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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Could not finish.
This was my second try at reading a Tom Clancy and this was even more disappointing than the first. I suppose if I was an American and this was the height of the cold war, I might think differently but it's not the 80s and I am English, so too bad. This read like a propaganda novel, describing the Soviets as backwards and unreliable, belittling the 'Brits', and always emphasising American superiority. I won't deny it started off well, but then it got dull and i spent a lot of time just waiting for something to happen, and when something did happen, Clancy revealed it two pages before.
If you're considering reading this, just watch the movie.
This was my second try at reading a Tom Clancy and this was even more disappointing than the first. I suppose if I was an American and this was the height of the cold war, I might think differently but it's not the 80s and I am English, so too bad. This read like a propaganda novel, describing the Soviets as backwards and unreliable, belittling the 'Brits', and always emphasising American superiority. I won't deny it started off well, but then it got dull and i spent a lot of time just waiting for something to happen, and when something did happen, Clancy revealed it two pages before.
If you're considering reading this, just watch the movie.
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
I don’t know that I’ve read anything else with the magnitude of in-depth technical explanation that this book has. While it was definitely interesting to learn about submarines and nuclear mechanics and sonar, the sheer volume of detailed information slowed the pacing of the story quite a bit. I really slogged through this book until about 3/4 of the way in when the suspense really picked up. This was outside of my usual genre and though it took me awhile to get through, I enjoyed this book.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
I don't remember watching the movie so the plot was brand new to me. That being said, it was a very technical book. I learned more about submarines and sonar then I ever wanted to know. I would have liked the book better had there been more action, less explaining, but I get that it was there to make the story seem more credible. Some Soviet captains decide they want to defect to America so they take their submarine and head towards the US. What happens next is a deadly game of cat and mouse and poor CIA agent, Jack Ryan gets dragged into the thick of it. An entire fleet of Soviet warships and submarines chase after The Red October and America and England work together to come up with a plan to meet this sub before it gets blown out of the water. It was an alright book, but I have a hunch that I would enjoy the movie even better. I love me some Harrison Ford.
One of my favorite books ever, that I haven't read in many years. I have an original copy of this one. I've seen the movie many times, but as always, the book is much better.
I've read this book several times over the year. Now that there is a whole "Jack Ryan Universe" this is considered book number four. But this was the first one, published by the US Navel Press that started the whole thing. Mr. Clancy certainly had the further story in his mind, but that was the first one published. I've proud to say that I have that original first edition!