Outside Reading: Hunt For Red October (5)

 

Hunt For Red October

Title: Hunt For Red October

Author: Tom Clancy

Genres: Novel/Action/Suspense

Percent read: 84/100

 

Summary:

 

Building on what I wrote in my fourth blog post this section begins with members of the American crew and the soviet crew on the October. Those who were informed upon Ramius’s plan stay behind under the excuse that they will blow up the October rather than leave it in the hands of the Americans. While the rest of the October’s crew is taken back to another US ship a GRU agent masquerading as a cook sneaks within the October to avoid being taken to another ship.

 

Meanwhile the crew currently controlling the October (half American and half Soviet) begin to discuss their true intentions. Overhearing all of this the GRU agent starts to set scuttling charges in order to blow up the October before it falls into American possession.

 

When Ryan and Ramius hear a strange noise in the reactor room they go to investigate, finding the weapons override has been tampered with. Then Ramius notices someone moving on the other side of the weapons room. As Ryan and Ramius move closer to further investigate they realize it is the cook and that he has a gun. Thus a gunfight begins that ends with one officer badly wounded, Ramius shoot in the leg, and the GRU agent himself killed by Ramius.

 

Throughout this section I noticed that the October’s strategic value that the United States was willing to grans political asylum, sacrifice one of their own ships, and go to extreme measures to get their hands on the Red October. Also I noticed the opposite happen when the GRU agent was willing to sacrifice himself and everyone on that vessel to keep the October outside of American grasp.

 

Response:

 

To me the section I read this time was very interesting because the American crew and the soviet crew finally met and were now working together. Also to read about some hands on combat within the Red October was very interesting to read about. All in all this section completely fulfilled my exceptions and I greatly enjoyed reading this section.

 

I predict in future reading that there will still be some soviet interference with the American plan maybe even through real submarine combat.

 

Quotation:

 

“He was just a boy, Ramius thought. So eager and loyal, a real soviet patriot. What a waste.”

This quote derived from the text just after the GRU agent was killed, really shows how loyal the GRU agent was, going so far as to put his life on the line and loose for the Soviet Union. As a reader I think this quote provides a perspective on how the crew mourned the death, friend or foe. Also I think this quote really shows just how far someone would be willing to go to protect the October’s strategic value.