Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Cla
Genres
Collection
Publication
Berkley Publishing Group (2003), Edition: First Edition, 636 pages
Description
Fiction. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:Don't Miss the Original Series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Starring John Krasinski! Tom Clancy reveals the details of Jack Ryan's first days with the CIA in this #1 New York Times bestseller. Itâ??s the early 1980sâ??and historian, teacher, and recent ex-Marine Jack Ryan is now a CIA officer on loan to the British SIS. On his very first day, an extraordinary document crosses his desk. Because of government repression in Poland, the new Pope, John Paul II, has threatened to resign his papacy. In Moscow, another man is contemplating the very same document. Yuriy Andropov, the chairman of the KGB, does not like what he reads, does not like what it means for him or for his nation. All it takes is one man to cause everything he has worked for to crumble. All it takes is one man to stop him. The Pope is very powerful, but he is also mort… (more)
Subjects
Original publication date
2002
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User reviews
LibraryThing member nakmeister
Jack Ryan is a new analyst working for the CIA, and has been sent over to Britain to work with the SIS for a time. Ed and Mary Pat Foley have just taken up their new posting in Moscow as the CIA’s Chief of Station in the Soviet Capital. Meanwhile the chairman of the KGB wants to kill the pope.
This book is Tom Clancy’s latest novel to date, and is set very early in the Jack Ryan timeline, shortly after the events in Patriot Games. Before reading the book I read a number of reviews on Amazon.co.uk, each giving very different opinions, some of which I share. The book was an enjoyable thriller, with a distinct lack of the huge swathes of technical material that always annoyed me about some of Clancy’s books. However there were a number of bad points to this book. Although Jack Ryan was ostensibly the main character he wasn’t in it a lot of the time. There was no one major character to follow, which isn’t neccesarily a bad thing, but in this case it jumped from character to character a little too much. Clancy really did take every opportunity to tell the reader how great America was, and how backward and inferior Britain was, which got a little annoying at times – there were even some factual inaccuracies about Britain! Overall an enjoyable enough thriller, but not all that memorable. If you’re a Clancy fan then definitely read it, otherwise, try one of his earlier books- they’re so much better.
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Oleg Zaitsev, an officer in the KGB’s central communications department isn’t happy about this, and wants to defect to America as an act of conscience.This book is Tom Clancy’s latest novel to date, and is set very early in the Jack Ryan timeline, shortly after the events in Patriot Games. Before reading the book I read a number of reviews on Amazon.co.uk, each giving very different opinions, some of which I share. The book was an enjoyable thriller, with a distinct lack of the huge swathes of technical material that always annoyed me about some of Clancy’s books. However there were a number of bad points to this book. Although Jack Ryan was ostensibly the main character he wasn’t in it a lot of the time. There was no one major character to follow, which isn’t neccesarily a bad thing, but in this case it jumped from character to character a little too much. Clancy really did take every opportunity to tell the reader how great America was, and how backward and inferior Britain was, which got a little annoying at times – there were even some factual inaccuracies about Britain! Overall an enjoyable enough thriller, but not all that memorable. If you’re a Clancy fan then definitely read it, otherwise, try one of his earlier books- they’re so much better.
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LibraryThing member Whicker
Clancy, as always, is a good read. Suspenseful and engaging, though not his best work. Worth the read if you are into his main series.
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
I'm just not as big a fan as I used to be. I'd have to read some of his earlier stuff to be sure, but the writing doesn't seem as good.
LibraryThing member mramos
Clancy did a good job of weaving a story around Mehmet Ali Agca's (real-life) failed attempt on the life of Pope John II in 1981. Here Sir Ryan has started work as an anaylst for the CIA. His first post is in London under British tutelage on the Russian desk. Though an desk jocky would never be
As we follow the reasoning used by the KGB to remove the Pope from office. Clancy gets us involved in the KGB planning. While at the same time showing us what the CIA is doing in Moscow and what Jack Ryan is doing in London. And how they will all fit into place in the overall story. What we do not see is the execution of the KGBs side to the story. I would have like to see more of that developed since Clancy went to the effort of showing us everyone elses thoughts during the rest of the book. If he had done that I would have given this book 4.5 star rating.
