Chapter By Chapter> Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Mirror Image chapters 49 & 50

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.

Yes, two chapters this week. While chapter 49 is the usual chapter length, chapter 50 is half the proper length AND takes place two minutes after 49. So the heck with it, might as well review both. We’re in the final quarter of this book and I’m ready to be done with it.

In our last chapter Orlov Sr. started to realize what’s going on, and at least two of the people involved. He also managed to beat Rossky’s challenge to his authority. Maybe he’s one of the good guys after all.

I guess well see in these two chapters. Both are in the same location, which is another reason to put them together. It should be noted as I pad the intro for the homepage that we only have a quarter of the book left and it’s been going on way too long. Perhaps if they focused less on the useless trivia and limited the worldbuilding to the essential information to understand a character in this situation, this could be done faster. Nevertheless, let’s get on with our two chapters.

Chapter 49: Tuesday, 9:30 PM

Chapter 50: Tuesday, 9:32 PM

both chapters’ location: Khabarovsk

Chapter 49 is the full length chapter, but only because there’s a lot explanation. However, most of it actually works because we learn about the paratrooper training they went through and how they’re applying it to an early jump. Their plane was being pursued by the Russian jets, and while they’re prepared for their cover story it means Striker is going to need a different ride home. A quick call to Rodgers says there will be one ready. We’ll see if it is when the time comes.

Considering how much useless backstory we’ve gotten thus far it’s nice to see the book actually use it right for a change. It’s happened, but rarely.

On to chapter 50 and Orlov, Jr. It’s short because all we need to know is that Orlov, having practically grew up on an airbase, has gotten quite good at hearing planes and knowing what they’re doing, like Radar O’Reilly on M*A*S*H*. He called Commie Op-Center for Rossky, but since he’s handling the undercover Striker duo Nikita is forced to talk to his dad. Orlov Sr confirms it’s the plane they’ve been tracking and to guard the cargo, Nikita wondering if they’re protecting it as evidence or for the war effort. Nikita doesn’t know about the coup, which may be to his benefit at the moment considering  Rossky and Dogin are looking for a way to get rid of his father, though I still want to know if he’d support the coup and the restoration of the Soviet republic. I’m still hopefully Orlov Sr can keep my nickname from becoming reality, but I don’t know if I trust his kid given his history and his hate for his father.

We also learn that Nikita wanted to be a pilot but didn’t want to live in his father’s shadow and so never went for it. That’s a shame, but I wonder if that’s another reason he doesn’t like his dad. This bit of lore is told fast enough that it doesn’t bog down the story, and it’s tied to how he can “hear” the planes above him and guess what’s going on so easily. Both chapters used their worldbuilding properly, giving flavor or explanation to actions and skills rather than a bunch of unnecessary stuff we really don’t need to know about, slowing the story.

Next time we’re back to one chapter and back to regular Op-Center. I wonder if what’s going on there is interesting?