Tom Clancy published 60 novels, 1 novella, 1 non-fiction book, 1 children's book and 2 other books, beginning with The Hunt for Red October (1984). The 3 series include Jack Ryan (11 books, starting with The Hunt for Red October), The Campus (5 books, starting with The Teeth of the Tiger) and Ryanverse (2 books, starting with Without Remorse). The best-known is Red Storm Rising (1986).
Updated September 2026
Jack Ryan books in order (11)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Hunt for Red October (1984) · 2 Patriot Games (1987) · 3 The Cardinal of the Kremlin (1988) · 4 Clear and Present Danger (1989) · 5 The Sum of All Fears (1991) · 6 Debt of Honor (1994) · 7 Executive Orders (1996) · 8 The Bear and the Dragon (2000) · 9 Red Rabbit (2002) · Patriot Games Jack Ryan Novels Prebound (1988) · … all 11 below
- 1.
The Hunt for Red October (Oct 1984)
- 2.
Patriot Games (Jul 1987)
- 3.
The Cardinal of the Kremlin (May 1988)
- 4.
Clear and Present Danger (Aug 1989)
- 5.
The Sum of All Fears (Aug 1991)
- 6.
Debt of Honor (Aug 1994)
- 7.
Executive Orders (Jul 1996)
- 8.
The Bear and the Dragon (Aug 2000)
- 9.
Red Rabbit (Aug 2002)
Patriot Games Jack Ryan Novels Prebound (1988)
Patriot Games and The Hunt for Red October (1992)
The Campus books in order (5)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Teeth of the Tiger (2003) · 2 Dead or Alive (2010) · 3 Locked On (2011) · 4 Threat Vector (2012) · 5 Command Authority (2013)
- 1.
The Teeth of the Tiger (Aug 2003)
- 2.
Dead or Alive (2010)
- 3.
Locked On (2011)
- 4.
Threat Vector (Dec 2012)
- 5.
Command Authority (Dec 2013)
Ryanverse books in order (2)Series page
Reading order: 1 Without Remorse (1987) · 10 Rainbow Six (1998)
- 1.
Without Remorse (1987)
- 10.
Rainbow Six (Aug 1998)
Where to start with Tom Clancy
Start here
Red Storm Rising
Tom Clancy's most-read book, rated by 108 Open Library readers.
Highest rated
Clear and Present Danger
Rated 4.0 out of 5 by 25 readers.
Shortest way in
Splinter Cell
One of the most-read, at about 368 pages.
Standalone novels in order
Red Storm Rising (Aug 1986)
Submarine (1993)
Submarine: A Guided Tour Inside a Nuclear Warship (1993)
Armored Cav: A Guided Tour of an Armored Cavalry Regiment (Nov 1994)
Op-center (1995)
Op-Centre (1995)
Fighter Wing: A Guided Tour of an Air Force Combat Wing (Nov 1995)
Op-Center: Games of State (1996)
Ssn (Dec 1996)
Acts of War (1997)
Airborne (1997)
Into the Storm (1997)
Net Force (1998)
Net Force Explorers (1998)
Net Force Explorers: Virtual Vandals (1998), with Diane Duane
Rainbow Six: Gold Edition (1998)
Carrier (1999)
Cyberspy (Tom Clancy's Net Force; Young Adults, No. 8) (1999)
End Game (Tom Clancy's Net Force; Young Adults No. 6) (1999)
Every Man a Tiger (1999)
Hidden Agendas (1999)
Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear (1999)
State of Siege (1999)
The Deadliest Game (Tom Clancy's Net Force; Young Adult) (1999)
The Great Race (Tom Clancy's Net Force; Young Adults, No. 5) (1999)
The Ultimate Escape (Tom Clancy's Net Force; Young Adult, No. 4) (1999)
Breaking Point (2000)
Private Lives (Tom Clancy's Net Force; Young Adults, No. 9) (2000)
Revenant (2001)
Shadow Warriors (2002)
Shadow Warriors: Inside the Special Forces (2002)
Call to Treason (2004)
Splinter Cell (Dec 2004)
Terror Counter Terror (2007)
The Holiday Season (2007)
Ghost Recon (2008)
Goetia (2008)
EndWar (Feb 2008)
Wrath of the Blue Lady (2009)
Endwar: The Hunted (2011)
Against All Enemies (Jun 2011)
Search and Destroy (Jul 2012)
Novellas in order
Dream Boat (2001)
Non-fiction in order
Marine (1996)
Children's books in order
I'll Zap Manhattan (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) (1999)
Other books in order
Splinter Cell:Operation Barracuda (2005)
Commander in Chief (2015)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Hunt for Red October (1990)Film · from The Hunt for Red October
- Patriot Games (1992)Film · from Patriot Games
- Without Remorse (2021)Film · from Without Remorse
- Clear and Present Danger (1994)Film · from Clear and Present Danger
- The Sum of All Fears (2002)Film · from The Sum of All Fears
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow SixTV · from Rainbow Six
About Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. was an American writer. He was best known for his techno-thrillers, which feature technical details in espionage and military science settings. Originally an insurance agent, Clancy published his first novel, The Hunt for Red October, in 1984. Eighteen novels followed between 1986 and 2013.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Tom Clancy FAQ
- How many books has Tom Clancy written?
- Tom Clancy published 60 novels, 1 novella, 1 non-fiction book, 1 children's book and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Tom Clancy's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Jack Ryan with The Hunt for Red October, The Campus with The Teeth of the Tiger and Ryanverse with Without Remorse. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Tom Clancy's last book?
- Command Authority (2013).
- What is Tom Clancy's most famous book?
- Red Storm Rising (1986) is Tom Clancy's most widely read book.
- Are Tom Clancy's books connected?
- 18 books belong to 3 series (Jack Ryan, The Campus and Ryanverse); the other 47 books stand alone.
- Which Tom Clancy books have been adapted?
- 6 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Hunt for Red October (film, 1990), Patriot Games (film, 1992), Without Remorse (film, 2021) and Clear and Present Danger (film, 1994).
Authors like Tom Clancy
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.