Source: Youtube/arousingadmiration

Tom Clancy, bestselling author of complex, military suspense thriller novels died on Oct. 2 in Baltimore. At 66 years old, he passed away while he was in John Hopkins Hospital for a brief illness. Tom Clancy's lawyer, JW Thompson Webb, spoke on his behalf.

The exact cause of death was yet to be known as neither Mr Clancy's publisher, Ivan Held or Mr Webb knew about it. Mr Held is Tom Clancy's long-time publisher and president of G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Tom Clancy is most noted for his debut novel, "The Hunt for Red October" which was frequently referred to as one of the best genre novels of all time. The book, first published in 1984, introduced readers to a new kind of suspense genre.

Mr Clancy mastered the art of writing espionage thrillers filled with precise and technical details about spy agencies, weaponry and submarines. Readers were enthralled with the new take on the suspense thrill genre.

"The Hunt for Red October" was well-received and Mr Clancy gained a loyal following. Over 100 million copies of his novels are in print and 17 of those novels took the No. 1 spot in the New York Times best-sellers list.

Mr Clancy's latest novel, "Threat Vector" was released last Dec. 2012. He has an upcoming book to be released on Dec. 3. A prolific writer, Mr Clancy was waiting for his next novel "Command Authority" to be published after two months.

Tom Clancy's novels caught the eye of Hollywood producers. Some of Mr Clancy's best novels were adapted into blockbuster films starring Ben Affleck as the hero protagonist, Jack Ryan, with Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford.

He also allowed his thriller novels to be adapted into video games like "Rainbow Six" and "Splinter Cell" which looked realistic enough that the US military licensed and included the games as part of its training.

Tom Clancy's fast-paced style and espionage theme also influenced popular television shows like "Homeland" and "24."

Mr Clancy's success as a bestselling author enabled him to buy an 80-acre farm located on Chesapeake Bay. He has amassed a fortune big enough to acquire part-ownership of baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles.

Best-selling novels turned blockbuster movie hits

1. The Hunt for Red October

This was published by the US Naval Institute Press as the debut novel of Mr Clancy. Jack Ryan made his first character appearance in the book. He would be a popular protagonist in Mr Clancy's later novels. The book was adapted into a movie in 1990 starring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin. It went on to be a box-office hit with $200 million worldwide.

2. Clear and Present Danger

Jack Ryan is back as the Deputy Director of the CIA in a battle against Colombian drug lords. The 1989 bestseller hit became a movie in 1994 with Harrison Ford in the lead role.

3. Patriot Games

Published in 1987, Jack Ryan fights international terrorism with the mission of saving the Prince and Princess of Wales from an attack in London. Harrison Ford starred in the film in 1992.

4. The Sum of All Fears

Jack Ryan will try to save the world from a nuclear crisis and avoid a Post-Communist world. The film version was released in 2002 starring Morgan Freeman and Ben Affleck.