Robert Ludlum’s The Paris Option : A Covert-One Novel
- ISBN13: 9780312381714
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
The Pasteur Institute, Paris. A bomb explodes, a fire rages, and a renowned computer scientist is dead. Dr. Émile Chambord had been working on a molecular DNA computer that could virtually control all computerized operations around the globe. Now, his groundbreaking research is missing. Overnight, military satellites and communications are shut down by unknown sources. And Covert-One agent Dr. Jon Smith has to race across two continents to expose the next generation of terrorists—a vast network of technological spies who now have the power to reprogram the world. Every government agency. Every armed force. Every nuclear weapon…
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Rating: 5 / 5
I found this book to be the least interesting of the three “Covert One” novels with Robert Ludlum’s name on them. I found it to be quite difficult to keep from throwing it in the round file before I finished it. I did give it a two star rating because it did keep my interest albeit boring. I think Robert Ludlum’s name should not be on any book not authored by him. Now that this great mystery writer is dead, publishers should not be allowed to use his name to sell books. If his name had not been on the cover of the book, I would not have purchased it. I assume that he had made outlines of the three Covert One novels before he died and the co-authors went from there. This particular one should have been in the Science Fiction section of the bookstore instead of the Mystery Section.
Rating: 2 / 5
In spite of Robert Ludlum’s name taking up half the front cover of this book, this is skeletonized Ludlum, with the flesh filled in by a writer that lacks his talents.
The plot is Ludlumesque: the explosion of the Pasteur Institute in Paris leaves a brilliant scientist, Emile Chambord, missing and another, Martin Zellerbach, in a coma. Zellerbach happens to be a close friend of Lt. Col. Jon Smith, our hero from the other 2 Covert-One novels. Conveniently, Smith is working on a DNA computer, doing researach similar to what his friend Marty and Chambord were working on. But there appears to be sinister elements at work here by groups unknown. The future of the world is at risk, and Smith and his cohorts must find the missing Chambord and thwart the evil forces’ plot to destroy the US and alter the future of the world. The plot, in and of itself, is no worse than most other Ludlum thrillers. Unfortunately, the plot alone isn’t enough to make me enjoy a novel. The writing has to hold the plot together. In reverse, good writing can overcome a mediocre plot and hold my interest until the end.
The writing in this book is very distracting by its overdescription of everything. It would be OK to tell us once that Jon is carrying his favorite gun–a Sig Sauer. But to keep referring to it that way is annoying. Much of the dialogue appears to be added superfluously to ensure the reader is not left confused. In addition, I am not all that interested in the minute detail of what each character is wearing. Laughably, it reminded me of old Nancy Drew Mysteries (“Nancy rushed upstairs to change into a light shift and matching pumps”). I would rather imagine to myself that Jon is a tall, good looking guy who is pretty physically fit. But the constant descriptions of his “muscular body” or “his strong arms slicing through the water” made me want to gag.
Our heroes were a fairly likeable bunch, and familiar from the last 2 Covert-One novels. Randi’s relationship with Jon seems like it might go somewhere by the 5th book in this series. Peter is quite 007-ish, a’la Roger Moore when he started getting older, and Marty is funny in his constant seriousness. The baddies are left fairly undefined, including the surprise head baddy, whose motivation once explained, remains murky.
This novel could not hold my interest, and I was ready to toss it into the “already read” pile. But I perservered, and things did pick up in the 3rd section. By this time, everything had been well explained so the monotonous overdescription of everything seemed to improve. The pace of the book quickened, and perhaps knowing resolution was near kept me involved.
I have nothing against Gayle Lynds, and to be honest, know absolutely nothing about her or her work. I do know plenty about Ludlum, however, and this book does not read like the novels he wrote alone. Since people buy books based on the name plastered across the front, it is fair for us to expect what we’ve enjoyed in the past. When it falls short, it’s only natural to blame the co-author. In giving life to Ludlum’s idea, she took it too far over the top, resulting in a parody of a “real” Ludlum.
Rating: 2 / 5
Robert Ludlum has always told tales that seemed light years ahead of their time, but as history has unfolded, so have the possibilities his novels have predicted. Here is another deadly plot that haunts our future in today’s war on terrorism: a warning if you will. For this reason alone, the book deserves five stars, but it is also espionage at its most intriguing and heart-pounding pace. Once started, you can’t put it down!
Rating: 5 / 5
Marginal as a thriller. Flunks as a spy or tech novel. If you know anything about technology you’ll be pulling your hair out, screaming. It’s that bad.
Rating: 1 / 5