Jack Ryan is an analyst at the CIA. One of the Soviet subs has gone missing, and Ryan has a theory, but if he's wrong it could mean Nuclear war. This was Tom Clancy's first and perhaps best novel, although I'm a bit partial. Red October holds a special place for many folks in Southeastern Connecticut. Groton, CT is known as the "Submarine Capitol of the World". This is where I went to high school, and many people I know either work at the Navy Sub Base or at Electric Boat, where subs have been designed & built for years. My father-in-law and one of my uncles both served in the navy as submariners. Because of them, I was eager to read this book, and I was not disappointed. Suspenseful and fast paced, with a level of detail and realism that is the benchmark of Clancy's work. A great film adaptation starring Alec Baldwin as Ryan and Sean Connery as Captain Ramius.