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Title: Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code: A Covert-One Novel by Robert Ludlum, Gayle Lynds ISBN: 0-312-28990-1 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 17 June, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.29 (14 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Not a Ludlum-caliber book
Comment: The book is entertaining if you're looking for an action story that doesn't require a lot of thought. However, it's certainly not a Ludlum-caliber book, and his name should not be so prominently displayed on the cover.
This book was not authored by Ludlum, and if you're looking for his quality of work, you're going to be disappointed.
Rating: 2
Summary: disappointing
Comment: I LOVE Ludlum books! they are great for long plane trips (or study breaks) but this book was very disappointing. I was expecting the usual twists other Ludlum-isms but none could be found! I had been under the impression that Ludlum had written most of the book. Anyone who is familiar with Ludlum's style knows that in every book the character has rubber soled shoes when they are sneaking in to get the crucial bit of evidence. I don't think Mr. Ludlum had a whole lot to do with the writing of this book. It may have been his story line but he did NOT write any of it. The ending was telegraphed from the first chapter on. The publisher should not have made it seem like it was mostly Ludlum's work, his name is MUCH more prominent on the cover than Lynds' is (I missed her name when I bought the book in the store). While the book is not bad if you are looking for a great Ludlum try something else.
Rating: 4
Summary: Too much criticism; Open your mind and enjoy
Comment: Growing up with Ludlum and as an ardent fan, I too have been extremely critical of these co-authored books. So much so that I decided to research exactly how much of the Covert One offerings were Ludlum and how much belonged to the co-author. As I soon discovered Ludlum ostensibly framed the idea for each of the novels but the co-author, whether it be Gayle Lynds or Philip Shelby, actually penned the novel, I felt betrayed. When I thought I was getting a Ludlum and it was only his outline, obviously then, the story must wonk. After all, it wasn't written by the Master. Many, if not most of my reviews of the Covert One novels have reflected that attitude. But, with a bit of time, an open mind, and an understanding that Mr. Ludlum is gone, I've come to enjoy these novels. Now, to set the record straight, Lynds and Shelby aren't Ludlum but, the books are solid offerings. And, to boot, Lynds and Shelby actually worked with the Master, which gives them some insight into his psyche and style. So, enjoy a novel for its intended purpose...entertainment!
THE ALTMAN CODE is the fourth offering in the Covert-One series, three penned by Gayle Lynds and one by Philip Shelby. In this book, our hero, Army Lieutenant Colonel and Covert-One operative Jon Smith is sent to unearth the shipping manifest of a Chinese ship rumored to be sailing for Iraq (timely event) with chemical-grade weapons materials. The U.S., already saddled with a black eye and international outrage over the boarding of a previous Chinese ship thought to be carrying illegal contraband, is not about to board this vessel without the requisite proof...the manifest. The timing could not be worse as the U.S. and China are on the precipice of signing a groundbreaking human rights treaty and entering a new period of open exchange and commerce. Smith's mission becomes tantamount to world peace.
As Smith arrives in China, he is immediately engaged in a gun battle with unknown assailants, a gun battle claiming the life of his contact and only source of information relative to the manifest. As Smith begins the search for answers, the unknown assailants materialize with each step he takes. To add to the prescient action, U.S. President Castilla is presented with the unfathomable...his biolgoical father, who he thought dead since his childhood, is reportedly being held in a Chinese prison as a political prisoner...and has been for 50 years! As Castilla orders a Navy frigate to shadow the ship sailing for Iraq, the Chinese match wits with the U.S. miltary mind by sending a submarine to shadow the frigate. As the story winds, matters rapidly deteriorate to the brink of the unthinkable: a U.S.-Chinese war. Like most Ludlum and, now, Covert One novels, a diabolical cabal is introduced as the dark side.
The storyline is complex (like a Ludlum novel) and presents some serious twists, some quite unforeseen (gotta love those!). As such, one must give co-author Lynds credit for bringing the intrigue to the forefront and managing what can be a very slippery slope, the complex plot. Lynds also portrays, in 'eyes wide open' fashion, the impressive and daunting presence of China as a world Superpower along with its devious political manipulations, vast populace, countless dialects and complex codes of behavior.
Net, net, it's not Ludlum. But, if one enjoys complex intrigue and international settings, Lynds does a solid job of delivering. Enjoy it; it's just entertainment.
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Title: The Tristan Betrayal by Robert Ludlum ISBN: 0312316690 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 28 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title: White Death: A Novel from the Numa Files by Clive Cussler, Paul Kemprecos ISBN: 0399150412 Publisher: Putnam Pub Group Pub. Date: 20 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: The Janson Directive by Robert Ludlum ISBN: 0312989385 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 07 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: The Teeth of the Tiger by Tom Clancy ISBN: 039915079X Publisher: Putnam Pub Group Pub. Date: 11 August, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title: Robert Ludlum's The Paris Option : A Covert-One Novel by Robert Ludlum, Gayle Lynds ISBN: 0312289871 Publisher: Griffin Trade Paperback Pub. Date: 18 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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