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The Bear and the Dragon: Part 2 of 3
Time and again, Tom Clancy's novels have been praised not only for their big-scale drama and propulsive narrative drive, but for their cutting-edge prescience in predicting future events. In THE BEAR AND THE DRAGON, the future is very near at hand indeed.
Newly elected in his own right, Jack Ryan has found that being President has gotten no easier. Domestic pitfalls await him at every turn, there's a revolution in Liberia, the Asian economy is going down the tubes, and now, in Moscow, someone may have tried to take out the chairman of the SVR - the former KGB - with a rocket - propelled grenade. Things are unstable enough in Russia without high-level assassination, but even more disturbing may be the identities of the potential assassins. Were they political enemies, the Russian Mafia, disaffected former KGB? Or, Ryan wonders, is something far more dangerous at work here?
Ryan is right. For even wile he dispatches his most trusted eyes and ears, including black ops specialist John Clark, to find out the truth of the matter, forces in China are moving ahead with a plan of truly audacious proportions. If they succeed, the world as we know it will never look the same. If they fail...the consequences will be unspeakable.
Blending the exceptional realism and authenticity that are his hallmarks with intricate plotting, razor-sharp suspense and a remarkable cast of characters, this is Clancy at his best - and ther is none better.
Newly elected in his own right, Jack Ryan has found that being President has gotten no easier. Domestic pitfalls await him at every turn, there's a revolution in Liberia, the Asian economy is going down the tubes, and now, in Moscow, someone may have tried to take out the chairman of the SVR - the former KGB - with a rocket - propelled grenade. Things are unstable enough in Russia without high-level assassination, but even more disturbing may be the identities of the potential assassins. Were they political enemies, the Russian Mafia, disaffected former KGB? Or, Ryan wonders, is something far more dangerous at work here?
Ryan is right. For even wile he dispatches his most trusted eyes and ears, including black ops specialist John Clark, to find out the truth of the matter, forces in China are moving ahead with a plan of truly audacious proportions. If they succeed, the world as we know it will never look the same. If they fail...the consequences will be unspeakable.
Blending the exceptional realism and authenticity that are his hallmarks with intricate plotting, razor-sharp suspense and a remarkable cast of characters, this is Clancy at his best - and ther is none better.
- GenresFiction
Audio Cassette
Published September 7, 2000
About the author
Tom Clancy
435 books9,463 followersThomas Leo Clancy Jr. was an American novelist and military-political thriller pioneer. Raised in a middle-class Irish-American family, he developed an early fascination with military history. Despite initially studying physics at Loyola College, he switched to English literature, graduating in 1969 with a modest GPA. His aspirations of serving in the military were dashed due to severe myopia, leading him instead to a career in the insurance business.
While working at a small insurance agency, Clancy spent his spare time writing what would become The Hunt for Red October (1984). Published by the Naval Institute Press for an advance of $5,000, the book received an unexpected boost when President Ronald Reagan praised it as "the best yarn." This propelled Clancy to national fame, selling millions of copies and establishing his reputation for technical accuracy in military and intelligence matters. His meticulous research and storytelling ability granted him access to high-ranking U.S. military officials, further enriching his novels.
Clancy's works often featured heroic protagonists such as Jack Ryan and John Clark, emphasizing themes of patriotism, military expertise, and political intrigue. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, he became one of the best-selling authors in America, with titles like Red Storm Rising (1986), Patriot Games (1987), Clear and Present Danger (1989), and The Sum of All Fears (1991) dominating bestseller lists. Several of these were adapted into commercially successful films.
In addition to novels, Clancy co-authored nonfiction works on military topics and lent his name to numerous book series and video game franchises, including Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. His influence extended beyond literature, as he became a part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team and was involved in various business ventures, including a failed attempt to purchase the Minnesota Vikings.
Politically, Clancy was a staunch conservative, often weaving his views into his books and publicly criticizing left-leaning policies. He gained further attention after the September 11 attacks, discussing intelligence failures and counterterrorism strategies on news platforms.
Clancy's financial success was immense. By the late 1990s, his publishing deals were worth tens of millions of dollars. He lived on an expansive Maryland estate featuring a World War II Sherman tank and later purchased a luxury penthouse in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
He was married twice, first to Wanda Thomas King, with whom he had four children, and later to journalist Alexandra Marie Llewellyn, with whom he had one daughter.
Tom Clancy passed away on October 1, 2013, at the age of 66 due to heart failure. His legacy endures through his novels, their adaptations, and the continuation of the Jack Ryan series by other writers.
While working at a small insurance agency, Clancy spent his spare time writing what would become The Hunt for Red October (1984). Published by the Naval Institute Press for an advance of $5,000, the book received an unexpected boost when President Ronald Reagan praised it as "the best yarn." This propelled Clancy to national fame, selling millions of copies and establishing his reputation for technical accuracy in military and intelligence matters. His meticulous research and storytelling ability granted him access to high-ranking U.S. military officials, further enriching his novels.
Clancy's works often featured heroic protagonists such as Jack Ryan and John Clark, emphasizing themes of patriotism, military expertise, and political intrigue. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, he became one of the best-selling authors in America, with titles like Red Storm Rising (1986), Patriot Games (1987), Clear and Present Danger (1989), and The Sum of All Fears (1991) dominating bestseller lists. Several of these were adapted into commercially successful films.
