Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (Paperback)

~ (Author) "IT'S like being in a state of nonexistence..." (more)
Key Phrases: diaper factory, stealth plane, frag grenades, Third Echelon, Middle East, Nasir Tarighian (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It's not just a game anymore-read the explosive new book series based on the video game Splinter Cell(tm).

In response to the growing use of sophisticated digital encryption to conceal potential threats to the United States, the National Security Agency has ushered forth the new dawn of intelligence-gathering techniques. The top-secret initiative is dubbed Third Echelon.

Its existence denied by the US government, Third Echelon deploys a lone field operative. He is sharp, invisible, and deadly. He has the right to spy, steal, destroy, and assassinate to protect American freedoms. His name is Sam Fisher. He is a Splinter Cell(tm). Sam Fisher works alone. But fights for us all.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; FIRST EDITIION FIRST PRINTING edition (December 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425201686
• ISBN-13: 978-0425201688
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (111 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,481 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The first in what promises to be a great series, June 27, 2006

By	Brian Bowen (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

Splinter Cell is a novel that is based off of the popular video game that revolves around the best Splinter Cell out there, Sam Fisher. This book is the first in a series that is destine to run for many years. I was given the second book in this series as a present and was very impressed, impressed enough to pick up the first book in what promises to be a very solid series. I would recommend that anyone who would like to get involved in the Splinter Cell series to start with this book. Many of the items that Sam Fisher uses are explained in great detail at the start of this book and not nearly explained in as much detail in the second. The one thing that kept me from giving this book a 5 star rating was the fact that it ended far too abruptly. While the pages were winding down I was beginning to wonder how Mr. Bensen (aka David Michaels) was going to end the story in a matter of pages. Overall the book was very good and one that cost me some hours of sleep as I was unable to put it down. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good action thriller type of book.

The last thing that I would like to comment on regards to this series is the fact that they decided to not use the true authors name (Raymond Bensen) and instead opted for the pseudonym of David Michaels. The reason that the pseudonym was used was for the series to be able to move on with a different author while keeping the same pen name. The publishing company believes that changing the author will cause a sudden change in the fan base causes less to purchase the book. The reason that that scares me is because I believe that the people involved with this book will remove Mr. Bensen from the series which I truly believe would be a great crime.

Brian Bowen

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell; By David Micahels, November 2, 2005

By	Jacqueline A. Fiest "Jackie Fiest" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an impressive first offering from David Michaels in the "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell".

Writing a book off of a video game is always tricky, but Michales does a wonderful job of divulging into Sam Fisher as a person, which is something the games do very little of.

It was good to see Sarah involved heavily in the story line as she is often just a side note in the games. I feel her presence is important as she is what keeps Sam human. She is the only thing that can bring emotion out of Sam and I think thats important to the character.

Sams interactions with his Krav Maga instructor are also a very different side of things from the Sam we are used to.

This book does a great job of fleshing out the character as a person, aside from a bad ass black ops machine. For those who want to explore Sam as a person, and pass a few hours with an excellent book, this one I would highly reccomend.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Must Have for Splinter Cells, November 27, 2005

By	Eric Ettensohn (Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Although not written by Tom Clancy (it clearly states so on the cover, so I only an idiot would think it was written by Clancy) Splinter Cell is a good read. Even though it made sense without playing, I wouldn't reccomend it to those who haven't played the game. I read it as because I loved the game, and the book simply isn't good enough to stand alone. The writing has an unproffesional feel to it, but is still okay. Sam Fisher is potrayed well, but there are a small amount of slip-ups. Sam Fisher seems to curse a lot, which is something I certainly wouldn't expect from such a diciplined guy. The writing sometimes seems immature, like when Fisher describes a detailed fight scene where he knocks out a group of thugs. He follows the description with, "And I did all of it in 4.6 seconds". But the book has many plus sides, you get some insight into Fisher's personal side, such as where he lives and his relationship with his daughter. I wouldn't reccomend the book to those who aren't interested in the game. I also would not reccomend the book to children and preteens, as it contains a graphic sexual scene and severe language. The book is an accessory to the game, and should be treated as such. That being said, the book is a good read.