The Bear and the Dragon

By: Tom Clancy

Narrated by: Frank Muller

Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

In The Bear and The Dragon, the future is very near at hand indeed.

Newly elected in his own right, Jack Ryan has found that being President hasn't gotten any easier: domestic pitfalls await him at every turn; the Asian economy is going down the tubes; and in Moscow, someone may have tried to take out the chairman of the SVR - the former KGB - with a rocket-propelled grenade. Things are unstable enough in Russia without high-level assassination, but even more disturbing may be the identities of the potential assassins. Were they political enemies, the Russian Mafia, disaffected former KGB? Or, Ryan wonders, is something far more dangerous at work here?

Ryan is right to wonder. For even while Russian investigators pursue the case, and some of his most trusted eyes and ears - including antiterrorism specialist John Clark - head to Moscow, forces in China are moving ahead with a plan of truly audacious proportions. Tired of what they view as the presumption of the West, eager to fulfill their destiny, they are taking matters into their own hands. If they succeed, the world as we know it will never look the same. If they fail...the consequences may be unspeakable.

Blending the exceptional realism and authenticity that are his hallmarks with intricate plotting, razor-sharp suspense, and a remarkable cast of characters, this is Clancy at his best - and there is none better.

Please note: This is the abridged edition. An unabridged version is also available.

©2000 Rubicon, Inc. (P)2000 Random House Inc., Random House AudioBooks, a Division of Random House Inc.

Critic reviews

"When the door blows open and the shooting starts, nobody does it better than Tom Clancy." (The Dallas Morning News)

"Frank Muller puts out an amazing performance, whipping off endless Chinese and Russian names - even in dialogue - as if they were his native tongue." (AudioFile)

Good, but conclusion to simple.

This was a good story, but the conclusion was too simple. Big build up, that was so easily concluded. (Trying not to give story away).
Also, the narrator was difficult to listen to with his long drawn out ending to words.
With that said, love the series and will be reading the next soon.

Not Clancy's Best

Luv Tom Clancy novels but this one just lacked the luster and thrill that he usually has. Oh well! Hope the next is better. I won't give up so soon.

knock off the southern accents. too many of them

Bronco Winters is from Syracuse, NY. He wouldn't have a southern accent. Michael Pritchard's reads are much better.

Too heavily edited

Well performed but if you want to hear the entire book, this ain't it. Tons of plot support & character development are removed.

reader stinks

reader stinks , he is the total l y wrong person to read an adult book.

great story, & author, terrible reader

Would you try another book from Tom Clancy and/or Frank Muller?

Clancy - absolutely. Muller - no on your life

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator was trying too hard. Tom Clancy books are very macho and this narrator was trying too hard and being way too overdramatic. The whole book is done in a very breathless / breathy style which doesn't fit a Clancy book at all. Made me think of a new actor in a community play trying way too hard and over acting.I bought this book originally in 2003 and could not finish it for that reason. 10 years later and I going to try and finish it again because I like Tom Clancy so much, Don't know if I will be able to complete it this time as the narration is SO bad.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Yes, Everything about Clancy's books are marvelous.

the subject feels forced

This is the first T.C book I read. I really don't feel the scare, or the excitment of it. The whole subject seemed forced, since China is not really our target. I don't think its really T.C. writing skill but rather the subject matter. For this type of book to truly work there need to be a real target. Or it could just be that I don't like this type of books.

The book whisperer

If you like a narrator who ends every (and I mean every) sentence by whispering the last word like some crazed heavy breathing phone caller, then this is the download for you. It's a shame that I could not get through 30 minutes with this narrator, what a waste of a credit. Make sure you can stand the voice, no matter what the book it.

very poor storyteller

this storyteller was awful, I couldn't follow the story because of his enunciation and emphasis was so poor

The Reader is Terrible

Story is good. Same old Clancy style. The reader is awful. Sounds like Mike Huckaby.