Author Tom Clancy Joins the Ghost Recon

Tom Clancy, a master of modern-day spy fiction whose bestselling novels inspired numerous films and video games, has died at the age of 66. He passed away at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after a brief illness.

Best known as the creator of super spy Jack Ryan, Clancy's books involving the character have been adapted for the big screen four times (Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, and Sum of All Fears), with a fifth installment (Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit) set for release at the end of this year.

Clancy's work also inspired various video game franchises, including Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell and Rainbow Six. But because I'm old and nerdy, I'll always have a special place in my heart for the graphically-challenged submarine simulator Red Storm Rising. As a child, I spent months playing a bootleg copy without the instruction booklet, and I enjoyed every frustrating minute of it.

R.I.P.