Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Cardinal of the Kremlin

  • Jack Ryan, Book 4
  • By: Tom Clancy
  • Narrated by: Michael Prichard
  • Length: 25 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (696 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Cardinal of the Kremlin cover art

The Cardinal of the Kremlin

By: Tom Clancy
Narrated by: Michael Prichard
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £23.99

Buy Now for £23.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Teeth of the Tiger cover art
Against All Enemies cover art
All Up cover art
Red October cover art
Tom Clancy's Op-Center cover art
The Fourth Protocol cover art
Red Metal cover art
American Assassin cover art
Pacific Vortex! cover art
Team Yankee cover art
Five Roads to Texas cover art
The Asset cover art
Burke's War cover art
The Forging of Luke Stone Bundle: Primary Target (#1) and Primary Command (#2) cover art
Elantris (Dramatized Adaptation) cover art
The Shadow of What Was Lost cover art

Summary

In the Soviet hills of Dushanbe near the Afghanistan border, an otherworldly array of pillars and domes rises into the night. Between the USA and the Soviet Union, no contest is more urgent than the race to build the first missile defense system, and no one knows that more than the two men charged with assessing the Soviet's capabilities: Colonel Mikhail Filitov of the Soviet Union, an old-line warrior distrusted by the army's new inner circle of technocrats, and CIA analyst Jack Ryan, hero of the Red October affair. Each must use all his craft to arrive at the truth, but Filitov gets there first? And that's when all hell breaks loose. Because Filitov, code-named Cardinal, is America's highest agent in the Kremlin, and he is about to be betrayed to the KGB. His rescue could spell the difference between peace and war, and it is up to Jack Ryan to accomplish it.

©1988 Jack Ryan Enterprises Ltd. (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"Heart-stopping action...entertaining and eminently topical." ( The Washington Post)
"[Clancy] constantly taps the current world situation for its imminent dangers and spins them into an engrossing tale." ( The New York Times Book Review)
" Cardinal excites, illuminates... A great listen." ( Los Angeles Daily News)

What listeners say about The Cardinal of the Kremlin

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    495
  • 4 Stars
    144
  • 3 Stars
    44
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    8
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    405
  • 4 Stars
    166
  • 3 Stars
    44
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    8
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    457
  • 4 Stars
    124
  • 3 Stars
    36
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

Wonderful story that builds with excitement toward its stunning climax. An Audible 'best buy' from me!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Usual Clancy novel - good for travel

For those not used to Clancy's books, he writes what some call techno-thrillers, which are heavy on technical (usually military) detail and authenticity. Those looking for character depth, subtlety, etc should look elsewhere. However for those who like a decent romp, with (reasonably) accurate depictions of military and espionage situations should give it a try.

For those who've read at least one before, this is an outing of a few familiar characters earlier on in the Jack Ryan series. If you've read Red October and come across Mr Clark then it will make more sense, but it's not necessary.
It is starting to feel it's age - being set at the Star Wars (STI) phase of the Cold War arms race and during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. However it still has the usual Clancy style and the Afghan element and Russian/Soviet mindset is an interesting reflection on recent events.

All in all its worth your time if you have enjoyed books of the Clancy ilk.

There are a few editing issues with the sound and the levelling, but these aren't too bad and don't diminish the overall enjoyment.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoying continuity ! -after "Red October"

If you could sum up The Cardinal of the Kremlin in three words, what would they be?

Jack Ryan Book4

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Cardinal - we have heard much background to his life.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Michael Prichard?

not specially.

I am on Chapter 6 and have already forgotten who some of the people are.
I find it confusing when the narrative switches between character groups - a longer pause would be useful.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

occasionally laugh and occasionally cry

Any additional comments?

I don't think I will want to read or hear all 10 books in this series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story line

The book is long,yes, but I didn’t find it boring at all. The level of detail the author went into was incredible. I could picture everything which made the book even more interesting and enjoyable. I travel long distances and found the miles easing by as the story unfolded. I will be listening to the next one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Continues the work of genius

Fantastic work as always enjoying revisiting Tom Clancy in my 50’s after reading in my teens

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping

I am thoroughly enjoying this series. I think this is the most gripping so far. Lots of detail and the threads of the story will tie you in knots. Enjoy!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

good pace no unnecessary overlap with Red October

Gripping story well researched believable science, I struggled a little with Russian names would have welcomed a list of characters

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Stick with it

I read that some people didn't get past the first chapter and I get that. The narrator is a little dull in his presentation but trust me thishis not a book you want to miss. Somehow the narration suits the book as it progresses but the story and multiple aspects off the plot are brilliantly brought together. This would make an epic film

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Tom Clancy at his best

First class book, held me throughout the entire story, it is also good to follow his characters as they progress through life. Well done.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great

Great from start to finish, Tom Clancy at his best. Looking forward to the next one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!