The Cardinal of the Kremlin

by Tom Clancy

Book Overview

Jack Ryan must save the life of a CIA agent in the heart of the Kremlin. Set against the background of 'Star Wars' technology, the stakes are at their highest as the Soviet Union & United States race to get offensive satellites into orbit. If the agent is exposed it could mean disaster.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399133453
• ISBN13: 9780399133459
• Release Date: July 1988
• Publisher: Putnam Publishing Group
• Length: 543 Pages
• Weight: 1.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.3" x 9.4"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Intriguing from page one

This book is a fast paced, high stakes espionage fest that will leave you way behind on your to-do list. From the Archer, to the familiar characters of Ryan, Mancuso, Ramius and back to newer characters like the Foleys and Clark, the characters carry the action to compelling heights. We see the stakes from their perspective, and that helps us to feel the danger that is looming over the world. Easily the least technical in terms of war machines, this is Clancy's most compelling plot. With Ryan flying everywhere and finding himself in Moscow at the unexpected and satisfying conclusion, readers will applaud another great story.Strengths: Several subplots are woven seamlessly into a strong finish. Ryan's real human reactions and intelligence give us a protagonist we believe and root for. An intelligent read.Weaknesses: None come to mind. Doesn't suffer from the sometimes verbose technical descriptions some of his other work has.

The Cardinal of the Kremlin - An exceptional novel!

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 aut

Cardinal is Clancy's best work

I am an avid Tom Clancy fan. I have read all of his books, and The Cardinal of the Kremlin is by far the best. Focusing less on military hardware and more on espionage, this book is ripe with themes on honor, justice, and vengance. A much more human tale than some of Clancy's other offerings, The Cardinal of the Kremlin forces the reader to sympathize with agent CARDINAL and to share his hatred for the political system that ruined his family and his life. Jack Ryan returns, making decisions based on his conscience and his strict virtues, and at the same time, Clancy introduces Ryan's counterpart-the enigmatic Mr. Clark. This cool, calculating man of mystery grows throughout Clancy's novels to become Ryan's dramatic foil: while Ryan's choices revolve around ethics, Clark's life is governed by cold reason. Their relationship develops into an intriguing contrast in Clancy's later novels, and Mr. Clark gets his start in Cardinal. To summarize, I would reccomend this book to any Clancy fan or to any reader looking for a challenging, excitng read.

Don't overlook this one....

Kardinal of the Kremlin is one of the best, if most often overlooked, books in the Jack Ryan series. The plot of Kardinal basically involves three related story lines. First, both the Russians and the US are attempting to create a ground based laser defense system to shoot down enemy sattelites and nuclear weapons. At its base, the story focuses on both side's efforts to build their respective systems, and to gather intellegence on the other side's progress. Second, the U.S. has a very high level intellegence source inside the Kremlin itself. A lot of the story focuses on the U.S.'s attempts to maintain his cover, and its actions to save him after he is discovered. Finally, a backdrop to the story is ongoing strategic arms talks in Moscow, which is eventually used as a cover by the US to arrange the defection of another high ranking Russian official. Kardinal gives the reader a true insite into the workings of the US government, particularly the CIA, as only Tom Clancy can. The story is very immersive and suspenseful. My one warning to people who have read other Clancy books is that there aren't really any large scale battles or all out wars as in some of his other books. Here, Clancy focuses more on the fine art of playing spy :) Asside from being a great book on its own, Kardinal does a great job tying in events and characters from earlier books in the Jack Ryan timeline, specifically from The Hunt For Red October and Patriot games. Just as importantly to all Clancy fans, events related in Kardinal (perhaps more so than any of his other books) are referred to in the novels that Clancy wrote later on.

Clancy at his best

This is one of his best works. Spying, sneaking around, espionage and counter-espionage. It would help if u have read Hunt for Red October but not necessary. Really a great piece of fiction.