Book Review: The Bear and the Dragon

Reviewed By: Luke Croll - RAM

The Bear and the Dragon     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Tom Clancy
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Fiction   Thriller   High-Tech
Series: Jack Ryan Thrillers # 10
Michael Joseph; 2000; £17.99; pp. 1028
Classification: Adult fiction (thriller)

Tom Clancy is back with another behemoth of a book. After the success of 'Rainbow Six', he has chosen to mix its characters with those of the Jack Ryan novels. President Ryan is dealing with trouble on the home front, but there are also big problems in Russia, whilst the Chinese also have their own designs for the world. Can Ryan restore stability?

'The Bear And The Dragon' takes a long time to read, but if you stick with it, you will find a thrilling novel that captures the reader's attention. Clancy's writing seems as authentic as it could ever be, from the combat scenes down to the behaviour of the Secret Service. Jack Ryan is a powerful character, whom Clancy has developed continuously over the years and still manages to do so in this novel.

He paints a disturbing picture of what could happen in a few years and his skilful mix of fact and fiction will appeal to all of his fans. However, the problem of length is a large one. There is no real need for a novel to be this long and from time to time, you may find yourself wondering if you will ever finish it. In addition, the ending seemed a little convenient, but apart from that, it was a great read. Clancy will once again achieve bestseller status with this novel.

Luke Croll - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM

Luke Croll - Conference interpreter and translator
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