The Hunt for Red October (Jack Ryan) by Tom Clancy
|
List Price: Our Price: $2.35 You Save: $5.64 (71%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Hunt for Red October (Jack Ryan)
Book Review: Dreams of Freedom
Summary: 5 Stars
Reader's Response to NovelThe harsh prospect of a nuclear holocaust keeps readers of Tom Clancy's The Hunt for the Red October, glued to the pages. This novel has been well written and the sheer suspense involved coerces the reader to continue reading.
The action begins as Soviet submarine Captain Marko Ramius decides that he wants to defect from Russia to America. When the American CIA ascertains this, Ramius is already halfway across the Atlantic in his stolen sub, and analyst Jack Ryan is called to the case. Can a rogue submarine captain escape from the entire Soviet Navy to gain his freedom?
Unforgettable characters such as Captain Ramius and Jack Ryan force you to think about what they discuss in the book. Ramius wants his freedom and is willing to do anything to get it. Ryan has many personal boundaries that are dying to be broken so he can experience life to the fullest. After reading this book, we Americans will finally grasp the colossal freedoms that we enjoy with democracy. Also, the reader begins to cogitate what individual boundaries limit them and how best to supersede them. Stirring text and insights into the characters' own heads give the reader a need to continue reading onward. When Clancy takes the reader on a journey inside Ramius' head, the sad reality that permeates throughout the Soviet Union becomes reality. Clancy explains the hardships and the utter lack of dignity that an everyday citizen is supposed to bear. The amazing thing about the authorship of this book is that it makes the readers want to know more about the situations occurring. Somehow, the reader begins to feel emotion for the characters as they experience good times and bad.
All in all, The Hunt for the Red October is a fascinating, gripping book that keeps the reader on his toes. This novel manages to examine various ideas and situations that all readers are able to apply in some way to their own lives. I highly recommend The Hunt for the Red October for anyone wishing to learn more about themselves and a little bit about nuclear submarines.
Book Review: A techno thriller of grand porportions!
Summary: 5 Stars
It's at the height of the Cold War. The Soviets have build the submarine, the Red October. Deadly and almost silent with a new propulsion system, commandeered by Captain Marko Ramius, the Red October is heading West. The reason? It's up to the Americans to find out. At first, the American government immediately jump to the conclusion that the Russians are planning to attack the United States. But then strangely enough, they find out that the entire Russian naval and air commands are trying to find the "Red October": there orders, to sink the submarine! Lone CIA analyst, Jack Ryan has a different idea that is almost too impossible to believe! The hunt is on!!Now this is a book worth the reading! Not only is the book a suspensful and thrilling read, the plot is so well constructed that it's almost impossible to believe that this never really took place. Down to the last detail, Tom Clancy gives us a story which will have your eyes glued to every single page and make the time fly past.
Clancy's characters are fully developed and I'm most thankful for that. There are times when I read a very detailed book with so many characters, and even while reading, I forget the characters and have to turn back to find out 'who in the world is that?' But not so in this case, From the main characters, Jack Ryan, Marko Ramius, the President, and etc., I still can probably start reading the book again and remember most of the characters.
When you finish this book, I can most definitely guarantee it won't leave you feeling disappointed. But don't stop there! Tom Clancy is the author of many more novels which will give you the same feeling of delving into some sort of hidden story waiting to be opened up. Also, be sure to check out the 1990 movie based on this book:
"The Hunt for Red October" (1990) - Basically the same as the book. Understandably though, not all the characters, incidents, and details aren't included in the movie. Still a great movie, I can highly recommend it. Starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn. PG-13
Book Review: As the NY Times said, "...A whiz-bang page turner!"
