Rating: 
Summary: Very good
Review: After reading more action-intensive novels from the "Ryan-verse" such as "Rainbow Six" and "Patriot Games" I found this book to be more on the political side of things. This made for a suspense filled and exciting story in the world of espionage.
Rating:
Summary: Very good
Review: After reading more action-intensive novels from the "Ryan-verse" such as "Rainbow Six" and "Patriot Games" I found this book to be more on the political side of things. This made for a suspense filled and exciting story in the world of espionage.
Rating:
Summary: A true Spy Novel
Review: I am a Tom Clancy fan. I have read most of his material, and I have always found his books entertaining. "Cardinal of the Kremlin" is no exception. Probably the most true spy novel in the Jack Ryan series, "Cardinal" has all of the elements that make an exciting story; mystery, intrigue, honor and vengeance. Clancy takes the time to develop his characters, explaining why each of them has chosen the path they are on, instead of just throwing an exciting scenario at you and letting you figure it out. I also like the way Clancy incorporates characters from previous books, like Captain Ramius from "The Hunt for Red October". Also if you plan to read more of Tom Clancy's work in the future, take note of the brief appearance of "Mr. Clark" because you see much more of him in the books to come. Many believe that this is Clancy's best work, but I disagree. It is a very good book and I would recommend you read it, but I think Clancy's best book is "Without Remorse."
Rating: 
Summary: Under Clancy's pen, Jack Ryan shows no fear!
Review: I guess for not reading too much Clancy, this has to my favorite work of his. But can you just envision Tom sitting at his desk, pondering in his mind, "Hmm, what if... YES! This is it!" I'm wondering if a lot of people are asking the same question about this work, WHEN'S THE MOVIE DUE OUT?
I loved the masterful way that Clancy crafted this together. When I read the prologue and saw there was bits and pieces of Marko Ramius, I was intrigued, and not disappointed.
Clever penmanship, mixed in with some rough dialogue, and you get this. Yeah, the story is about a guy, Mikhail Filitov, code named "Cardinal". Yeah, you have US and USSR negotations. So what does that have to do with the price of coffee? Hey, read it and find out! Good stuff!
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable classic Cold War spy thriller
Review: I had been meaning to read "Cardinal of the Kremlin" now for several years. Published in 1988, it is one of the older Jack Ryan technothrillers, one that I had bypassed when I started reading Clancy's works, first "Red Storm Rising" and then beginning the Jack Ryan saga with "Clear and Present Danger." I had - with the exception of "Without Remorse" and the newly published "Red Rabbit"- read all of the other subsequent books, and those books that I did not read I had seen the movie version (namely "The Hunt For Red October" and "Patriot Games"). I had resisted reading this one, or perhaps I should say I hadn't placed a high priority on this one, as they never filmed it, and it was a book very much steeped in Cold War intrigue, much of the novel taking place in the Soviet Union and involving two staples of the last years of the Cold War; "Star Wars" or the Strategic Defense Initiative (or to be more precise, something equivalent to it in the novel, a high-tech antiballistic missile or ABM system) and the Soviet war in Afghanistan. I was worried it would be antiquated, or that it would depict a Soviet Union that didn't really exist, as the collapse of the USSR in the late 1980s/early 1990s showed that how little the West really understood what the reality of the Soviet Union actually was. I decided to read the book recently, partially to say I had read all of the Jack Ryan novels, partially because I wanted to know more of Ryan's history (events in this novel were referenced several times in Clancy's later works), and partially because I had decided to treat it as a period piece (and I have in the past enjoyed good tales of Cold War intrigue). I figured it would show an interesting, early Ryan, quite a bit different from the powerful and experienced one who eventually becomes President of the United States later on in the "Ryanverse" series. I must say I enjoyed it. It wasn't my favorite of the Ryan series but it certainly held my interest and I found it a fast read. It was actually a rather enlightened novel, as it showed the Russians as real people; some were good, some were bad. The Soviets depicted were for the most part fairly well rounded individuals, who just like Americans simply wanted more or less the same thing out of life; basically success and happiness. Some were not good people but even they weren't depicted as moustache-twirling, cackling Cold War villains, though to be sure there were bad guys in the piece. While it is not surprising that the title character of the book - the Cardinal, Colonel Mikhail Filitov, a highly placed spy in the Soviet military - is shown as a good person, it was somewhat surprising that many of those opposed to his actions were not shown as evil or vile but simply as often good people doing their job. In essence, Clancy showed that while the Soviet regime was bad, its people weren't necessarily so. His