Thursday, September 26, 2002
Off Topic: A Positive Response to Red Rabbit
I just finished up "Red Rabbit", Tom Clancy's latest techno-thriller. After beginning this latest novel, I read a number of reviews of it that were less than glowing. In fact, CNN's Entertainment page entitled it's review, "
Clancy's 'Red Rabbit' rotten". Ouch.
I won't spend any time here summarizing or explaining the book. There are plenty of sites that do that. Instead, I want to respond to what many of these reviews seem to be attacking.
Most of Clancy's books manage to illustrate the elimination of several people in the first few pages, usually the deeds of hooded thugs up to no good. Such events launch incredible plots that must be stopped by characters such as John Clark or Jack Ryan and their colleagues. I have found myself unable to put the books down, turning each page with great anticipation of the next.
Clancy has also written a number of non fiction books that allow readers to learn about things that they will almost certainly never experience. He's written about submarines, armored cavalry and special forces, among other military units.
These things said, we arrive at his latest work, "Red Rabbit". The reviews I have poked through jump on the fact that there is little tension or action. In fact, for the most part, everything goes as the "good guys" plan. Maybe that's boring. I would like to think that it's a masterful blend of the fictional with the non-fictional. I finished it with a feeling that the events detailed in "Red Rabbit" could have happened precisely as it was told. I appreciate being told a tale that didn't have a ton of wrenches thrown into the plot just for storytelling's sake. Besides, much like the thrill one gets when seeing their favorite sport team pull the perfect play to win, it's great to read a book where one's country pulls off such an incredible coup.
I felt it was an incredibly told tale and I look forward to revisiting it sometime.
8:58:03 PM 
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