Published by the US Naval Institute Press in 1984, The Hunt for Red October became an unexpected but modest hit for the generally under-the-radar publisher, whose mission is to promote an understanding of sea power and other issues of national defense. But soon, abetted in no small part by President Ronald Reagan’s praise for its page-turning excitement, Clancy’s novel grew into an extraordinary commercial success. Deploying complex knowledge of espionage and military science to both tether the book’s flights of transporting suspense and direct its characters’ passage—via cunning and courage—through rough seas of duty, loyalty, and honor, Clancy created what would prove to be a pioneering work in a new generation of techno-thrillers, paving the way for a legion of bestselling successors from the likes of Stephen Coonts, Vince Flynn, and Dale Brown.
Clancy's books have lost some of their edge, due to the loss of the cold war, today's generation will not get the backdrop. Jack Ryan is one of the great american heros of the series. A Govnerment employee who is honest and faithful makes him the anti James Bond.
Honestly, initially enthralled with the movie when it came out and that compelled me to read this and every other subsequent Jack Ryan novel issued by Clancy. As exciting at the movie was for me at its release, I was enthralled with the extent of detailed description in Clancy's writing style, which he applied when describing the inner workings and machinations of the Politburo (or Congress) to the nanosecond timed sequence in the chemical reactions of an explosive. I am among the folks that find that level of attention fascinating!!
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