Robert Ludlum's The Paris Option : A Covert-One Novel

Rating:
Summary: The Paris Option
Review: After being a Ludlum fan and enjoying his books for the last five years I was hoping for something of Ludlum in this book . I had to stop at page 58, I just couldn't go on. The dialogue is trite, contrived and characters speak to introduce themselves to the reader it is very very weird.

Rating:
Summary: Robert Ludlum's The Paris Option : A Covert-One Novel
Review: Almost everything about this book screams of political fantasy rather than the thriller it purports to be. Fantasy is fine but when you toss in bad delivery to pound away on a message, it loses everything. The plot doesn't twist - it stalls at predictable points where the uninteresting "good guy" characters always live another day to shoot their overly described and oft mentioned weapons.

Now to the heart of the story: It's about a US president using a secret agency named "Covert-One" to do everything on the sly. The country has an undisclosed operational anti-ballistic missile system as well. The French are the real bad guys and in the end their terrorist ally lives on, for a presumed future follow up, by escaping to Iraq.

It's a tour du neo-conservative fantasy that would be enjoyed by the likes of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield et al and strives to play upon the sentiments thought by the authors to exist in our post 9-11 world. However, it is so blatantly black and white in its delivery to make it laughable. Skip reading it since it isn't literature but listen to it on audio in the car for laughs about shallowness or to play "predict the plot" with a friend.

Rating:
Summary: Ludlum or Ludlum ersatz !
Review: Although no fan of spy novels, I decided to pick up The Bourne Identity after seeing the movie (I happened to have travelled most of the places described in the book), and was very impressed by both Ludlum's style, attention to detail and accuracy. Then I read The Bourne Supremacy, which I found even better (although the movie has nothing to do with the book, except for the names of the protagonists).
Then came "The Paris Option"; Quite a disappointment I must admit. No way this got Ludlum's input beyond the story outline. Released in 2002, the book's innaccuracies are numerous, and frankly very annoying after a few chapters ... For instance, "Deuxieme Bureau", French Intel service, has not been called as such after 1982, when Military Intel "SDECE" became the DGSE. Ludlum would have never missed that. Similarly, some locations in Paris and Toledo are mis-named (ie "Seine St Denis" is not a town or a neibourghood as described, but an administrative region called "departement" in French). These research shortcomings tend to rate "The Paris Option" down from sharp spy novel "à la Ludlum" to cheap "roman de gare" ...
Even the car models are not up to date !!!

Stay away if you are un unconditional Ludlum fan.

Sam
Enghien, France


Rating:
Summary: Not an Option
Review: As an avid fan of Robert Ludlum's work, I have always found his books rich with suspense, pacing, international intrigue and taut action. These elements are conspicuously absent from "The Paris Option," leading me to believe that Robert Ludlum had minimal - if any - involvement in the creation of this novel. Rather than the aforementioned elements building to create a cauldron of intense interest, "The Paris Option," much like previous books in the Covert-one series fails to match the original works of Robert Ludlum.

The plot is rather unoriginal. A French scientist, Emile Chambord, is supposedly murdered in an explosion that completely obliterates his laboratory. While his body is not recovered, it is soon revealed that he was on the verge of an incredible scientific breakthrough- the creation of a molecular computer, with processing power of such magnitude that one can hack into any system, civilian or military on the Earth. Needless to state, Lt, Col. Jonathan Smith, member of the organisation Covert- One must discover the whereabouts of the computer and prevent it falling into the wrong hands. While the plot itself is cliched and requires considerable suspension of disbelief, the scene is set for a series of spectacular firefights as Jon and his team race around the world. The 'international' feel of Robert Ludlum is emulated, if nothing else. On a more positive note, the action sequences are adequate, though by the book's conclusion, the reader has inevitably become accustomed to the apparent invincibility of the main characters.

In conclusion, "The Paris Option" exists as a hollow, unsatisfying read, not only because its plot is exceedingly well-worn and branching into the realms of impossibility, but the pacing and fine characterisation of Robert Ludlum is completely absent from the novel, where the characters resemble standard action stereotypes. Not a Ludlum novel.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I am an avid Robert Ludlum fan. I thought his earliest books were excellent, then the quality fell off for a bit and his last few books were getting better. I even enjoyed the first two books of the Covert-one Novels. I hate to say this about anyone's writing, but this book was HORRIBLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I kept reading, hoping that at some point it would grab me and I would not be able to put it down, but instead I have now decided to never read another one of these novels.

Rating:
Summary: I loved it!
Review: I came late to Robert Ludlum's novels, but I loved this one.

Rating:
Summary: Robert Ludlum's "The Paris Option"
Review: 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:
Summary: Consistent
Review: I have been very critical of this series and the first two books that were offered. This book is marginally better than the first two, but the same offensive charade is being carried out by whoever is writing and publishing these books. None of the three have even come close to the quality that Robert Ludlum wrote with for 30 years until his death in March of 2001. Not all of his books were perfect but not one ever was as bad as these, "Covert One", novels that are parodies of what Mr. Ludlum wrote.

