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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A daring adventure described with extreme attention to detail.
This is so dry. I want to like it but I can’t. I love the movie… I could see enjoying this as an audiobook.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
May I say, WOW? WOW!!!!
I read this book when I was stationed at Kosova, and during this time I had no inkling about Communism or the specter of the Soviet Union, or about politics much in general at that time. And even though I had heard negative connotations of this word Communism, after reading The Hunt For Red October I actually began RESPECTING the Soviet Union, the people, the submarines and the country. I found it interesting. Of course, the American side too.
This was a very suspenseful story that interchanges and crosses the path of politics,culture, and technology. This is my number one book of all time and I will recommend it to anyone who is even vaguely interested in political thrillers - this has all, action, ideology and a sense of urgency and thrill at this story live. I totally loved it!
By the way, a movie was made but again as well all motion pictures it wasn't that faithful to the story. I did love the book more.
Till next time, Comrade!
I read this book when I was stationed at Kosova, and during this time I had no inkling about Communism or the specter of the Soviet Union, or about politics much in general at that time. And even though I had heard negative connotations of this word Communism, after reading The Hunt For Red October I actually began RESPECTING the Soviet Union, the people, the submarines and the country. I found it interesting. Of course, the American side too.
This was a very suspenseful story that interchanges and crosses the path of politics,culture, and technology. This is my number one book of all time and I will recommend it to anyone who is even vaguely interested in political thrillers - this has all, action, ideology and a sense of urgency and thrill at this story live. I totally loved it!
By the way, a movie was made but again as well all motion pictures it wasn't that faithful to the story. I did love the book more.
Till next time, Comrade!
Long considered a classic among the spy-craft, political thriller and military fiction genre, The Hunt for Red October needs no review among enthusiast and readers of a certain age because the name Tom Clancy is synonymous with a good, action packed read. That said, with the Amazon "Jack Ryan" series of recent years there is a whole new generation of readers that were born long after the first publication or movie productions of most Clancy works. Oh, a movie you say, why not just stream it and skip the lengthy book? Well, here is why that would be a big mistake!
Tom Clancy birthed the genre right here with The Hunt for Red October. Entire legions of authors that have successfully launched their own series' have done so because of this one novel. Consider reading this almost like a pilgrimage and as soon as you turn the last page you have the incredible fortune of being able to time travel right to the next installment, unlike those who grabbed these off the shelves upon release and painstakingly counted down the months between.
But before you move on to the next Jack Ryan tome or whatever may be next on your list, I urge you to watch or even revisit the 1990 film. Compare and contrast the two, get irked when entire chapters are barely glanced over in the live action version, see if the casting fits your mind’s eye from when you read it. In my case I had the three Jack Ryan characters from film and television in my peripheral subconscious the entire time because I was barely in kindergarten when the book was written and in middle school when the film came out...on VHS. For me this was reading the work that inspired a film which I had seen based on events that could have happened during a time in which I remember very well...the 80's and the Cold War. In my youth when I first watched the film it was an amazing tale, especially since I have long loved anything involving submarines and Navy ships. After finishing the novel and then the very night popping the DVD in for a refresher, I can say with certainty that I am gravely disappointed. This may be the best example I’ve ever found of how a written work and its silver screen adaptation are worlds apart. Sure, the characters and premise were the same and at just over 2 hours I realize that creative licensing had to be employed, but there are major parts of the narrative changed. Anyway, this is supposed to be a review not a soapbox so I digress and will get right to it.
Jack Ryan is an intelligence analyst with the CIA during the height of the Cold War. This was the 80's back before our gaze turned to the Middle East and was firmly planted on the USSR and the ever-present guarantee of mutual nuclear destruction. On a routine trip back to DC from Ryan's London base to deliver intelligence he has been gifted by MI-5, he is immediately drawn into the game to analyze the circumstances surrounding the launch of a new Soviet sub, Red October, and the possibility that it may be headed to US waters. At the same time the Soviets are beginning to realize that their experienced and beloved Captain Ramius is very likely planning to defect and hand their technological triumph over to the Americans. As both sides begin mounting an all-out effort to find Red October, Jack Ryan, who is quick to remind everyone he is not a field agent, finds himself as the point man of the mission. He is tasked with delivering the mission parameters in person to the naval commanders at sea except a series of misfortunes puts Jack’s former Marine training to good use at determining whether Red October is really ready to join the free world or just angling to rain a nuclear strike to the home of the brave.
Tom Clancy birthed the genre right here with The Hunt for Red October. Entire legions of authors that have successfully launched their own series' have done so because of this one novel. Consider reading this almost like a pilgrimage and as soon as you turn the last page you have the incredible fortune of being able to time travel right to the next installment, unlike those who grabbed these off the shelves upon release and painstakingly counted down the months between.
But before you move on to the next Jack Ryan tome or whatever may be next on your list, I urge you to watch or even revisit the 1990 film. Compare and contrast the two, get irked when entire chapters are barely glanced over in the live action version, see if the casting fits your mind’s eye from when you read it. In my case I had the three Jack Ryan characters from film and television in my peripheral subconscious the entire time because I was barely in kindergarten when the book was written and in middle school when the film came out...on VHS. For me this was reading the work that inspired a film which I had seen based on events that could have happened during a time in which I remember very well...the 80's and the Cold War. In my youth when I first watched the film it was an amazing tale, especially since I have long loved anything involving submarines and Navy ships. After finishing the novel and then the very night popping the DVD in for a refresher, I can say with certainty that I am gravely disappointed. This may be the best example I’ve ever found of how a written work and its silver screen adaptation are worlds apart. Sure, the characters and premise were the same and at just over 2 hours I realize that creative licensing had to be employed, but there are major parts of the narrative changed. Anyway, this is supposed to be a review not a soapbox so I digress and will get right to it.
Jack Ryan is an intelligence analyst with the CIA during the height of the Cold War. This was the 80's back before our gaze turned to the Middle East and was firmly planted on the USSR and the ever-present guarantee of mutual nuclear destruction. On a routine trip back to DC from Ryan's London base to deliver intelligence he has been gifted by MI-5, he is immediately drawn into the game to analyze the circumstances surrounding the launch of a new Soviet sub, Red October, and the possibility that it may be headed to US waters. At the same time the Soviets are beginning to realize that their experienced and beloved Captain Ramius is very likely planning to defect and hand their technological triumph over to the Americans. As both sides begin mounting an all-out effort to find Red October, Jack Ryan, who is quick to remind everyone he is not a field agent, finds himself as the point man of the mission. He is tasked with delivering the mission parameters in person to the naval commanders at sea except a series of misfortunes puts Jack’s former Marine training to good use at determining whether Red October is really ready to join the free world or just angling to rain a nuclear strike to the home of the brave.
So much naval jargon that makes it hard to get through but worth the read!
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No