Chapter By Chapter> Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Mirror Image chapter 14

Chapter by Chapter features me reading one chapter (or possibly multiple chapter for this one) of the selected book at the time and reviewing it as if I were reviewing an episode of a TV show or an issue of a comic. There will be spoilers if you haven’t read to the point I have, and if you’ve read further I ask that you don’t spoil anything further into the book. Think of it as read-along book club.

Well, last time we checked in with the good guys as they formulated a plan to deal with the bombings. This chapter is back to Russia and the bad guys. I did skim ahead to see how long this pattern lasts, and it isn’t a permanent situation.

I will say that so long as it didn’t hurt the overall narrative flow, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to go back and forth, act and react between Op-Center and Commie Op-Center. The previous book was more thought than action, which I was okay with. It was the regular characters I had issues with. It may be the same here, but I do wonder if the next book, the last one I have, also starts with a bombing. I would like more variety than that. Book 1 had a bombing in Korea to protest unification. Book 2 has a bombing to attempt reunification of the Soviet Union. Book 3 needs to break that trend.

We’ll see when we get there. For now, it’s time to check in on Commie Op-Center.

Monday, 6:45 AM, St. Petersburg

When I have to remind myself who a character is from a few chapters ago, it’s not a good sign. Outside of being Paul Hood’s counterpart at Commie Op-Center, there’s nothing memorable about General Orlov. I even had to look up his name while writing that last sentence–twice, since the first time was to confirm his rank. Mainly the chapter is establishing that Rossky is going over his head with Dogin and we see Rossky lie about how Field-Hutton died, claiming the spy offed himself rather than get caught. We know he got hit with a poison. All we learn is that Rossky is clearly looking to up his rank as a promotion seeker, by any means necessary.

That leads to a rather boring exchange of Rossky’s career leading to his current position and his attempt to use a mistake by Orlov’s son to intimidate Orlov, which not only fails but puts him further in the general’s proverbial crosshairs. Sure, we learn that Orlov’s son was punished because he broke into the supply depot and not the actual defacing, and for beating up the depot guard but not the Greek priest. While I don’t know for certain this would actually be their priorities, which does work for the villains, I wouldn’t be surprised. Frankly, the whole thing was just boring and when the intimidation battle started I just didn’t care. Far as I’m concerned they could take each other out. What this leads to with Rossky I can’t say yet, but Orlov better avoid pretty young joggers for a while.

Next time it’s back to Washington, DC, and the people who will be protecting the US. We should be worried.