The Hunt for Red October: A Novel

The Hunt for Red OctoberAlthough it was the first of the series to be published, Tom Clancy's The Hunt for Red October is actually the third novel in the Jack Ryan series. It propelled Clancy, who had been an insurance salesman with only a few letters to the editor under his writing belt, to best-selling superstar. His success with military and espionage-related fiction earned him a title he does not readily accept: father of the techno-thriller.This novel, if I remember correctly, was the first work of fiction published by the Naval Institute Press, the publishing arm of the United States Naval Institute, a civilian entity which promotes all things naval, including the study of naval history, strategy, technology, and tactics. Some of the Naval Institute Press' other books include A.D. Baker's Fleets of the World, Clay Blair, Jr.'s Silent Victory, and Norman Friedman's Desert Victory: The War for Kuwait. But considering that although Clancy's novel deals with the workings of other federal agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency, the FBI, the National Security Agency, and both the Executive and Legislative branches, the heart of the story is a sea chase.Based loosely on a 1975 incident in which a Soviet frigate attempted to defect to the West, The Hunt for Red October tells the by-now familiar tale of how Captain First Rank Marko Ramius and a group of selected officers aboard the Soviet Navy's newest Typhoon-class SSBN (the Navy designator for a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, or "boomer") band together to defect to the United States and hand over the Red Navy's most advanced "stealth" submarine.Ramius, you see, is motivated by one of the strongest emotions of all: the desire for revenge against the callous Soviet state. Not only for the death of his wife as a result of negligence by a well-connected surgeon, but for all the injustices he has witnessed from even his early childhood. His father, a Lithuanian communist and devoted Party apparatchik, was responsible for many deaths and unjust acts, and Marko, raised by a decent grandmother, sees both his father and the State as monsters who care for nothing but power and expansion.In this novel, set sometime in the mid-1980s, Clancy introduces us to Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst being groomed by his mentor, Admiral James Greer, for better and more crucial postings within the Agency. Now currently assigned as CIA liaison in London (which puts this novel's setting to be after the current Clancy novel Red Rabbit), it is Ryan who first hands the U.S. its first intelligence data on Red October, courtesy of the British Secret Service.The novel's focus is on Ramius' defection attempt aboard the Red October, which has been modified to use a "caterpillar" drive (described in the movie version as a "jet engine for the water") which enables a sub to glide through the ocean almost undetectably. It also deals with the Red Navy's desperate attempts to seek and destroy the defectors' submari

This realistic adventure hooks you from the very beginning to the end. While your not reading the book your thinking about future battles or the next idea Jack Ryan has to capture the typhon sub. The reader will be hooked tell the climatic ending.This adventure is about a rouge solviet typhon sub with stealth capability, that was taken over by highly honored solviet officers, and Ramius the sapient sub master that trained the whole solviet sub fleet. While the duantless Jack Ryan and the C.I.A. are trying to figure out what the thing is, the solviets are trying to manipulate the americans to belive tha whole solviet fleet movment is just a big search and rescue. But the americans are smart, and they find out that there is a stealth sub in the sea that will defect. Then the race begins.Tom Clancy is belived to have been briefed by the White House about this possible reality. If you are an adventure seeker and you want to read a book that will keep you awake all night, I would read The Hunt for the Red October.

The Hunt for Red October written by Tom Clancey is by far one of the best submarine action-adventure techno-thrillers to come along in quite awhile. The action is so convincingly gripping you feel like you're there watching the story play out in front of you.The plot is some espionage coup and this is a Jack Ryan novel, Claney's main hero in the book. Red October is a new class of Soviet submarine and it's captain, Captain First Rank Marko Ramius and his command crew have a plan to hijack the submarine and defect to the United States. This book is at the height of the cold war in time frame and Clancy does an excellent job setting the ground work and stage of the book. Red October is the latest in technology th Soviets can muster an the United States wants to find out more about it.There are action-packed submarine chases chock-full of high suspense as Clancy works the plot and sub-plots to a masterfull stroke making this book a real page turned. I finished this book in one evening as I was riveted to the story as the character development was solid to the storyline. As we read on in the book, you feel the emotions and adrenalin rush, making this one of Clancy's best written books. Buy this book and you'll have a story that you can read and reread as the adventure will remain fresh and electrifying.

When this book came out, the Kremlin ordered 500 copies! The idea of a Soviet sub commander deciding to defect to the United States with his submarine was their deepest, darkest fear! The U.S. Navy and FBI also were very unhappy - they wanted to know who had been talking to Clancy - they couldn't believe that someone could find out all this by doing research. They were convinced that several people with Top Secret clearances had been talking to Clancy. The storyline is this: Marko Ramius is the Russian Navy's most experienced and highly decorated submarine commander, who has become disillusioned with the Communist Party. After seeing the plans for the newest Russian submarine - "The Red October". A sub that is almost completely silent - a submarine with one purpose - "to start a nuclear war". Ramius decides to steal the submarine with the help of the officers of his crew after he is assigned the command of The Red October. Before leaving port on it's madien run, Marius mails a letter to the Secretary of the Navy telling him of his intent to steal the sub. The letter arrives 2 days after the Red October sails from port. The Soviets in a panic, send their entire fleet in the region after it trying to find and sink the Red October. The Soviets approach the United States telling them that Marius sent a letter to the Secratary of the Navy explaining his intent to launch a nuclear attack against the United States, and ask for help in hunting the sub down and destroying it. Jack Ryan, currently a CIA analyst, who has written several books on naval warfare strategy, and who has met Marius at a diplomatic party, is asked to consult the President of the United States and the Chiefs of Staff at an emergency meeting. Jack mentions the possibility that the sub may be trying to defect. No one at the meeting believes it, but the President gives Jack permission to join up with an American sub on patrol and to attemp to make contact with the Red October to find out what Marius intentions are. This book really opened my eyes up to what our capabilities are with submarines - I had no idea how advanced they are. This story is very fast paced and intense. It really makes you wonder how the U.S. would respond under these circumstances. Great read!

After a very disappointing experience with Tom Clancy's latest effort, "The Bear and the Dragon," I went back to "The Hunt for Red October" and "Red Storm Rising" to remember why it was that I started reading Tom Clancy's books in the first place..."Red October" is Clancy's shortest book, but it's probably one of his best. The character development, layered story-telling, and attention to detail make it an extremely interesting read. I've read this book at least three times now, and I have enjoyed each reading as much as I did the first time through, nearly 15 years ago now.Come along and join in the action as an unlikely hero, Jack Ryan get swept up by international politics and situations.Definitely 5 stars. If you enjoy this book, there's a good chance that you'll also enjoy "Red Storm Rising," "Debt of Honor," and "Executive Decision." Those all take on action of global proportions!Good luck out there!Alan Holyoak