view of governments versus people - particularly with regards to the Russians - holds true in his later works as well, showing a good deal of consistency in his writing. Perhaps I didn't give Clancy enough credit in this regard, I don't know. In any event I found myself occasionally rooting for characters in the novel who were actually opposed to Filitov, Ryan, and the other protagonists. The novel itself was as some have said more of a straightforward spy novel than some of the other volumes in the Jack Ryan series, with many classic espionage scenes taking place in Moscow and involving the KGB. Five major plotlines are followed in the novel, with four of these plotlines tightly interwoven; the Soviet Union is pursuing a largely ground-based ABM system (Bright Star), the United States is also pursuing one named Tea Clipper (these plots also involved those in one program trying to spy on the other nation's efforts), Colonel Filitov is spying for the Americans (and related to that plotline, there are Russians trying to uncover him), and Jack Ryan and others in the American government are conducting arms reduction negotiations in Moscow (ultimately the latter storyline becomes subservient to the others) The fifth plotline revolves around an Afghan mudjaheddin named the "Archer" and his actions in Afghanistan against Soviet forces and doesn't tie in hardly at all at first though it does in the end (more or less I think). Action-wise the book was middle of the road (if anything fairly light) until the end when several plotlines end in some violence (particularly the Archer plot). The storyline with Filitov ended with some surprise for me, though it was an ending hinted at in the later Ryan books I had read. I am glad I read the book and have an appetite for more, both from Clancy and from another similar author who I have really grown to respect, James W. Huston (I highly recommend his works). Often overlooked by Clancy fans - it certainly was by me - I think it is a shame more haven't read it.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting!
Review: I loved it! Some of the best action and characters in the whole series.
Rating:
Summary: One of the most intriguing pieces of the Jack Ryan puzzle.
Review: Of all the books in the Ryanverse, this is the most true 'spy' novel. "Cardinal" is an American informant deep in the KGB. When things go wrong, he must be extracted and lo and behold...it's up to Jack Ryan to do so! This is classic Clancy intrigue, and provides an introduction to many of the classic supporting characters that are seen in the rest of the series (including the first appearance of JOHN CLARK). One of the shorter Clancy novels, but you get your money's worth by far...and then some!
Rating:
Summary: A Solid Spy Novel by the Master of the Techno-Thriller
Review: The Cardinal of the Kremlin, though outdated because it involves the Cold War, is still an exciting read. It is a great spy-thriller. However, if you're looking for an all-out, smash-bang action story reminiscent of the James Bond novels, then this book isn't for you. That isn't to say that it doesn't have any action or thrills in it; it is certainly an exciting and fast-paced read. Tom Clancy's main hero Jack Ryan returns as the famed CIA analyst and attempts a staggering coup aimed at the Soviet KGB. CARDINAL is a CIA mole who has infiltrated the Kremlin in Moscow, and he is the CIA's most trusted agent in the Soviet Union. The story has a great Cold War theme. Clancy makes the book even more intriguing by blending in the story of the Afghan freedom fighters and their fight against Soviet occupation. All in all, I consider this one of the best books Clancy has written. Highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: A good spy story
Review: The story that Clancy creates is a good one, although maybe not as exciting as some of his other works. The reader will learn a lot about cold war espionage. The depiction of it is as realistic as it gets - not tuxedos and martinis but microfilm and chalk on the sidewalk.
There is probably good reason that this book hasn't been turned into a movie yet as it lacks some of the big topics and excitement of his other books. But it is a compelling read nonetheless. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the genre (or thinks they might be).
Rating:
Summary: Short and Sweet
Review: This book is a fast paced, high stakes espionage fest that will leave you way behind on your to-do list. From the Archer, to the familiar characters of Ryan, Mancuso, Ramius and back to newer characters like the Foleys and Clark, the characters carry the action to compelling heights. We see the stakes from their perspective, and that helps us to feel the danger that is looming over the world.
Easily the least technical in terms of war machines, this is Clancy's most compelling plot. With Ryan flying everywhere and finding himself in Moscow at the unexpected and satisfying conclusion, readers will applaud another great story.
Strengths: Several subplots are woven seamlessly into a strong finish. Ryan's real human reactions and intelligence give us a protagonist we believe and root for. An intelligent read.
Weaknesses: None come to mind. Doesn't suffer from the sometimes verbose technical descriptions some of his other work has.
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