The Hunt for Red October (Jack Ryan)
by Tom Clancy
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Book Summary Information
Author: Tom ClancyEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1992-04-01
ISBN: 0425133516
Number of pages: 480
Publisher: Berkley
Book Reviews of The Hunt for Red October (Jack Ryan)
Book Review: Prepare to Gag on Detail
Summary: 2 Stars
Red October is choked with too much detail in too many places. Different scenes require the detail that the author provides, but other infusions of tedious facts slow down an already slow story. Clancy crushes us into submission by explaining to us in too much detail that he has obviously read too many books. A few examples of the task of reading Red October. The first two paragraphs are excerpts from the book, while the third, my own creation, rams my point home. (1)"Today the inside valve war closed, along with the corresponding through-hull fitting. The valves were made of titanium because they had to function reliably after prolonged exposure to high temperature, and also because titanium war very corrosion-resistant high-temperature water war murderously corrosive. What had not been fully considered war that the metal war also exposed to intense nuclear radiation, and this particular titanium alloy war not completely stable under extended neutron bombardment. The metal had become brittle over the years. The minute waves of hydraulic pressure were beating against the clapper in the valve. As the pump's frequency of vibration changed it began to approach the frequency at which the clapper vibrated. This caused the clapper to snap harder and harder against its retaining ring. The metal at its edges began to crack.... (2)"In the reactor spaces aft, Lieutenant Butler had his engine men acknowledge the command and gave the necessary orders The reactor coolant pumps went to fast speed. An increased amount of hot, pressurized water entered the exchanger, where its heat war transferred to the steal on the outside loop. When the coolant returned to the reactor it was cooler than it had been and therefore denser. Being denser, it trapped more neutrons in the reactor pile, increasing the ferocity of the fission reaction and giving off yet more power. Farther aft, saturated steam in the "outside" or nonradioactive loop of the heat exchange system emerged through clusters of control valves to strike the blades of the high-pressure turbine. The Dallas' huge bronze screw began to turn more quickly, driving her forward and down... (3, my own)"It had been a long day, and Ryan needed to stay on top of it, which meant more black coffee. The coffee-making unit had a swivel compartment which opened for the insertion of a No 2 paper filter, filled with enough grounds for as many as ten cups of coffee. Once secure, closing the circuit caused heating coils under the decanter to expand and grow hotter, while internally-heated water descended through the grounds contained in the coffee basin, falling into the decanter as hot coffee.... Conclusion: There are several moments of excitement in Red October , and the characters are beautifully portrayed, but unfortunately, hours of tedium have to be survived by the reader If it weren't for the book, we might have been able to enjoy the story. Upon further reflection, the story wasn't that good either. The story in itself is quite interesting and thoroughly researched, and this is the fundamental problem. The book opens with the decision to head west from the Norwegian Sea, and ever reader is easily convinced of its potential success and its absolute provocation. The reader is introduced to the vessel and its confident skipper, and the story gets underway smoothly. Not before long, the reader finds himself consumed in page after page of government arguments and actions in both Washington and Moscow. Certainly this is for "real" historical procedure. However, the reader instantly feels the tedium while these talks continue, falling prey to the boredom which these government officials themselves must have felt at the same instant. Whether this is done for effect, there is no telling, but the result is to stifle the initial action, and therefore, the plot. The reader is introduced to a score of minor characters who play a small one-time role, yet we are forced to know their entire dossiers. The constant jump back to historic facts is difficult to overcome when there is already a huge labyrinth of loose ends in front of us. After all the detail of these proceedings, and the detail of the minor events alone the way (those that have very little weight in the overall drama), we have world-class dyspepsia in our bowels. Finally, the reader is reacquainted with the Russian vessel, and is allowed to follow its actions once again, after mercilessly being diverted from it. After an exciting final chase, covered quite dexterously from ship to ship by the author, the reader is liberated from the remorseless detail of earlier passages, and is free to choose whether or not the outcome was worth the price it required. But then, what of other stories in Red October? Spies are left hanging in Moscow, and there is talk of removing them from the country; a Soviet sailor is left in a hospital bed who we must assume will recover (a fact which is covered at length, except his recovery); certain salvage operations are discussed and explained but neglected; after the October's crew is returned safely, a possible Soviet counter-operation is only "discussed" in Moscow; and two Soviet vessels (the Konovalov? and the Shabilikov?-p.403) stay behind to sink the October? yet only one is destroyed (the Konovalov , but still another unidentified ship is left after a total recall of all others from the Atlantic, p.418); what are the fates of these? In sum, the many interruptions were not cleared up satisfactorily, the level of detail was oppressive too often, and the real chase and excitement of the book were much underplayed. I would have to say that there was a good chance here for a great book, yet Tom Clancy did not deliver it on his first try out.
Summary of The Hunt for Red October (Jack Ryan)
Gripping military thriller about the chase after a top-secret Russian missile submarine.Somewhere under the Atlantic, a Soviet sub commander has just made a fateful decision: the Red October is heading west. The Americans want her. The Russians want her back. And the most incredible chase in history is on....
The Hunt for Red October is the runaway bestseller that launched Tom Clancy's phenomenal career. A military thriller so accurate and convincing that the author was rumored to have been debriefed by the White House. Its theme: the greatest espionage coup in history. Its story: the chase for a runaway top secret Russian missile sub.
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