martytdx's Full Review: Tom Clancy - Red Storm Rising
Tom Clancy writes three types of books - his Jack Ryan series, the Op-Center series (which I find sub-par, in general), and his true-to-life books, such as Armored Cav and Submarine: A Guided Tour Inside a Nuclear Submarine. Well, get ready for something completely different - and what is perhaps his best work.
Written back in 1987, this story was a great adaptation of the fears that we had of the Soviet Union and their possible desire for war. Clancy started his surge towards prominence with this story, although it would take The Hunt for Red October to really get him noticed.
It is the late 80's and the Soviet Union is already starting to wane. In their rich oil fields, Muslim extremist have decided to strike at the 'Great Unholy' - and in doing so, severely strike at the economic stability of the Soviet Bloc.
Faced with imminent shortages on many fronts because of the destruction, the Soviets come upon what they see is the only possible reaction - to invade Europe and resupply their needs. And thus it begins...
Clancy does a fantastic job of bringing a realistic and frightening scenario to life. His descriptions of the desperate situation that the Soviets are facing makes you understand their need for this aggression. His descriptions of the attacks and the Soviet advance are simply incredible. You find yourself hoping that hopelessly undermanned NATO positions will pull off a miracle. All to often, as happens in life, they don't - the Soviet juggernaut rolls on.
The description of the NATO response is nothing short of amazing. He uses the latest technology and describes it in a way that makes you think that he was once in the military. As a matter of fact, when this book came out, Mr. Clancy was actually questioned by the government for his knowledge of some key areas, including the stealth fighters and bombers. His descriptions of the battles on land, sea and air are all equally brilliant, although you might want to pick up a copy of Jane's to keep up with his military jargon. You read about the planes and their classifications, almost hearing the American pilots as they designate targets. You read about the capabilities of machines that you never knew existed – and he does a spectacular job with it.
NATO's - particularly America's - counter-offensive is stunning to behold. Written a few years before Operation Desert Storm, the actuality of the response is chillingly similar, if not as devastating as it was against the Iraqis. Tactically and strategically, you find yourself drawn into their desperate attempts to not only stop the Soviets, but to prevent the war from being a truly global incident.
Clancy has some of his best moments of describing actual battles in this story. He takes battles and disects them into brilliant scenes that blow those from Saving Private Ryan away. Aerial battles are fantastic, as are the duels between naval and air forces, and land strikes by the aforementioned stealth fighters. Clancy does it all with an informed brilliance from research that has made him an expert in the field - even though he never served. If they could only do this movie justice, I would get in line in a second - but we all know how badly they massacre his books on film (if you don't believe me, read and then watch Clear and Present Danger).
The only bad part of this book is that most of the scenarios described are no longer valid (thankfully so!), which tends to make reading it now a bit less suspenseful. Not that it ruins the story in any way – but there isn’t that overwhelming fear of the U.S.S.R. that there was when it was written. And as far as down sides go, this is a minor one.
Red Storm Rising takes World War III and makes it real – frighteningly so. The events which transpire, the men who fight those battles and the incredible story-telling of the actual battles seem almost like true history, not alternate history. So, take a break from Dr. Ryan, Clark and Op-Center, and read the story of the World War that wasn’t.
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