From Fox News
Best-selling author Vince Flynn, who wrote the Mitch Rapp counterterrorism thriller series and sold more than 15 million books in the U.S. alone, died Wednesday (19 June 2012 -OAFS) in Minnesota after a more than two-year battle with prostate cancer, according to friends and his publisher. He was 47.Mr Flynn was one of my favorite authors. His books were fast paced and I could not put one down once I started reading it.
The first book of his which I picked up was in an airport. You know the drill, you have some time to waste before your flight so you find the nearest bookstore (well, that's what I do anyway). I saw this book (it may have been his first novel Term Limits, I don't rightly recall as it's been a while) and thought, "this looks interesting, just the thing for a long flight".
Could not put it down. The next day I went to the nearest bookstore and bought another Vince Flynn novel. There was only the one, otherwise I would have bought more. And yes, I had finished the first one, read through the night until it was done. Caught a few hours of sleep and then went out to buy another.
I had heard of a used book store up near where my Mom lives. The next time the Missus Herself and I went north we stopped there. They had four, count them, four Vince Flynn novels. Bought them all, read them all.
I've read each of Vince Flynn's books at least twice. The man was an awesome writer. The intensity, the suspense and the action were non-stop. Mitch Rapp, the main character in his books, is awesome. Now it feels like multiple deaths in the family.
For when an author passes on, so do the characters he created. Mitch, Irene, I will miss you so much.
And Vince, another light in my world has been extinguished. You will be sorely missed Sir. May the Good Lord take you into His loving arms and grant you Eternal Peace. And may the Lord provide comfort to your family, your friends and to your many fans.
Farewell Vince and thanks for the many hours of reading pleasure you gave me.
Requiescat in pace.
I can appreciate the sentiment, about the characters going when the author does. He is their voice. He speaks them into life.
ReplyDeleteYes, that thought hit me last night shortly after I had heard about Vince Flynn's death. The characters he created are gone too. Knowing that there will be no continuation is a total bummer. His books did stand alone but they did follow a continuing story line. So that's over. And that does suck.
DeleteAge 47 is WAY too young to go. That fact alone gives one pause.
ReplyDeleteRIP, Mr. Flynn.
I know.
DeleteAw, man. I also liked his books.
ReplyDeleteIt sucks doesn't it?
DeleteI enjoyed a number of that series, too.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't get old like some others have.
Good point.
DeleteHe was my favorite author and he will be missed. I too couldn't put them down once I started. He has another book coming out this fall- The Survivor, and American Assassin is to be made into a movie starring Bruce Willis as Stan Hurley. They haven't cast Mitch yet. I started reading Jack Reacher books, but they aren't nearly as good as Flynn's Mitch Rapp books. I'm so sorry for his family, and us as his readership. By the way, the last 2 Clancy books are very good.
ReplyDeleteI should have known you were a fan. While I do like Jack Reacher, you're right, not as good as Mitch Rapp.
DeleteI will have to check to see if I've read those Clancy books. All I can remember is that there was one recent book that outright sucked and a couple that were so-so. There was one (a recent one) that I recall being good. Still, I don't think any of his later stuff can even hold a candle to his earlier stuff.
As always, YMMV.
I've been a big fan for years and just last month found out that a friend if a friend knows/knew Vince and said that he'd be glad to have me meet him. I wish I'd known that sooner.
ReplyDeleteWow, that would have been something.
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