I like the detail Clancy puts into his story. It helps you understanding how the agency work and some of the obstacles involved. Not his best book. But I am very pleased to have read it.
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placed in the positions that our hero is in. But this is fiction and is interesting reading. As we follow the reasoning used by the KGB to remove the Pope from office. Clancy gets us involved in the KGB planning. While at the same time showing us what the CIA is doing in Moscow and what Jack Ryan is doing in London. And how they will all fit into place in the overall story. What we do not see is the execution of the KGBs side to the story. I would have like to see more of that developed since Clancy went to the effort of showing us everyone elses thoughts during the rest of the book. If he had done that I would have given this book 4.5 star rating.
I like the detail Clancy puts into his story. It helps you understanding how the agency work and some of the obstacles involved. Not his best book. But I am very pleased to have read it.
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LibraryThing member DanStratton
I actually listened to an abridged version of this book on tape. The abridging was good - it wasn't until after I had finished listening to the book twice and was comparing notes with a coworker who had read it that I discovered that I hadn't listened to the whole book. The story was adapted very
Clancy has always been a favorite of mine until recently when his books became too formula. His heroes have progressed too far to be believable. In this book, Clancy returns to their past, weaving them into the actual history of the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. The heroes nearly save the day, but still manage to pull out a victory for motherhood and apple pie. Sometimes you can't change history. Clancy tried hard though.
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well. Clancy has always been a favorite of mine until recently when his books became too formula. His heroes have progressed too far to be believable. In this book, Clancy returns to their past, weaving them into the actual history of the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. The heroes nearly save the day, but still manage to pull out a victory for motherhood and apple pie. Sometimes you can't change history. Clancy tried hard though.
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LibraryThing member rickosborne
You've probably heard it before, but I'll say it again: this book needed significantly more editing. It reads like the editor never bothered to crack it open. Entire passages seemed to be copied and pasted in multiple places throughout the book.
And, seriously, if you've already read "The Cardinal
It's not a horrible book, but it is on the slow side, and the bad editing makes it even harder to trudge through.
And, seriously, if you've already read "The Cardinal
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of the Kremlin", you won't be in for too many surprises. The stories are very, very similar. This one seemed to have stronger language.It's not a horrible book, but it is on the slow side, and the bad editing makes it even harder to trudge through.
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LibraryThing member jpsnow
Clancy's big novels are always captivating, but this one felt tired compared to others. It's his most recent in the Jack Ryan saga, taking us back to Jack's early days as an analyst in the CIA. I've watched Clancy's writing carefully since the criticism was made about his use of a ghost writer. One
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thing I've noticed is even more prevalent in Red Rabbit: Clancy tends to use certain nuance phrasings repeatedly. It can be some simple phrase or point, but it will surface two or more times in different parts of the book. The structure always makes me wonder if he has some outline system for putting all of his thoughts into place and then occasionally repeats some idea he really likes. I suspect it's hard to keep track when writing that many pages. It's still a suspenseful story, worth reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member santhony
Clancy is running out of things to say about, but they keep paying him to keep talking.
LibraryThing member Renzomalo
And two stars are generous. Tom Clancy’s “Red Rabbit” is a relatively good story undone by 100 plus unnecessary pages of tiresome, clichéd dialogue. Oh, by the way, Jack Ryan doesn’t prevent the Pope from getting shot and I really haven't revealed anything you didn't already know. In the
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dictionary next to the word "potboiler" you will find the title, "Red Rabbit." Not worth the time unless it's the only thing to read and you’re stuck in Sri Lanka. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lynngood
Long before he was President or head of the CIA, before he fought terrorist attacks on the Super Bowl or the White House, even before a submarine named Red October made its perilous way across the Atlantic, Jack Ryan was a historian, teacher, and recent ex-Marine temporarily living in England while
And then Jack forgot all about the rest of his work, because one of his first assignments was to help debrief a high-level Soviet defector, and the defector told an amazing tale: Top Soviet officials, including Yuri Andropov, were planning to assassinate the Pope, John Paul II.
