Clancy is a first-rate storyteller. He creates interesting characters, involves them in interesting events, and fills his plot with surprises and inventive challenges. In writing The Hunt for Red October, Clancy had two major difficulties to overcome. The first was the large number of characters and settings that his tale required; readers can quickly lose interest if they cannot keep track of the characters. The other difficulty was how to present all the technological information without bogging down the plot in technical details.

He solves the first problem by first sketching characters with bold images.

The novel begins with its strongest character, Marko Ramius. By the end of the first page, Ramius is shown to be a "Captain First Rank" in the Soviet Navy who is a keen observer of his Arctic surroundings. By the end of "The First Day, " Ramius has been given a bold outline: He is...