Rating: 
Summary: Worst Clancy book, from a HUGE fan
Review: I must say that finishing this 618 page book was a challenge. I never thought I'd say that about a Tom Clancy novel, but I have to. The writing was sub-par, there were many trivia references which were repeated two, three, even four times in later passages which makes me think that either the editing was poor (there were also grammatical errors) or that Mr Clancy wrote this in such a disjointed fashion that he never realized. Jack Ryan came off as a whining, pushy and obnoxious character, in my opinion. Finally, given the historical context of the plot, it seemed like Clancy had a novel of maybe 200 pages and used long, boring, winded passages of nothing to fill in the other 400 pages. It was like reading Moby Dick, where Melville takes 5 pages to describe a sail. Even though I knew the outcome of the event, I still expected suspense leading up to it, during the Rabbit's escape, the Rabbit's debriefing, and/or the actual shooting of the Pope.I have every one of Clancy's "Jack Ryan Series" novels, and every year I seem to reread them a bit and never tire of them (my wife thinks that's very odd, among other things), but I can guarantee that I will never read this one again. Given the less than spectacular last novel, The Bear and the Dragon, I think that Clancy is just sick of this series and doesn't really know what else to do or how to stop it, and I feel like a ... for filling his coffer.
Rating:
Summary: Still a disappointment
Review: Right after I knew Clancy "produced" another Jack Ryan book. I really hoped it would be somehthing different from the disastrous The Bear and The Dragon. However, he failed me again. Tom Clancy seems to lose his edge forever.
Rating:
Summary: Sleeping won't be a problem
Review: Dull and uneventful have never described Clancy's books until now. If not for his writing style and my love for Jack Ryan's world, I would have tossed this book after the first 100 pages. In fact, the book could have been about 300 pages shorter and would have the same impact for the reader. Not intriguing. Not interesting. Not thrilling. A few fun tidbits. But way too much Ryan talking about his financial savvy, kids glued to VCRs, and topics discussed repeatedily when once would have had a better effect. Of course, Clancy sets up his next book when it appears Jack Ryan will be an instrumental part in Reagan's plan to out spend Russia and crush their economy. So unless you're an econ major, that will be a snoozer.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not the best
Review: FIRST UP, i'd like to point out a typo ! I'm wondering if I'm the first ( i doubt this.. ) - p423 "not is this lifetime, Foley thought ..."
. ^^^^
should be
"not in this lifetime,..." since I have not yet completed Red Rabbit, I won't be presenting any spoiler type obstacle.. (I am about 3/4 through) Red Rabbit starts off well, introducing us to everyone as per usual, getting the individual stories rolling etc.. but, up to now, nothing has really happened. This would be fine if it were full of suspense and intrigue, but unfortunately it isn't.
Dialogue and characterisation are first rate as ever, but the fact is, I am a bit disappointed. I am in a position to judge this novel against Tom Clancy's other work as I have read ( and in many instances, re-read) all his past work.. Advice : Clancy fans, buy and read this one, just for completeness' sake
Non-Clancy fans, buy and read Hunt for Red October, or Red Storm Rising. After you read either of these two go and indulge in Debt of Honour.
Rating:
Summary: Where did Tom Clancy go?
Review: I am amazed at what a step down this novel is from Clancy's other works. Too long for this plot, too unimaginative. Compared to his other works, this is like a snail on valium.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing at best
Review: Unfortunately, this is quite boring and disappointing to me. I expected a lot better from Clancy, but I suppose that now that he's "made it", he can turn out boring books and feel confident that people will purchase them anyway. I for one will not read Clancy anymore, there are a lot better writers of this type of technothriller out there. He's lost his touch. Save your money - don't waste your time on this one.
Rating:
Summary: A 200 page novel jam-packed into 618 pages!
Review: The old windbag does it again! He repeats the same stuff over and over again in the book and paraphrases from past novels. For example, practically every major character in the book repeats a variation of Stalin's famous question, "How many divisions does the Pope have?" This guy clearly has too many people telling him exactly what he wants to hear and he's let it go to his head. His writing style is morphing into the kind of Ann Coulter-ish ranting that extreme conservatives seem to crave. You couldn't give me this book. I borrowed one from my local library. I suggest you do the same.
Rating: 
Summary: Another good one from Clancy.
Review: I think "Red Rabbit" is a definite improvement over "The Bear and the Dragon" and for that reason I give it 5 stars. Clancy spins a fictional tale around the real-life assassination attempt of Pope John Paul II. While it can be difficult to write an interesting story when the outcome is known, W.E.B. Griffin has shown time and again that an interesting and fast-paced story can be written, and I think this is what Clancy has done with "Red Rabbit". For veteran Clancy readers, this novel takes place between "Patriot Games" and "The Hunt for Red October". Jack Ryan is new to the CIA has just been stationed in London. Ed and Mary Pat Foley have just been placed in Moscow. Admiral Greer and Bob Ritter are in their usual posts. In addition to the story, I enjoyed some of the commentary on the events of the day. For example, the 1983 baseball pennant race and a certain new coffee house chain in which Ryan just invested. Also, if the portrayal of medicine in England is accurate, I'm glad I live in the United States! I strongly recommend this novel.
Rating:
Summary: Not a re-read
Review: Very much a let down. I have never found my self hoping for the end of a Clancy book, but at about the 450 page mark, I was bored and waiting for the end, which came rather abruptly. Why have his last three books ended so quickly? I so not see the reason to put the Jack Ryan character into a real life situation that everyone knows about in one way or another. Any Clancy fan knows the Pope is not killed in the assassination attempt, and there was no drama, or signifigance to this novel. Come on Tom, get back to the basics. Fictional situations presented in a believable way, with a good, solid story. We already know the older characters, and do not need to re-visit them. How about Ben Goodley as a new main protaganist, because as much as I love the series and Jack Ryan as a character, he is getting a little long in the tooth.
Rating:
Summary: Read Cardinal or Red October again instead...
Review: I was hoping Red Rabbit would restore my faith in Clancy after his horrible attempt with Bear and the Dragon. But it didn't. This book was not as bad as the previous, but is a far shot from the Clancy of old. The beginnings of this novel hint that it is going to get away from the war-scale plots of some of the recent books and get back to the real spook stuff like from Cardinal of the Kremlin, but fails to deliver. In this novel flashback, Jack Ryan and the Foleys get wind of a KGB plan to whack the Pope, and get their hands on a defector from inside KGB communications. Eventually these two plot lines come together, but that's about it. Where are the various characters and diverse subplots that come together of previous Clancy novels? There aren't any. And where are the last minute problems and glitches that the spooks have to work their way through? There are none! The plan to steal away the "Rabbit" goes off without a hitch just the way they planned it from the beginning. That's suspense??? Clancy can hardly find words to fill the pages of this book as he repeats the same stories over and over until you just decide to skip paragraphs here and there. Okay Tom, Cathy hates Jack's smoking, Jack hates being called "Sir", and Ritter has "conniption fits" left and right, I GOT IT! You don't need to tell me a million times. The so called climax of this book comes after 575 pages of Clancy reminding us Jack isn't a field officer, doesn't have the training, and doesn't want to do it. But then we find standing in the middle of St. Peter square assessing the tactics of how the assassin will try to kill the Pope??? Basically none of this book seems to mesh. I'd say wait for it to come out in the theaters, but I wouldn't have much hopes of it ending up there, either.
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