Years ago, who would have thought that the most powerful computers would one day be household appliances capable of the most technical espionage? With the Internet now providing such possibilities, Tom Clancy, block-busting author of high-tech thrillers, explores this with Net Force. Set in 2010, The Internet has become the planet's central nervous system. This is very appealing for terrorists and in response there is Net Force: highly trained operatives who police the twin worlds of reality and virtual reality. In Hidden Agendas, Louisiana's state capitol building is destroyed using a chemical weapons formula stolen from the Net. The team has to deal with online assaults on the world's banks, murder and possibly the most daring robbery in history. While this series does not have the grand intricacy and epic stance of the Jack Ryan novels, there is no denying that Clancy has a talent for high-tension thrillers and intricate descriptions of high-tech hardware. Obviously aimed at a wider age group, this is an effective thriller with a genuinely interesting premise. Danny Graydon