider reported that Publisher’s Weekly announced Clancy’s death on Twitter, and that The New York Times confirmed the report. Clancy, beyond his novels, had co-founded Red Storm Entertainment in 1996, for his video game projects. That company was later sold to Ubisoft.

Clancy, while generally considered conservative in his politics, notably spoke critically about the George W. Bush administration, particularly regarding its handling of terrorism and the investigation of the attacks on 9/11. He was generally considered an expert in the field of espionage writing, and was well-respected by both members of the military and the intelligence community.