The first book in the Jack Ryan universe to be published, the third to be written, and the fourth by chronology, The Hunt for Red October is best known as the first film. The book follows the typical Clancy patterns and is similar to all of the books that I have read in pacing and pattern. The big issue with reading the book is divorcing it from the movie that I have watched several dozen times. In comparing them, there are a lot of interesting decisions where thing that never really tracked for me in the movie makes sense now, but those differences create other problems as well. It is almost as if the movie decided to make key changes from the book but left weird, straggling plot thread in that don't make sense in the new context.
Overall, the book is very good. My biggest issue is a plot thread started towards the beginning that never truly made sense to begin with and then is given no resolution and the fact that Jack Ryan dissappears out of huge portion of the book. Several days go by (the chapters are done in days) where Ryan isn't even checked in on.
The intrigue of having the Americans and Russians in such close contact is much deeper in the book and highly enjoyable. The characterizations are very good with a lot of characters thrown in the mix. The October's crew is, however, barely touched on in the book. Several dozen U.S. admirals get much more page time.
I still think I like Patriot Games more than this entry, but it is better than the Red Rabbit. Let the Clancy march continue.