The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy

   

     I decided to read Tom Clancy's "Jack Ryan" series in the order which the books were released. The Hunt for Red October is the first book of the series, and an exciting one at that. I was skeptical at first as to how much excitement there could possibly be in a book about submarines. Tom Clancy does an excellent job in telling the story of a defecting Russian submarine from various points of view. You could feel the difference in cultures when Clancy shifts from American to Russian point of view.

     Another great part of the book is how human Jack Ryan is. Jack starts off as an analyst who does consulting work for the United States Navy and the CIA. Jack is soon after recruited as a field agent for the CIA. Circumstance brings Jack deeper and deeper into the unraveling story of the Red October. He fumbles through scenarios on various Navy vessels encountering sea sickness, minimal sleep, and clumsily steering the Red October in its final battle. Jack ultimately saves the day, but in a clumsy, nerdy way. 

     Clancy does a good job in describing the intricacies of the military world in which The Hunt for Red October is framed. I do feel that someone who has more familiarity with the US military would more easily picture the scenes in which Clancy describes. I am fortunate enough to come from a military family and have prior knowledge to some of what Clancy describes, military aircraft in particular.

     Overall, I like this book very much. I had to re-read certain parts more than once in order to comprehend what exactly was taking place. Clancy tells the political side of the story, the military strategy aspect, and Jack Ryan's personal side for character development. It is sometimes difficult to keep track of all the moving pieces and character names, especially when they are in Russian.

     The only thing left to do now is watch the movie. Although, I don't know if I want Alec Baldwin taking the image of Jack Ryan in my mind for the rest of the series. Patriot Games is the next book in the series. I may alternate to the next book in another series before returning to the Jack Ryan saga. This helps keep me from getting burnt out on the characters.