The Hunt for Red October

Paperback, 656 pages

Published Aug. 7, 2018 by Berkley.

ISBN:
978-0-440-00102-7
Copied ISBN!

View on OpenLibrary

3 stars (13 reviews)

Somewhere under the Atlantic, a Soviet sub commander has just made a fateful decision...the Red October is heading west.The Americans want her.The Russians want her back.And the most incredible chase in history is on...The Hunt for Red October is the runaway bestseller that launched Tom Clancy's phenomenal career. A military thriller so accurate and convincing that the author was rumored to have been debriefed by the White House. Its theme: the greatest espionage coup in history. Its story: the chase for a runaway top secret Russian missile sub. Its title: The Hunt for Red October.

38 editions

Review of 'The hunt for Red October' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I was surprised to discover that the film (which is one of my favorites) is essentially just the middle act of the whole story. And the other two thirds are just as gripping!

Tightly wound and tense throughout, written in matter-of-fact prose that somehow still seems shot through with dread, this book transcends its time quite well; even if Clancy does get a little preachy with Jack Ryan's patriotism at the end. ("You're gonna learn what freedom is, Ramius! And I think you're gonna love it! Oh man is freedom so great. Freedom freedom freedom. Murica!") I can give it a pass, though, because I felt that throughout the 90s myself.

Clancy also very clearly inspired one of my favorite recent books, The Martian (or they were both inspired by the same predecessor). Good stuff.

All that said, the fact that this is a debut effort is clear. Location is …

avatar for SpaceCamel

rated it

2 stars
avatar for PinkFloydian

rated it

5 stars
avatar for davercade

rated it

4 stars
avatar for rklau

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Gorbag

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Bomboloni

rated it

4 stars
avatar for WarYarnSpinner

rated it

3 stars
avatar for melanderland

rated it

4 stars
avatar for todb

rated it

4 stars
avatar for liambean

rated it

1 star
avatar for kiplet

rated it

2 stars
avatar for Conbini

rated it

3 stars