This is the first Clancy book I've read but I really enjoyed it. The CARDINAL is a highly placed Soviet war hero who's been spying for America for 30 years. Then the line is broken and the Americans feel the need for loyalty to get him out. It's maybe not as action-packed as some of his other books, but the story was great and really made you empathize for the characters. I was also impressed at how "human" many of the characters become, and whether or not you agreed with their actions, you could usually understand them. It's also very interesting to read it now (2002), and reflect back on what the atmosphere was like when the Cold War was still going strong in the 80's, with the possibility (however real or not) of nuclear war. It also felt strange to think of the Afghans as "good guys" and the Russians as the "bad guys" given the current state of affairs.