Rating: 
Summary: a excellent novel of technology and espionage intrigue
Review: I approached THE CARDINAL OF THE KREMLIN with some apathy, however I soon found myself pleasantly surprised. Beginning to read this book out of necessity, I soon found myself intrigued by the intricate and suspenseful plot of this novel. However, this suspense did not last forever. The book has a tendency to create a suspenseful chapter or two that keeps a person on the edge of their seat, then drops them into a dull, uneventful dialogue or description that can go on forever, or more than necessary at least. Although it did not have the style or zazz that make an author legendary, it did enough to impress me.THE CARDINAL OF THE KREMLIN centers around arms contol negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union in near the end of the Cold War. Both superpowers are secretly working to perfect a laser system that will be used to disrupt satellites and, ultimately, to be used as a National Missile Defense. Both states soon discover that the other is working on the same project, and both states find something in the others laser system that they need. This provides for an excellent spy plot. We are soon introduced, to Colonel Misha Filitov, an old, bitter, but high ranking member of the Soviet Party. We soon learn that he is highly respected, being a Hero of the Great Patriotic War against the German Nazi Facists. Much to the reader's surprise, we soon discover that Misha is, in fact, CARDINAL, a U.S. spy. When information intended to go from CARDINAL to Washington is leaked to the KGB, both countries find themselves immersed into a world of espionage balanced with the tense realm of politics, centering around arms control negoitations between the two superpowers. We also learn of the Archer, an Afghan freedom fighter. He is a soldier fighting the Russian advancement into Afghanistan, and also working as a spy for the United States in return for weapons and ammunition. In my personal opinion, I believe that this is an excellent book. It is filled with high-tech toys that we all just love to hear about and suspense to make Steven Segal urinate on himself. However, Clancy does dot the book with shortcomings. First, there is many a scene of the novel that dulls the reader into a drool. However, this is counterbalanced with many excellent scenes seasoned with suspense, intrigue, and high-tech weaponry. The other shortcoming of the novel is Clancy's attempt, with the exception of Misha, a bitter drunk haunted by the ghosts of his past, to delve into the characters' psyche and provide some in depth personality. This turns out to be an utter failure. Clancy is by no means a literary genius. He uses no notrary literary devices in this novel, with the exception of using accurate vernacular style language. However, this is not a shortcoming, for it is definately not necessary or relevant in this book. THE CARDINAL OF THE KREMLIN is merely a novel made for pure enjoyment or escape, or escape literature, right Mrs. Guillory? Yeah, you know. In conclusion, I would not discourage anyone to read this book. If you like suspense, technology, espionage intrigue, and don't mind reading just for fun, I would definately recommend this book to you.
Rating: 
Summary: Great start, but drags on
Review: When it comes to matters military, Tom Clancy's know-how runs deep, but his depth as a novelist seems rather limited in The Cardinal of the Kremlin. Two loosely-related plots are woven together in this book: 1) the race between the U.S. and Soviet Union to develop laser weapons for shooting down nuclear missiles, and 2) the efforts of a high-ranking Soviet military colonel - who is America's most precious spy - to steal secrets of the Soviet laser program for the CIA. Clancy is typically skillful at building suspense, especially with his detailed visions of high espionage at the height of the Cold War. The scenes shift from war-torn Afghanistan to a laser base in New Mexico, from CIA headquarters at Langley to Lefortovo, the KGB prison in Moscow. But while the high-tech weapons and clever spy tricks will pique your interest, Clancy's attempt to focus on character development falls flat, and the novel drags on perhaps a hundred pages too long. I read this novel because of the recent hype about ballistic missile defense, but I was disappointed by Clancy's simplified presentation of the military systems involved. It seems like the defense wizard traded away technical accuracy in a vain attempt to develop a deep and complicated figure in Old Misha, the spy. In the process, he forgot the first rule of the genre he himself defined: keep up the action and tell us about the high-tech toys! If you're looking for a better novel from Clancy, I would suggest Without Remorse, where his character development is more successful.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable, but not desperately thrilling
Review: This is the second Tom Clancy book I've read (the other was Clear and Present Danger) and he is clearly a writer who can sustain several sub-plots and tie them up neatly at the end. This book focuses on arms control negotiations between the US and the soviet Union towards the end of the cold war, and specifically the development of the Strategic Defence Initiative, and the covert side to these that you are sure would have happened, but would never know about. It is all expertly explained and you do detect an effort by the author to avoid over demonising the villains. The main problem seemed to be the author wearing his heart so firmly on his sleeve with regard to right and wrong in the issues explored in the book. I found that this lead to a lack of tension, being able to predict the fates of characters in advance (I don't mean just Jack Ryan - of COURSE he'll come out smelling of roses - no problem there, but when you are equally confident about the outcome for various other minor characters in the book it does result in a serious loss of tension). That said however the book was a reasonably enjoyable read, enough to persuade me to try another in his jack Ryan series in the future.
