Background Info
on novels

First Published	1982
ISBN Number	0 000 223193 x
Page Count	624 h/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

Jack Ryan, is now officially CIA, and working his way up to the top. As a European specialist, he is now involved in talks to reduce the nuclear arms held by America and the USSR.

On the borders of Afghanistan, the Russians are developing a new weapon that will be able to protect the country from a nuclear attack , and also disable satellites. Some of the technology coming from a secret American program. The Americans learn of the leak, when their top agent, sends word that the system is working. Quite by chance a test firing is monitored by a weapons monitoring aircraft, on a routine mission.

Matters start to fall apart when a routine drop between two agents is fumbled, and one of them is caught by a KGB agent. So begins a race to find the moles on both sides, and the Americans want their agent back.

Review

This is one of Clancy's earliest novels, and the quality oozes. There are multiple plot lines, that flow to almost the same point, the Russian military site code named 'bright Star'.

Many of his books centre around the military, but this story is firmly set in the murky world of the spy. The spy element concerning Filitov, is introduced as a long standing operation, having lasted over 30 years. Yet the whole thing unravels, with great speed when a message transfer is botched, and picked up by a KGB officer. It also leads to the burning of the Foley's, and almost the death of Jack Ryan, whilst trying to get their man out.

In the Kremlin, it is all about power, and factions within, each trying to out manoeuvre each other, whether through a willing alliance or blackmail.

The story tracks from the science laboratory, to the battlefields of Afghanistan, to the rarefied atmosphere of the high level inter governmental talks. Whilst the diplomats talk lives are threatened and death is never far away.

The story is very accomplished, a wide cast of characters, some of which feature in the later books. You also get to see an older wiser Clark, a man that has seen too much and done to much! The whole story is rich in detail, with less hot air that came in some of the later books (post Executive Orders). If you want a good spy yarn then this is one to give a go.

Remember the book was written at the height of the cold war, the Berlin Wall was still in place.

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