The Cardinal of the Kremlin

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Clancy Book
Review: This is probably the most interesting Clancy book that I have read, and I've read about half a dozen of them so far. The main reason for this is that Clancy manages to get almost all of his major characters into this book. Besides Jack Ryan (obviously), we get to meet Ed and Mary Foley for the first time, as well as John Clark. Clancy even brings back Ramius, Mancuso, and Jones from the Hunt for Red October. The story itself is not action-packed by Clancy standards, but I guarantee you will learn a lot of new information by reading it. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys any of Clancy's other books, this is the best of the bunch!

Rating:
Summary: The Cardinal of the Kremlin - An exceptional novel!
Review: Of all of Tom Clancy's novels that I've either read or reread, I would think it would be difficult to sit back and say, this novel or that one is the best of them, but if forced to choose, I'd say that "The Cardinal of the Kremlin" is the best one. Contained within the pages of this novel is some of the most fluid writing that one can find in a novel from this genre. From taut political intrigue to suspenseful military action this novel scores in every area.

The particularly great thing that one can anticipate and not be disappointed in when contemplating a Clancy novel, is that he covers all of the bases and leave nothing out. The scope and detail that Clancy worked into this novel is mind boggling as he sets up so many variables and then works you through to the conclusion of every one of those variables.

"The Cardinal of the Kremlin" is author Tom Clancy's fourth novel overall and more importantly, the third in his "Ryanverse." One of the more important things about reading a Clancy novel is the fact that he seems to have set things up for himself rather nicely because you will find "possible" hints at where he's going with either his next book or one down the road. You will find references to the Cardinal, throughout his previous books as well as other references in his earlier novels that are leading to his later novels.

Taut political intriguing + suspenseful military action + in depth characterizations + a plot of epic proportion = "The Cardinal of the Kremlin."

The premise:

"The Cardinal of the Kremlin" is so large in its scope and detail that it may be difficult to summarize the plot here, in so few words available.

What drives this novel, first and foremost, is Dr. Jack Ryan who is by the release of this novel the well known lead character from "The Hunt for Red October" and "Patriot Games." As the novel begins, we find that Dr. Ryan is still working as an analyst for the CIA's DDI, Deputy Director of Intelligence. He's presently trying to work up a paper based the current negotiations between the United States and the USSR on ICBM's.

We're then taken to the "Archer" who is an Afghanistan resistance fighter and part of the mudjaheddin. Due to what the Soviets have done to him and his family, he has no love lost for them, they even captured his son and taken him to the Soviet Union for "reeducation," hence his intense desire to fight and kill as many Soviets as he can.

From there we're introduced to the "Cardinal" of the Kremlin, Misha Filitov who is a Colonel in the Soviet Army and a three time Hero of the Soviet Union from his days as a tank commander in the Great War. Hinted at in previous Clancy novels, this Colonel has been disillusioned by the way of life in the Soviet Union which has caused the death of his wife and his son, hence his having been turned by American agents. In his present position with the Defense Ministry, he has been passing Soviets secrets to the Americans for thirty years.

What follows from there is one of author; Tom Clancy's most intriguing and entertaining novels to date that will have you, the reader, turning the pages voraciously trying to get to the end of it to see how it ends. The scope and detail of this novel is simply incredible.

I highly recommend not only this Clancy novel but all of his novels for he is truly the master of this genre. {ssintrepid}

Rating:
Summary: Very good - One of the best Clancy Book I've read so far
Review: Loved the start where Clancy describes the Archer shooting down a chopper and taking care of it's surviving pilot. I also loved the way Clancy has intergrated so many seemingly seperate plots and the coming together of them at the end. I especially congratulate him on the amazing, yet believable interrogation tactics employed by the Russians in this book. As usual with Clancy books there are quite a number of pages to turn but it is fully worth the effort - I'm sure I will read it again someday. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good spy thriller.

Rating:
Summary: Another Good One
Review: This one turned out better than I thought it would be. The story is supposed to be about "Star Wars" missile defense, but actually focuses on a well repected Soviet colonel spying for the Americans, with missile defense as only a back drop. Surpisingly, Jack Ryan has little involvement until more towards the end. Like most Clancy novels, the story is very thrilling, this time involving the espionage involved in the "Star Wars" programs. What also adds to the story is that some of it takes place in the Afgan War between the Mujahadeen and the Soviets. The story really gets interesting when the Soviets begin investigating the activities of the Soviet colonel. The story culminates with his escape and a Mujahadeen attack on a Soviet Star Wars research facility close to the Afgan border, which, although exciting, seemed somewhat unrealistic, which is why it only got 4 stars. Otherwise, the book is a very interesting read.

Rating:
Summary: very good espionage thriller
Review: Clancy focuses on the intricacies of spycraft in The Cardinal of the Kremlin and introduces the CIA agents Ed and Mary Pat Foley who will appear in several of the Jack Ryan books. Terrific "behind-the-Curtain" plotting and counterplotting in Moscow. Interesting story driven mostly by plot that includes significant technical detail that has come to define a Tom Clancy novel.

Rating:
Summary: Cardinal is Classic Clancy
Review: Cardinal of the Kremlin, the third novel in the Jack Ryan series and Tom Clancy's fourth published book, was - until 2002's Red Rabbit - the closest to a traditional espionage tale that dealt with the nuts-and-bolts of spying. It is also the closest that a Clancy novel resembles an Ian Fleming James Bond story, although Jack Ryan never steps out of his non-Bondian character.