Rating: 
Summary: A mind turner for those who sneer best sellers
Review: This book had been dormant in my library more than 10 years. I have never been much of a fan of U.S. authors of mass best sellers. Usually the plot in those books is obvious and full of cliches. Needless to say that I was very pleasantly surprised by Tom Clancy in this novel. It is fantastic blend of spy-action-suspense and politics that will keep you permanently entertained. This is a great work to prove that best sellers are not so mindless after all.
Rating:
Summary: SATELLITES, STINGERS, AND SOVIETS
Review: I read this book a long time ago but it's one of the few Clancy novels that I still remember to some degree. In a nutshell, this story deals with an important base in the middle east. In addition, there is a satellite up in space that has some pretty nasty capabilities. But by far the star of the show is the Archer. An Afghanistani ex-math teacher now turned into a soldier who has a knack for using the Stinger missile. There is one part in this book that really grabbed my attention: watch for the part with the dead guy with the briefcase handcuffed to his hand. That's one of the most shocking and memorable scenes I've ever read. At the time I was reading this book, I might have given it 5 stars; but whether I rate it 4 or 5 stars really doesn't matter--just know that it's a good book.
Rating:
Summary: One of Clancy's Best
Review: This book is excellent. Although slow at times it more than makes up for this slowness with an great ending. Something that tends to be untypical of Clancys later novels. My favorite sub-plot was about Archer, an Afgani munjadeen (sp?) who is fighting the Russians in Afganistan. This book is a perfectly entertaining read. I'd recommend it for any fans of the genre.
Rating:
Summary: Clever Cardinal
Review: More like only 3 1/2. The Cardinal of the kremlin was a very complex and enthralling read. The only problem is the fact that the book doesn't get very complex or enthralling until you get through the first 200 pages or so. Truth be told, I honestly thought this book was really boring until around the middle of it. Then the book really started to pick up speed and it improved rapidly. I thought the whole plan that Jack Ryan masterminded to break the Cardinal out of the Soviet Union was ingenious. He even succeeded in fooling Russia's most devious Politburo member Gerasimov. I also loved the fact that our President and all the other American "leaders" in this book decided it was more important to rescue Filitov (the Cardinal) who had helped our country for years at the risk of his life, than to avoid political trouble with the Soviet Union and its leader, Narmonov. I also loved the character the Archer. He paid with his life for what he believed in. I thought a good twist would have been if Colonel Bondarenko (who killed the Archer) had been the Archer's long lost son. I am also in love with Jack Ryan of course, who is brillant and cocky in this book. The most moving part of this novel came at the end however when a few are gathered to mourn at the funeral of Filitov. They buried him near where the battle of Antieam took place (the bloodest battle of the Civil war even though i didn't spell it right) and Jack Ryan is explaining his reasoning for doing so. Filitov used to be a brave commander in the Soviet Union's military even earning the title of "Hero of Stanlingrad" but after the Soviet Union killed his wife and his two sons he started feeding info to the Americans because he recognized our country as the one trying to promote peace and justice in the Cold WAr. Anyway, Jack Ryan says something like (even though Filitov used to fight for the other side) " all soldiers comrades ....because in some ways they all fight for the same things." That is so true. That is what this book is about when you come right down to it, fighting for what you believe in and the desire that everyone has for freedom no matter what country you live in. Overall, great book.
Rating:
Summary: The Book Gets Better
Review: For all you Tom Clancy fans out there tis is definitely a good book. Th only problem is that it won't really have you in it's grasp until you reach around 200 pages. So for those troopers out there continue reading becaue the book does get better.
Rating:
Summary: The best Clancy novel
Review: Cardinal of the Kremlin is not only one of Clancy's best novels, but I believe it to be the best exemplar of this "techno-thriller" sub-genre. There is excellent character development, making them not only believable, but people one can empathize with. This is a novel about the Cold War, more so than Red October or the others, and about people struggling to do the right thing under difficult circumstances. Some people may be disappointed that this book isn't dominated by action like others. True, there is not as much combat in this novel as in others (although a major battle DOES occur). Everything does happen for a purpose, and unlike some other novels, there are no plot line left dangling. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Cardinal is a Keeper
Review: I read 'Hunt For Red October' many many years ago, and have since devoured all of Clancy's novels (except for those truly terrible 'Op Center' & 'Net Force' rip-off's that are not written BY Clancy) but for some reason, I passed over 'Cardinal' and I cannot figure out why. I always knew I'd get around to it sooner or later, and when I did, I felt as though I had cheated myself. While 'Cardinal' certainly is a great read, I wouldn't say it is chock full of the action that I have read in many of the other reviews of this book. In fact although nowhere near as thick as some of Clancy's other marathon novels, there is plenty here that could have been omitted without compromising the story at all. With all that said, it still packs a punch and is as fresh today (other than the Soviet Union being dead and gone and all) as it was when it first came out. If you are in search of a superior spy vs. spy novel about the cold war, try vintage Ludlum, but Clancy's spy writing is in a different league altogether because he has created an entirely new genre with the 'Techno-Thriller'. Oh, and 'Cardinal' get's high marks entirely because it is the book which spawned the character of John Clark. Good, but not necessarily Clancy's greatest (which still means it is way above average).
|
