Tom Clancy Dead at Age 66 / Cause of Death Not Confirmed to Public / Chris Pine in Upcoming 'Jack Ryan' Film

Author Tom Clancy died earlier this week at the age of 66. His cause of death has yet to be confirmed to the public.

Though a younger generation may not carry on the legacy of the meticulous war and action novelist, I still remember my dad's bookshelf at home was filled with Clancy originals.

One of his most beloved characters, Jack Ryan has been adapted for film several times with some of the biggest names in Hollywood playing the role of Ryan. The list includes Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin and Ben Affleck. Chris Pine [Star Trek] is next to don the role in the upcoming Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.

Some Tom Clancy key points as reported by The New York Times:

Seventeen of his novels were No. 1 New York Times best sellers, including his most recent, "Threat Vector," which was released in December 2012. 

Mr. Clancy was an insurance salesman when he sold his first novel, "The Hunt for Red October," to the Naval Institute Press for only $5,000. 

After the book's publication in 1985, Mr. Clancy was praised for his mastery of technical details about Soviet submarines and weaponry. Even high-ranking members of the military took notice of the book's apparent inside knowledge.

In an interview in 1986, Mr. Clancy said, "When I met Navy Secretary John Lehman last year, the first thing he asked me about the book was, 'Who the hell cleared it?'"