Red Storm Rising Book

This is definitely the longest it has taken me to finish a book in years. In this case, the cause was a COVID-19 reading slump that started in mid-March 2020. Red Storm Rising was the last remaining hold out from the books I started before the quarantine began. Now I can begin to move on fully as I no longer have books from that timeframe hanging over me.

The rating of this book is based on my personal experience, as I think it should be. However, it is not based on what was obviously a labor of love with hundreds of hours of carefully researched military strategy. Other Tom Clancy books that I have read and enjoyed, I enjoyed them mainly because the story of the political intrigue greatly outweighed military strategy. In this case, it was the exact opposite with 90% descriptions of military battles and planning and 10% story.

So, if you really, really like military strategy, this is the book for you. And, when I say really, really I REALLY mean it . . . this book is very long so you are committing yourself to A LOT of military strategy. Also, this is early 1980s, US vs USSR, cold war military strategy - so it is a bit dated. But I think if this type of book is one of your favorite genres, then that will not matter.

Casual Clancy fans might enjoy. Fans of political thrillers who enjoy story over tactics should proceed with caution. But, if you enjoy stories with 20 page air battles, submarine vs battleship engagements, tank battlefield plotting and execution, etc. then this is a book you must check out.