Summary: 5 Stars
Despite the many allegations that this book is unfair to the Soviets, portraying them as crude, belligerent, and even downright evil, I have but one thing to say: well, duh. That's pretty much communism in a nutshell, and Clancy just lets the facts speak for themselves. He's really quite fair in presenting both sides. The reader learns about both sides through the characters, not the narrator. The Soviet characters praise their beloved homeland, while the American characters praise theirs. As Clancy points out, we Americans were not without fault. (I could argue this point a little better, but that would give away too much of the plot.) Point is, it just so happens that we Americans surpassed them in many respects. But before you get to feeling all sorry for the poor widdle Commies, keep in mind that these are the people whose solution to the mutual devastation of nuclear war was their "first-strike capability," whereby the Soviets would use their nuclear arsenal to obliterate the United States, leaving us too crippled to launch a counterattack. Now that's a friendly bunch, eh? Well, I'd love to finish bashing communism, but this is a book review, and they only let me have 1000 words anyway. To sum up, this book is a fabulous read for both sides of the Commie/Yankee Imperialist Pig argument. The plot's fast-paced and well developed, the characters are realistic, and it's the most interesting way to learn about the Cold War and its combatants. He teaches a little Russian, some navy acronyms (which might as well be in Russian), and everything you need to know about a sub. By the way, since I'm taking the Yankee Imperialist Pig side of this issue, I would like to point out that pigs are the only barnyard animals noted for both their intelligence and keen sense of smell.Book Review: The best of the lot.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always thought Harper Lee was one of the smartest -- or was it luckiest? -- American writers, because she quit while she was ahead. Having produced a masterpiece in "To Kill a Mockingbird", she never wrote another book. She went out on top.Clancy is, first, not her equal as a writer; and second, not quite as smart. "Red October" was one of the most concise, gripping thrillers imaginable. It's the book all the other military-techno-thriller authors have been trying (without success) to duplicate ever since. Like Lee, Clancy's first book was his masterpiece. Unlike her, he kept writing, and was never again able to catch the magic of his magnum opus. Oh, I don't blame him: by continuing to churn out the stories, he became famous and wealthy. No harm in that. And many of his subsequent stories, though not the equal of "Red October", were nonetheless superior to most of Clancy's peers' efforts.
My main complaint about the later books is that Ryan (who in the first book was one, not the only, hero) was turned into a superman in later installments. As one reviewer noted among the reviews way below, not only Jack, but all his cronies, had to be the Best of the Best. Jack? So great he became president -- and a great one. Cathy? Not just a doctor, but the top eye surgeon (and a babe to boot). Robby? Not just a fighter pilot, but the best one and eventually an admiral. Robby's wife? Not just a pilot's wife, but a respected concert pianist (and, like Cathy, a babe). Jack is such a demigod, apparently, that all who surround him become larger-than-life.
As the new Clancy novel is due out any day now, it might be a good idea to re-read the one that started it all: the classic "Hunt for Red October".
Book Review: THE MOST COMPLEX BOOK I'VE EVER READ!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book has got to be one of Tom Clancy's best novels. There are so many factors of this story, you wonder how anybody could wrap up the story, and have it still make sense. It's not hard to see that he did some SERIOUS research for this story, yet he can still explain the military information meaningfully enough that almost anyone could understand it.The main plot is, of course, the defection of the Red October. Now, I don't want to give away any secrets about the ending of the story, so I'll just tell you what I can without giving away the surprise; The Red October is defecting to the United States in search for freedom. Captain Marko Ramius pulls a nuclear reactor scare, in hope of frightening the lieutenants and other lower rank Comrades off of the submarine. The captain said that he and some other officers would stay behind with the submarine, to set charges and explode it, so that the Americans "Will not get their dirty hands on it", while the other seamen were rescued by the Americans and taken back to Russia. If it worked out perfectly, and nobody found out, the younger Comrades would go back to Russia and say, "Yes, Marko Ramius, being the courageous man he is, stayed after with the submarine, and detonated charges, whereupon it exploded. Well, Comrade Political Officer, you don't need to worry about the Americans getting their hands on it." But of course Marko Ramius did not actually stay after on the submarine, and infact the Red October never even exploded. How can this be?, you may ask. Well, I guess you'll just have to read the book and find out...