In addition to novels, Clancy co-authored nonfiction works on military topics and lent his name to numerous book series and video game franchises, including Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. His influence extended beyond literature, as he became a part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team and was involved in various business ventures, including a failed attempt to purchase the Minnesota Vikings.
Politically, Clancy was a staunch conservative, often weaving his views into his books and publicly criticizing left-leaning policies. He gained further attention after the September 11 attacks, discussing intelligence failures and counterterrorism strategies on news platforms.
Clancy's financial success was immense. By the late 1990s, his publishing deals were worth tens of millions of dollars. He lived on an expansive Maryland estate featuring a World War II Sherman tank and later purchased a luxury penthouse in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
He was married twice, first to Wanda Thomas King, with whom he had four children, and later to journalist Alexandra Marie Llewellyn, with whom he had one daughter.
Tom Clancy passed away on October 1, 2013, at the age of 66 due to heart failure. His legacy endures through his novels, their adaptations, and the continuation of the Jack Ryan series by other writers.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 27, 2021
I have read this book before. it was an entertaining reading again. I did not remember the language as being so poor but the story line is good. As usual with Tom Clancy, the book is well researched and documented with some insights into a fictional life of a spy in Communist China. The book was very entertaining.
May 12, 2019
The longest novel ever written by Clancy!
May 14, 2015
I will write the same review for part 1 and 2 and 3, as it will be in fact my review for the whole series.
This is a very interesting scenario, something that may happen in reality sometimes this century if all the parties involved would agree to such sci-fi proposal.
I don't want to spoil your fun, as it's a fun and entertaining series so I won't reveal too much, but just to give you some clues, it's about a very complex war situation between a China ruled by hard to read communists and the Russian federation ruled by communists that are not so narrow about friendly relations with the western world and more open to the capitalist economy.
It's pure fiction in my humble opinion, sometimes quite hilarious, to the point of telling to yourself, something like "right, like that could or would ever happen in real life"... like the Russians being invited and accepted with full majority of votes into NATO, just because they are on the verge of being attacked by China... or like the Russians former KGB and US former and current CIA adversaries, now working together as a nice smooth well oiled machine against a common enemy China... or like the Chinese being so narrow minded that they had no clue what is going on around them in the geopolitical arena... or like a Jap-American intelligence officer infiltrate into China with no problems and even more, seducing a high ranked minister like it's an easy play of cards...
all that and more is pure fiction, maybe too much fiction, but very entertaining never the less...
as usual from this author, you can expect well researched and documented war preparation and scenes being described, some nice political strategies unfolding under your eyes, some unique tactics used for gaining some field advantages and more... once again, very entertaining...
it's what one may call a motion picture novel, it's like watching a movie that is quite well done, but in the end it's just a movie...
I for one I enjoyed.. you will too if you like this style...
This is a very interesting scenario, something that may happen in reality sometimes this century if all the parties involved would agree to such sci-fi proposal.
I don't want to spoil your fun, as it's a fun and entertaining series so I won't reveal too much, but just to give you some clues, it's about a very complex war situation between a China ruled by hard to read communists and the Russian federation ruled by communists that are not so narrow about friendly relations with the western world and more open to the capitalist economy.
It's pure fiction in my humble opinion, sometimes quite hilarious, to the point of telling to yourself, something like "right, like that could or would ever happen in real life"... like the Russians being invited and accepted with full majority of votes into NATO, just because they are on the verge of being attacked by China... or like the Russians former KGB and US former and current CIA adversaries, now working together as a nice smooth well oiled machine against a common enemy China... or like the Chinese being so narrow minded that they had no clue what is going on around them in the geopolitical arena... or like a Jap-American intelligence officer infiltrate into China with no problems and even more, seducing a high ranked minister like it's an easy play of cards...
all that and more is pure fiction, maybe too much fiction, but very entertaining never the less...
as usual from this author, you can expect well researched and documented war preparation and scenes being described, some nice political strategies unfolding under your eyes, some unique tactics used for gaining some field advantages and more... once again, very entertaining...
it's what one may call a motion picture novel, it's like watching a movie that is quite well done, but in the end it's just a movie...
I for one I enjoyed.. you will too if you like this style...
March 21, 2014
Great book. The first 600 pages were a bit slow but that is what Clancy does. He describes in great detail all of the characters, their stories and why/how they are going to make a decision that will affect the rest of the book. If you haven't read a Clancy book before this might be a bit discouraging but stick with it, the last 400 pages were awesome.
I wish that the end of the book would of had a little more detail about what happened to China though. Like what the leaders where the leaders who started the war ended up and how Ryan dealt with what transpired during the war.
Loved the book though.
I wish that the end of the book would of had a little more detail about what happened to China though. Like what the leaders where the leaders who started the war ended up and how Ryan dealt with what transpired during the war.
Loved the book though.
June 18, 2013
I have listened to this book on tape and have listened to it many, many times and will again. Another highly recommended book on tape and one that you wouldn't put down until finished. I listened to it when traveling for work. Not sure of the dates.
July 21, 2014
Well read by Michael Prichard.
l-o-n-g, intricately worked thriller. Love the series Jack (John) Ryan series...
l-o-n-g, intricately worked thriller. Love the series Jack (John) Ryan series...
July 17, 2016
Great book! Intricately woven. Learned a lot too.
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November 9, 2016I realized that I read this book before so I laid it aside.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews