Inspired by Sean Connery’s portrayl of a Russian submarine commander in “The hunt for the Red October“ oh so many years ago, I read a bunch of Tom Clancy books, such as Patriot Games, A Clear and Present Danger, and of course Red October.
However that was back in the day when the Russians could be counted on to play the nasty super power. With a slight suspicion that Clancy’s books may have lost their relevance I took up “Red Rabbitt“. Written in 2002, its a prequel to the character “Jack Ryan“ and his adventures years before he had heard of the Red October.
Red Rabbit takes place in the 1980s when Reagan and Thatcher defended the borders of democracy and it was still better to be dead rather than red. Jack Ryan is once again the hero through whom we live this adventure. He is a cross between a reluctant James Bond and an accountant, a strange mix to be sure.
Working for the CIA he has to help a Russian with a conscience defect to the west, along with his head full of top secret secrets and news of a KGB plot to kill the pope.
The story moves along at the steady and imaginitive pace you would expect from this author, the desciption of life behind the iron curtain is interesting and at times this book is quite entertaining.
But, thats about it. Maybe my suspicions were right and this is the type of story you cant really appreciate it so long after Reagans “Evil Empire“ speach. Which is a shame as I really wanted to enjoy those halcyon days of submarines, spies and lots and lots of bad guys getting their comeupance.
VERDICT
6,5 out of 10
Yeah its worth a read, but Patriot Games and Red October told similar type of adventures so much better, or maybe that just my memory playing tricks on me
However that was back in the day when the Russians could be counted on to play the nasty super power. With a slight suspicion that Clancy’s books may have lost their relevance I took up “Red Rabbitt“. Written in 2002, its a prequel to the character “Jack Ryan“ and his adventures years before he had heard of the Red October.
Red Rabbit takes place in the 1980s when Reagan and Thatcher defended the borders of democracy and it was still better to be dead rather than red. Jack Ryan is once again the hero through whom we live this adventure. He is a cross between a reluctant James Bond and an accountant, a strange mix to be sure.
Working for the CIA he has to help a Russian with a conscience defect to the west, along with his head full of top secret secrets and news of a KGB plot to kill the pope.
The story moves along at the steady and imaginitive pace you would expect from this author, the desciption of life behind the iron curtain is interesting and at times this book is quite entertaining.
But, thats about it. Maybe my suspicions were right and this is the type of story you cant really appreciate it so long after Reagans “Evil Empire“ speach. Which is a shame as I really wanted to enjoy those halcyon days of submarines, spies and lots and lots of bad guys getting their comeupance.
VERDICT
6,5 out of 10
Yeah its worth a read, but Patriot Games and Red October told similar type of adventures so much better, or maybe that just my memory playing tricks on me
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