Red Storm Rising is about war in all its various forms — from terrorism to the clash of huge armies, from war on the ground, to war in the air, on the sea, and under the sea. The novel is an intellectual, largely unemotional portrayal of horrifying conflict. Clancy's intellectual approach converts the war into a mind game, making it a story that may be read with pleasure instead of the revulsion called forth by narratives of the slaughter and destruction of war.

Although Red Storm Rising has the tone of an elaborate game, war is not made appealing. Indeed, it emphasizes that future wars should be left to novels and games; the real thing is too awful. The war on the ground chews up enormous amounts of troops, hardware, and fuel. The armies lay waste to vast tracts of land. Civilian casualties multiply as their...