In fact if this was the first book you picked up with his name on the cover there is nothing that would lead you to believe Mr. Ludlum passed away. The people putting out these books still refer to him in the present tense. I cannot remember another author who passed away that had people continue putting out work that cannot have been written by the deceased. The only concession made is that this is not a book by Robert Ludlum; rather it is Robert Ludlum's, possessive.

I can state without fear of contradiction that Mr. Ludlum had limited input with this novel if he had any at all. He could not have written elements of this tale because they include historical events that took place after his death. Perhaps we are to believe Gayle Lynds has talents that reach beyond this existence? Endorsements are now part and parcel of weak novels; this book uses three brand name computers in two sentences. Every general that is described in this book is the product of either genetic manipulation or steroids. Every time the author introduces a general we are treated to a detailed description of a hulking mass of humanity. There is one profanity that is constantly repeated in the book. This would be fine, but in this instance it is the word of choice by anyone and everyone wherever they may be, or whatever nation they hail from.

Descriptions of chases through a variety of cities read like tourist guides, very general information that can be gleaned off of the net. The weapons involved are also the most overused variety and appear to have been adapted by everyone. The world's most elite operatives use grappling hooks to run up and down 70 foot walls, unfortunately they must be using models from before World War II for these clank around drawing all matter of attention. They are titanium! So what! If they are firing around clanking hardware the hooks may as well glow in the dark. This book takes place in the 21st Century, are we really to believe that the man guarding the ranking US General in Europe is carrying a 1911 Colt sidearm? Of course not, the annoying thing is that the author tries to seem informed about the famous Colt 45 and the knowledge of when it was issued. What is written is that an actual 100-year-old relic is actually being carried.

We still have the politically correct attempt to name a President, one Samuel Adams Castilla. What about Gerald Ford O'Shaughnessy, Richard Nixon Wanczyk, John Kennedy Trafficante? Samuel Castilla makes a point; the balance just bludgeons readers that are thought to be dim-witted by the author.

This book reads like a collection of bits and pieces from every tried and true spy novel. There is nothing in this book that is unique. In addition we have the most improbable relationships developing through absurd chance that belong on a soap opera, or perhaps a Harlequin Romance.

The premise of yet another new world order is trotted out once again, but this time it is comedic. The heart of the alliance, and the foe they would stand off with is simply absurd.

"Writer's Magazine", wrote that Mr. Ludlum had produced 11 outlines for future work. Perhaps they were for work that was to bear his name in hardcover; perhaps it included some of these novels. I find the latter hard to believe for this Covert One Series is worse than anything this great writer produced for his readers in his 30 year career. Other authors have successfully spun off new series because they don't put their name on bad material. Mr. Ludlum is no longer here to make that call, and whoever is has little interest in his legacy.

Go see the new film, "The Bourne Identity", you will feel much more rewarded.

Rating:
Summary: A forgettable book
Review: I just finished this book a little over a week ago, and already it's hard for me to write a review because I've forgotten most of the details with one exception - it was a rather boring book. Yes, there was a lot of action, and yes, there was a lot going on, but no, none of it was mesmerizing or good enough to pull this book up to a level of being considered good. The characters were boring and the story was lackluster - it lacked depth, and the scenes all just seemed to rush together. Every now and then something interesting happened, but not enough to pull this story out of the rut it is in.

I listened to the unabridged audiobook. I listen to a lot of unabridged audiobooks. Typically, when a book is good, I'm aware of every word being spoken, I hate to stop the tape/cassette to do anything, and when in the car, I don't mind rush hour traffic because I've got something to take my mind off of the sightseers who make you miss making it through a light. But with this book, I could barely keep my mind on the story. While listening, I was painfully aware of the rush hour traffic, I made mental lists of what I needed to get from the grocery store, and I solved the world's problems - all when I should have been listening to this book. When I did come back into focus and start listening again, do you think I stopped the tape and backed it up to hear what I missed? Heck no! I was just glad that I had less to listen to so I let it roll.

This is definitely not a "Ludlum" quality book. I suppose now that the author is no longer with us, books "written" by him should no longer be published if the quality is along the lines of this one. If you pass on this one, you won't have missed a thing.

Rating:
Summary: The Poor Option.
Review: I picked this up to occupy me during a long plane ride and now regret not having consulted my fellow reviewers first. The novel may not be a genuine Ludlum (I have not read others) but it is genuine pulp. The plot is riddled with inconsistencies and has no credibility. The basic premise, a DNA computer, confuses the concept of a quantum computer (which might perform some of the tricks required for the plot) with that of DNA chips (which bear no relation to a computing machine). Our heroes are direct descendents of James Bond: almost single-handedly they discover who and where the bad guys are when the combined intelligence services of the Western world fail to do so; time and again they penetrate heavily guarded locations undetected; if captured they always escape; and when shot at by otherwise unerring marksmen they never receive more than a flesh-wound. Unlike Mr. Bond, however, they have no personality. Other stock characters abound: Frenchmen with a Napoleon complex, steely-eyed generals, cruel Arabs, bureaucratic spy-masters. Maybe earlier Ludlum novels are better, personally, I'd prefer to re-read Fleming.