Red Rabbit (Tom Clancy)

I decided to start reading the Jack Ryan series in chronological order as I had never read any of Tom Clancy's work before. I enjoyed reading Patriot Games and was really hoping for something better with this one. Let me just say that I was glad I read it and am done. If you're into books with a lot of mundane details without a whole lot of follow through, then this book is for you.

With his usual flair Tom Clancy carries off an historical masterpiece. I have not read this book until now but have read all the other Jack Ryan books and his (Jack's) first experience with the CIA in the field and the tie ins to Mary Pat and Ed Foley explains a lot in terms of the early connections. It fills in some holes very nicely.

This is an early Clancy novel so things are still developing. I have come to the Clancy novels just in the last year and have found the earlier ones more enjoyable. Not sure but most of the mystery writers I have read lately have been educated in Catholic schools. Clancy is no exception. All in all I enjoyed the book and his detailed descriptions of things actually did add to the book somewhat. I think when it was written the information was "novel", in today's climate it would be criticized as slowing the book down. For me if you read a book or watch a movie you need to go into the zeitgeist of the book/movie and enjoy it. All in all, as I have said, it's a good cold war mystery with a nice neat clean ending.

When critiqued in a vacuum that excludes previous Clancy thrillers, this volume is not found wanting. Clancy uses his own creativity and imagination to tie the 1981 Pope John Paul II shooting with the Jack Ryan universe, and the result is an enjoyable read. Those who are looking for a better Clancy novel than Red Storm Rising or Debt of Honor should probably look elsewhere. If you can't stomach the notion of Church and State being inter-connected, or Jack Ryan's thoughts on the USSR, you should definitely look elsewhere. If you're looking for another Clancy winner, this is the book for you.

Definitely not up to Clancy's usual writing. I think he must have been sick or tired, or both, when he wrote this. Still wanted to finish it to find out what happened but was disappointed at the lack of suspense.

While looking aroung the attic one day, Tom Clancy found an old manuscript he wrote many years ago. The writing was boring, the plot dull and the characters unbelievable. "What the heck" he said to himself, "I'm famous". So the book was published, and millions of us bought and read (as much of it as we could) this drivel. Tom laughed all the way to the bank.

While looking aroung the attic one day, Tom Clancy found an old manuscript he wrote many years ago. The writing was boring, the plot dull and the characters unbelievable. "What the heck" he said to himself, "I'm famous". So the book was published, and millions of us bought and read (as much of it as we could) this drivel. Tom laughed all the way to the bank.

Classical Tom Clancy but at a slower pace than normal. The atmosphere of Russia and London are captured nicely, and are realistic. The story line was not as complex as other books he has written, which probably explains the slow pace.
Overall an acceptable story in the series.

Have been Clancy fan for many years, but somehow I had never read this book. Was not disappointed, one of his best.
The thing about his novels is that you don't have to read them in order, unlike other series where you are going what the heck.