Just wondering if anybody else here is a bit of a Clanciphile like me. Now I do find he waxes patriotic and a bit melodramatic but the technical aspects of his novels are quite intriguing. I have yet to hear or read anyone dispute his postulations and conclusions at any length. Maybe here would provide fertile ground.
Red Storm Rising has it’s origins in a tabletop wargame called “Harpoon” the naval focus is a consequence of this, the concept is OK but the coup part is little convienent and the Iceland sub plot is a distraction, I think that the war progression is understandable but the lack of escalation to strategic weapons and the reasoning behind the Soviet attack is not, the USSR would no doubt have a strategic reserve to call on. If you want a “what if” book to read Munchausen try General Sir John Hackett’s “The Third World War: August 1985” my copy is marked published 1978 ISBN 978-0722141854 and follow up “The Third World War The Untold Story” my copy is marked published 1982 ISBN 978-0450055911 written by a former NATO commander with contributions from other senior officers.
Red it years ago. One of his best.
Try this little collection:
Team Yankee
Bright Star
The Ten Thousand
Red Army
All of the WW III genre
http://www.amazon.com/Team-Yankee-Harold-Coyle/dp/0425110427
Another really good one, from a British angle was ‘Chieftains’ by Major General Roy urquhart of rnhem fame.
I read General Sir John Hackett’s “The Third World War” in the 80’s while I was serving in Germany and found it to be a very good book.
My son is reading and comparing it with Red Storm Rising at the moment.