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1-Page Summary of The Cardinal of the Kremlin
Overall Summary
The fifth novel in the Jack Ryan series follows a CIA agent on an important mission. The book received widespread critical praise when it was released, and is among Tom Clancy’s best-known works. Although he’s best known for his novels, Clancy also wrote nonfiction books about military strategy. He died in 2013 after writing more than two dozen novels over the course of several decades.
The protagonist for both The Cardinal of the Kremlin and the series is Jack Ryan. He’s a former Marine who got hurt in his back during active duty, so he now works as an analyst for the CIA. When we first meet him, he’s at a conference with Soviet officials in Moscow.
Jack arrives in Moscow to meet with a high-ranking Soviet official who has been spying for the CIA. The man, codenamed CARDINAL, is actually Colonel Mikhail Semyonovich “Misha” Filitov, and he’s working on a sensitive project called Bright Star that involves anti-ballistic missile research. He needs to be evaluated as soon as possible because the CIA is concerned about his loyalty and what kind of technology they’re using.
Jack learns that Filitov sent one of his own men to Tajikistan for information, but the KGB is shutting down operations. However, he does not want to let go of the project and keeps pressing for information.
Meanwhile, the CIA is also watching Soviet activities. They send an undercover agent to Tajikistan to aid a rebel group called The Archer and discover what the Soviets are building there. However, once they realize it’s a missile base, they order Filitov to abort his mission because it’s too dangerous. But before he can get out safely, the KGB arrests him and his wife Mary Pat (who was trying to rescue him).
Jack knows that the Soviets will torture Filitov until he confesses his crimes. Jack decides to try to rescue him and his wife himself, using information about Gerasimov as leverage so that they can be released.
When Jack arrives at a secure location for “arms reduction talks,” he seeks out Gerasimov. He tells him that he expects him to defect and secure the release of Filitov and his wife. However, Gerasimov refuses, plotting to keep his position by kidnapping a prominent US researcher. Jack uncovers Gerasimov’s plans, telling him that he knows a dangerous secret about him from the previous book Red October.
In the movie Red October, a military submarine missile test is sabotaged to make it look like an accident. This was done by Gerasimov so that he can gain more control over the military and also ruin his rival’s reputation as well as his own if anyone finds out what really happened.
Gerasimov is surprised when another mole reveals the researcher’s whereabouts, but he doesn’t expect that the US Hostage Rescue Team will save her. Jack uses this as leverage against Gerasimov and makes him promise to defect from Russia. The Archer’s loyal followers launch an attack on the ABM in revenge for his death, which throws everything into chaos.
Meanwhile, Gerasimov released Filitov after negotiations. He also began talks with the CIA on his defection. However, Jack gets to him first and tries to discuss some of the submarine’s issues. Unfortunately, Filitov suffered a heart attack and died during questioning before they could finish their discussion.
Filitov, a CIA agent, is buried at Camp David. Soviet diplomats who are attending the service wonder why Filitov isn’t American since he’s being buried there. Jack uses this confusion to suggest that maybe they aren’t as different from each other as everyone thinks.
