Red Rabbit

First Tom Clancy Book I ever hear, and worth it.

Ok, it starts out very slow, and I almost gave it up. If you can get past all the open deep political junk the book turns into something you will have a hard time putting down. I loved it, another one of his books is referenced heavy in this one, but you don't have to know it to enjoy this book.

28 people found this helpful

Red Rabbit and the USSR

Clancy gives an insiders look at the USSR just before the fall of the Iron Curtain and weaves it around a spy/assasination story. 3/4 of the book seems to be Clancy explaining the workings of the USSR and why it fell, the remainder, is the actual story. Not that this is a bad thing, all that Clancy has to say about the USSR is really quite interesting, especially to those of us who lived through all or most of the Cold War. If you are interested in only the main storyline, get the abridged version. However, if you have an interest in history, the unabridged version is the only way to go.

27 people found this helpful

Enthralling - and detailed!

This is one of those lengthy books that Clancy does. It really develops before getting to the "real excitement". But I like his details, so be warned that he often goes down those introspective pathways to provide character insight.

24 people found this helpful

Combined review

I've been reading Clancy novels since the early 90s and this one was a refreshing return to Jack's early days. Brought back a flood of memories. Quite a few reviews here on Audible pan Clancy for droning on (and on) about his political views in the first half of this book, and I'm not here to deny that. While the "Rabbit" struggles within his conscience Ed and Mary Pat Foley wonder endlessly about Soviet counter spies in every nook and cranny of their new home. So there's a lot of prattling on about how bad communism is and how wonderful life in the West is. To quote the popular sitcom Seinfeld, Yadda yadda yadda.

So this is news to everyone? Come on. Don't pretend that Clancy hasn't droned on (and on) in the past. Remember all the techno talk in <i>Sum of all Fears</i>? An editor could have cut three hundred pages out of that novel alone. This droning is pure Clancy. You either like it or you don't. I happened to enjoy the novel but <i>can</i> see the need for an abridged version for folks that aren't climatized to Clancy's style of writing.

I'd like to put in a good word for Apple here if I may. This was the first Audible download I've listened to exclusively on an Ipod. What a spectacular gadget! Audible and the Ipod Mini were seemingly "made for each other". Scott Brick's narration is great (as usual) and with the Ipod, you can speed it up without the "chipmunk" effect. Works great. Speeding up the narration could have been a slight factor in why Clancy's prattling on didn't bother me so badly. The Ipod Mini is leaps and bounds ahead of the player I had been using.

Thanks for providing the unabridged version of this novel. Abridged Clancy novels are like beer without bubbles or pizza without cheese.

33 people found this helpful

The Jack Ryan Universe - Audible's issues

Since Audible began implementing the wonderful idea of listing books in a series in the order written they have had issues with Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series. The issue is understandable because the series has three authors or coauthors (Tom Clancy, Grant Blackwood, and Mark Greaney) and there are three different protagonists in novels in the series (Jack Ryan, John Clark, and Jack Ryan Jr.). Initially Audible had all novels listed in the Jack Ryan series and the order of listing was correct. Their second try was by listing them in the Jack Ryan Jr. series and the order was incorrect and some novels were omitted. Currently the series is named by Audible The Jack Ryan Universe which is a good move. However the first 11 books in the series are listed in the wrong order. The correct order for the first 11 novels is as follows:

Correct Order Title Current Audible Listing
1. The Hunt for Red October 4
2. Patriot Games 2
3. Cardinal in the Kremlin 5
4. Clear and Present Danger 6
5. Sum of All Fears 7
6. Without Remorse 1
7. Debt of Honor 8
8. Executive orders 9
9. Rainbow Six 10
10. The Bear and the Dragon 11
11. Red Rabbit 3

The other books are in correct order. Red Rabbit is a outstanding espionage thriller. Scott Brick narrates brilliantly.

Note that Tom Clancy authored the first 12 novels in the series alone. The 13th novel was coauthored with Grant Blackwood and it is the first mediocre novel in the series. The 14th, 15th, and 16th novels in the series were coauthored with Mark Greaney and they are the three best novels in the series until then. Tom Clancy died 2 months before the release of Command Authority, the 16th novel. Since then Grant Blackwood has written two mediocre novels in the series and Mark Greaney has written three, all great. Full Faith and Allegiance by Mark Greaney, the 22nd novel in the series, will be released in early December 2016. Audible has not yet listed it as part of the series.

60 people found this helpful

You have to like Tom Clancy

It is true that you have to get through 8 hours of characters fretting about the world and what they believe in before you get to some action. Then you think that would wrap up quickly, but that consumes the next 10 hours. The last 6 go more quickly and you are left wishing that John Clark had been more involved. Good book for those who have read the others as you see how the characters got to where they were in the other books.

8 people found this helpful

A great 10 hour book

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

A great 10 hour book , diluted with 10 hours of blather. Nothing like his other riveting books.

3 people found this helpful

Slow, very slow

I have read almost all of Clancy's fiction and some of his non-fiction and have always been a big fan. This book however is very slow and plodding with far too much irrelevant detail. As far as the story goes, not very much happens. If this were a reader's first introduction to the Jack Ryan series they would not likely read a second.

At the very least I would advise someone to read (or listen to) every other book in the series first and try this one only if they can't get enough.

11 people found this helpful

Well... Nothing really happens.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

No. It was good for what it was. It was just uneventful.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Just more eventful. It spent the whole book winding up but it just wasnt tight enough and the payoff wasnt either. The Sum of All Fears is a perfect example of a book that took FOREVER to build up but the pay off was excellent.

What about Scott Brick’s performance did you like?

He always does a fantastic job of choosing the right tone. Never feels out of place.

Did Red Rabbit inspire you to do anything?

To be more morally conscious. Be less concerned about your team and loyalty and more concerned about doing the right thing.

Any additional comments?

It was very intricate and very thorough. Just uneventful. If the tension was a balloon it was released like letting go of the end... most of Clancy's books are like driving a needle into it.

2 people found this helpful

Not much thrill and Intrigue

What did you like best about Red Rabbit? What did you like least?

This book is kind of boring, not a whole lot happening here. My least favorite Tom Clancy book of the 15 I have listened to so far... you can skip this one and you will not miss anything from the series..

What do you think your next listen will be?

Hunt for Red October

What about Scott Brick’s performance did you like?

It was smooth and did not detract from the story.

2 people found this helpful