Could it be true? As the days and weeks go by, Ryan must battle, first to try to confirm the plot, and then to prevent it, but this is a brave new world, and nothing he has done up to now has prepared him for the lethal game of cat-and-mouse that is the Soviet Union versus the United States. In the end, it will be not just the Pope's life but the stability of the Western world that is at stake. . . and it may already be too late for a novice CIA analyst to do anything about it.
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researching a book. A series of deadly encounters with an IRA splinter group had brought him to the attention of the CIA's Deputy Director, Vice Admiral James Greer-as well as his counterpart with the British SIS, Sir Basil Charleston-and when Greer asked him if he wanted to come aboard as a freelance analyst, Jack was quick to accept. The opportunity was irresistible, and he was sure he could fit it in with the rest of his work. And then Jack forgot all about the rest of his work, because one of his first assignments was to help debrief a high-level Soviet defector, and the defector told an amazing tale: Top Soviet officials, including Yuri Andropov, were planning to assassinate the Pope, John Paul II.
Could it be true? As the days and weeks go by, Ryan must battle, first to try to confirm the plot, and then to prevent it, but this is a brave new world, and nothing he has done up to now has prepared him for the lethal game of cat-and-mouse that is the Soviet Union versus the United States. In the end, it will be not just the Pope's life but the stability of the Western world that is at stake. . . and it may already be too late for a novice CIA analyst to do anything about it.
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LibraryThing member Czrbr
Book Description: New York: G. P. Putnam & Sons, 2002. Hard Cover. As New/As New. First Edition First Printing. 8vo - over 7ľ" - 9Ă‚Âľ" tall.
LibraryThing member ponsonby
Really poor example of Clancy's work. The basic plot (USSR decides to assassinate the Pope) has promise but there's far too much verbiage involving Ryan and his tiresome wife, or Ryan's superiors in the CIA etc. Clancy has no real idea how English people talk and should avoid trying to write them
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into his books. The best bits are those set in Russia, and the denouement. Could have been halved in length. There are much better Clancy books, eg Sum of All fears or Hunt for Red October, or Cardinal of the Kremlin Show Less
LibraryThing member magentaflake
Brilliant. Couldn't put it down.
LibraryThing member Steve_Garcia
This book flowed along pretty well up until the ending. I felt that Clancy grasped the reader well, but then rushed the last two chapters. I am trying to read the Jack Ryan novels in chronological order so this novel was the third novel that I have read. I can say that this was not his best work so
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far. Show Less
LibraryThing member JCalendula
This was an extremely disappointing book. I have liked Tom Clancy in the past but I could hardly force myself to finish this book. The plot of this book could have been completed in 200 or less pages. There was a lot of unnecessary "filler" and I had a really hard time with the Rabbit's wife being
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so complacent and willing to unthinkingly "obey" her husband. I had a very hard time believing a lot of the characters and their actions in this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member buffalogr
Billed as an early Jack Ryan, Jack has only a little to do in this novel. It was short, abridged, I believe. Many of he characters used in previous novels are introduced. Fun book, on to my next Clancy novel.
LibraryThing member csayban
Red Rabbit was by far the weakest of all of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan books. Part of it was that even though it was a prequel, it really didn’t sound like Jack Ryan at all. Mostly it was the plot. Clancy thrillers always have a certain over-the-top quality to them. That’s what makes them fun.
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But they are always grounded in a certain level of realism. Unfortunately, Red Rabbit’s plot felt so contrived and disjointed that I had a difficult time believe that Clancy actually wrote it. Maybe it was an old draft that someone convinced him to publish anyway. Maybe every writer is destined to write at least one regrettable book in their career. If that’s the case, Red Rabbit is the one. If you have never read Tom Clancy before, whatever you do, don’t start with this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member crashmyparty
What can I say? Anything Tom Clancy does is brilliant.
LibraryThing member mbmackay
A long winded attempt at a spy-thriller that manages to combine predictability with improbability! Its only contribution to the genre is to confirm Le Carre status at The Master.
Read April 2004
Read April 2004
Pages
636