The world has lost another great soul as Tom Clancy passed away at the age of 66 at John Hopkins Hospital, October 1st. The cause of death has not yet been revealed.

Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. in real-life, the American author and novelist was widely revered for his successful military and spy storylines set during the aftermath of the Cold War. He was instrumental in breathing life into a new genre of thrillers, consequently, million-dollar industry that crossed over to the big screen and video games.

Seventeen of books that he penned became #1 New York Times bestseller. It was also noted that only Stephen King's earnings could match Clancy's net worth as an author. A French video game company purchased rights to use his name for an undisclosed amount.

In an interview in 2002 with TIME, Clancy was skeptical about the idea of making writing a profession. He said:

"I don't recommend writing as a form of employment, because it's such miserable work. That's how you tell a rookie: if they actually think the writing's fun. I guess it is for the first one or two, but after that it just becomes miserable work, like digging in the dirt with a shovel. But it's something you have to do. You can't not do it."
His best-selling thrillers The Hunt for the Red October and Su of All Fears also became an instant hit to moviegoers. Sean Connery and Ben Affleck starred in these films respectively. It was the former that opened several doors for him and was the beginning of his long-lasting career in literature.

Clancy is also known as a big supporter of conservative Republican views. He wrote books dedicated to his political beliefs and figures like ex-US President Ronald Reagan.

In his latter years, he associated himself with Marine Corps general and former Commander in Chief of US Central Command, Anthony Charles Zinni. Clancy was a vocal critic of George W. Bush's administration. He also insinuated that US was partly responsible for the 9/11 terrorism, citing that CIA gutting as one of the reasons.

Clancy was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. His first marriage with Wanda Clancy produced four children. He re-married in 1999 and had a daughter with freelance journalist Alexandra Marie Llewellyn. Collin Powell introduced them to each other in 1997.