“The Cardinal of the Kremlin” by Tom Clancy – Infiltrating the Red Bear's Cave

There is a time many of us are too young to remember, while those who do see it as a distant past... but just over twenty-five years ago, the Soviet Union was still alive, and a few years earlier was still prospering well enough.

There was a sense of balance between the two superpowers of the world, and while their presence certainly did serve to keep the other in check, it also set the stage for an era of advanced espionage where information was the most valuable commodity.Tom Clancy often uses this setting as a backdrop for his celebrated novels, as he did for perhaps one of his more overlooked masterpieces, The Cardinal of the Kremlin.


It is the third book in the Jack Ryan series, and while it does fill in some blanks left by the other books and ties certain events together, it is by no means necessary to read the novels in order.

You'll be able to quickly get into it and there will never be a moment when you'll feel as if you're missing out because of something you haven't read elsewhere in the series. And so without further ado, let us get on with the show.

There are three main plotlines to focus on, with the first one being a race between the United States and the Soviet Union to develop a laser defense system capable of shooting down enemy satellites and incoming nuclear missiles.

It sounds like a rather sensible decision, except for the fact that it creates the need for both sides to keep up with each other's progresses and breakthroughs... something that can only be achieved through espionage.

The second story follows the titular Cardinal, an information source the United States have placed deep inside the Kremlin. Maintaining his cover is far from easy, and should it be blown, getting out will prove infinitely more difficult than getting in.

Finally, Moscow serves as the host for strategic arms talks between countries, an opportunity the U.S. is looking to seize to help a high-level official defect from his motherland.

Contrary to what most people expect from a Clancy novel, there aren't any big-scale battles or massive wars to be found here. Rather, the focus is largely placed on the art of espionage, more specifically the work that the agents have to do in the field.

Naturally, we are treated to his famously-detailed, accurate and true descriptions of how the government and the secret services function, to the point where it feels like we're learning classified information that wasn't meant to see the light of day, let alone worldwide publication.

The actions undertaken by both sides are always explained in expert detail, and it really shows that Clancy does his best to keep the narrator's perspective objectively neutral, not glamourizing the protagonists or demonizing the villains.

While there are certainly three distinct plots to focus on, Clancy chooses to dedicate most of his writing to the Cardinal and his tremendous efforts to maintain his cover all while gathering extremely sensitive information that could easily tip the scales in favour of either war or peace.

It's extremely fascinating to watch how Cardinal, with the help of the United States government, navigates what can only be described as the world's most complex and deadliest game of chess, where even the intention of making the wrong move can prove fatal. The suspense never lets up and you never feel certain for what awaits Cardinal in the next few sentences.

The other two plots might receive less attention, that much is true, but that doesn't make them any less intriguing, especially since ultimately all the stories end up relating to each other in one way or another. All they do really is add more interesting variables to the story, making it more entertaining and certainly less monotonous in terms of its pace.

Ultimately, The Cardinal of the Kremlin deviates somewhat from what's expected in a Tom Clancy novel, but that only gives it a more special place in the man's bibliography.

It's a suspenseful and gripping exploration of cold war espionage, one made rather unique by the author's very realistic, accurate and descriptive style. If you enjoy spy fiction or are looking to see what Clancy is all about, then this will definitely be the book for you.

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Tom Clancy (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) Personal site With numerous books, movies and even video games under his belt, Tom Clancy was one of the most accomplished writers out there, being specifically known for his enthralling and accurately-detailed military novels, such as The Sum of All Fears and The Hunt for Red October.