In some of the better Bond films (From Russia With Love comes to mind), 007 was often sent to either steal or destroy some new gadget or weapon that would upset the power balance between the non-communist West and the Soviet bloc. And although The Hunt for Red October had some of this thematic linkage to Ian Fleming's "restoration of the balance of power" stories, Cardinal of the Kremlin is Clancy's deepest exploration of the notion that espionage-is-the-best-defense when superpowers are in an arms race.

Set one year after the defection of Red October, Cardinal of the Kremlin chronicles the efforts of both the United States and the Soviet Union to develop a defensive system against intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), even as both sides are negotiating a treaty to reduce their nuclear arsenals. Both superpowers want information on their opponents' "Star Wars" programs; both nations' intelligence agencies have agents and "moles" working feverishly to get that information.

Of these "moles" (insiders who spy for the "other side"), none is more important than the agent the CIA knows as "Cardinal." "Cardinal" is perhaps America's most highly prized intelligent source, for he is none other than Col. Mikhail "Misha" Filitov, a highly decorated hero of the Great Patriotic War (World War II). A three-time winner of the Hero of the Soviet Union and wounded in the largest tank battle of the war at Kursk, this once-loyal officer has become disillusioned by the nature of the State he has served and becomes a spy for America. His status as a bona fide hero allows him to become an aide to two Defense Ministers, making "Cardinal" a fine source of classified material to the Central Intelligence Agency. It is through "Cardinal" that CIA discovers how far along the Soviets' own Star Wars program is coming.

On the Soviet side, the American mole is Bea Taussig, an embittered scientist who has a grudge with one of the military officers who is assigned to the Star Wars project. Although she also gets a thrill by trying to outsmart the FBI and CIA by providing her KGB "handlers" with classified information, her agenda is far more personal.

As in most of Clancy's Ryan novels, the action is far-flung. The plot takes readers from the cubicles of CIA headquarters at Langley, VA, to the snow-capped peaks of Afghanistan (where the mujahedin are fighting the Soviet occupation), to the halls of power of both Washington and Moscow.

Here, too, Clancy continues his technique of weaving the Ryan novels into one big tapestry. Marko Ramius is back, as are Cmdr. Bart Mancuso and Ron Jones, aboard USS Dallas for one last and very classified mission into Soviet waters. Cardinal himself was introduced in The Hunt For Red October, and some of the story threads that will remain hanging will not be tied up till The Sum of All Fears and even later novels.

Rating:
Summary: After Hunt for RO
Review: Have audio tape and didn't enjoy is as much as without remorse. This is my least favorite, but still 4 stars.

Rating:
Summary: A most authentic espionage book!
Review: I've read a few of Tom Clancy's books and to my opinion, this is the best of them. A most authentic espionage book. One that saves you from the technical details of technology (though still he explains richfuly and tastefuly of a newly anti-setallite system) and focuses on the spying buisness. The plot gets more exciting each time you flip the page. Amazing stuff, I tell you.
While reading the book, I just could'nt let go of it, two weeks were all I needed, and I'm pretty sure I'll read it again. Try it, what do ya have to lose !?

Rating:
Summary: His best...
Review: This book, I found while readding it, is by far the best that Clancy has ever written. The story holds you in tight and refuses to let you go.
This book showed the height of the space race between the USSR and the USA during the cold war, and with Clancy's story-telling and attention to detail, the reader sees why we were so worried at that trivial time.
As with most of his fiction, this is a Jack Ryan/John Clark book (being the first for the latter).
The book takes place a year after the Hunt for Red OCtober as Ryan and Ramius watch the Russian submarine set to sea one last time. It continues with the top-secret developements of the Star Wars programs, spies with high level friends, old lies coming to light, and the ultimate task of rescuing the greatest spy the CIA has had placeds in the Soviet Government -- and that's just revealed in the first half, along with a great deal more.
I enjoyed two things with this book. First, it greatly tied in with previous novel in the series. Throuhgout the rest of the series, you get references to the past books, but The Cardnial of the Kremlin truly stays within the set universe of Ryan/Clark. I dealing with that, it was nice to see how Marko Ramius was doing in American since his defection in Red October.
The next thing I enjoyed was the humanity involved with this nvoel. You get to see what Russians thought about the US, as well as what they thought about Afganistan and the war there. It is truly astounding to see a war between Russians and Afgans (with American support to the latter) from three points of view, and still hold a common heart to all.
This was also the pivitol novel in which Clancy introduced us to John Clark and his brief time abourd the USS Dallas (yes people, Jonesy and Mancusco were in this book as well).
It was just nice to see how these epoeple all became connected or stayed connected, and for that reason with the others I have stated, it made this Clancy's best. A must read, especially if you wish to understand the majority of references and characters in the latter books. It is not as long as other Clancy novels (thankfully). It seemed to be the last book that Clancy wrote for fun, rather to make money, as this book is fun in the aspect you get all of Red October and more. A classic book, and the last one during the cold war (unless you count his prequels). Though it;s not as famous as his others, it is a great and I recommend it highly to anyone who enjoyed Red October.

Rating:
Summary: Spy verses Spy
Review: The Russians have a missile defence system to rival Americas own. The Russians unknowingly trust CIA informant CARDINAL with the design. But the KGB find out and the race is on for Jack Ryan to get CARDINAL out in Tom Clancys brilliant book.
This is Clancy at his best and it is a must read for anyone, die-hard Clancy fan or not.