What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bear and the Dragon: Part 1 of 3
- GenresFiction
Audio Cassette
Published September 7, 2000
8 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Tom Clancy
978 books9,091 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 14, 2020
Interesting concept that China invades Siberian Russia to get newly discovered gold mines and oil deposits.
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.
March 18, 2021
Overall I liked the storyline. It would have been a more enjoyable read without the vulgarity and racial slurs. Tom Clancy never showed this disgraceful side in previous books. I must say I’m not a fan of it.
July 27, 2017
War between Russia & China w/ USA assisting Russia - poor read: could have told the same story in 1/2 the pages, w/o the foul language & crudity - Clancy has a dark side & I don't like it.
July 25, 2019
Overall I did enjoy the book. Definitely long and takes some work to keep all the characters straight.
February 5, 2020
Pretty timely.
May 20, 2021
Second reading. Not Clancy's best work but entertaining.
October 21, 2024
My favorite Clancy book
March 2, 2025
loads of technical details but well written -- good views from the political and military sides ... read the book tho not the audio ????
May 24, 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...
April 9, 2016
I hadn't read any Clancy books before. I enjoyed the story. It was a long book, which I tend to like. The plots/subplots were interesting and the characters as well. Clancy has a way with words that is engaging. Will read another of his, for sure
December 1, 2014
A bit slow paced, more politically driven than action driven. The ending lacked in substance.
November 2, 2022
I bought this in 2002. I've read it then and now, 20 yrs later, I decided to read it again when Russia is on the news all the time for invading Ukraine. Go save Ukraine!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews