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The Matarese Circle

The Matarese Circle

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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Just about as good as it gets!
Review: After devouring 'The Bourne Identity' and confessing myself a die-hard Ludlum fan-for-life I picked up 'The Materese Circle' and found myself absorbed in a cold-war spy-thriller that is second to none. First we've got the order of the Materese, beginning very long ago with origins that seem to have been orchestrated by the devil himself...next we've got two spies, an American and a Russian, both with SUPREME reasons to hate one another...yet it's a classic example of two enemies who must

work together in order to solve a global conspiracy that threatens much more than even those in the know fully realize. From Russia to France to America, 'The Materese Circle' is truly a masterpiece of intrigue and suspense. A novel by which ALL other spy novels SHOULD be judged by. In MY humble opinion, it tied with 'The Bourne Supremacy' as my FAVORITE Ludlum novel. Don't worry about it holding up over time, either. Many cold-war era spy-novels just break down over time and seem oddly out of place, but NOT this one. Ludlum in his prime was THE best adventure/thriller/spy novelist there was--bar none. 'The Materese Circle' showcases his amazing talent to capture your attention in a perfect way. Read it, enjoy and come back for more Ludlum stuff soon (I KNOW you will...).

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Does Ludlum have any NEW ideas?
Review: All of Robert Ludlum's books are exactly the same. There's a good guy, and a good woman (in this case two of each) who fall in love while trying to stop a worldwide conspiracy of nazis. I wonder if he'll ever write a second book.....

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good read, but sloppy details.
Review: Although sloppy in the research department, the character development and plot make this a very enjoyable book to breeze through. I enjoyed every minute it took to finish.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A fantastic story that still holds the attention today!
Review: Although this was written some time back, this classic RobertLudlum thriller kept my attention from beginning til end and wasextremely hard to put down - even missing my station on the London Underground whilst working and commuting down there! The story concerns a CIA agent, Brandon Scofield whose wife was murdered by the KGB some years back. He must join forces with the KGB agent who killed his wife to defeat a resurgence of the Matarese Corsican Brotherhood who are infiltrating governments around the world in a covert takeover bid. Along the way there's plenty of action and surprise twists. Ludlum is a superb writer who obviously researches his locations - having been to Amsterdam and Moscow I could relate to these parts well. Fast-paced and hard to fault!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A very entertaining book
Review: Full of suspense and blood, it's a must read for every action thriller book lover.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best Book I Have Ever Read!!!
Review: Great tapestry of characters woven into a greater plot with a ton of action. Great book!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Silly, implausible, but entertaining
Review: I am not sure if the author has even the vaguest ideas about the things he's writing about. Male Russian spies have female last names and every word in Russian is misspelt. I guess he never cared to look up the names of the cities in Russia and never checked even the basic words. The mysterious Russian organization is called for some reason 'the aquatic counter espionage'. If Ludlum can't get the Russian word for espionage right, I don't expect him to know much about the field at all..

..The Matarese Circle is not about international espionage, of course. For this, you'll have to turn to John Le Carre. The Matarese Circle is something average between the Masonic lodge conspiracy theories and 'The Godfather', and despite the utter silliness of the idea itself, I found the story immensely involving and entertaining.

Ludlum is a great craftsman when it comes to juicy descriptions of violence and tension, unexpected plot twists, and that exciting feeling you get when you uncover the mystery bit by bit with the heroes of the book.

I recommend the book to anyone who wants a superbly crafted plot and crackling tension. I don't recommend it to anyone who looks for realism, techno-babble, secrets of international espionage... or a cast of well-developed characters (I guess there are still certain English teachers left who want that for some reason). Ludlum's characters are all cardboard, not that I would ever care.

Great beach read, all in all

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Edge of your seat
Review: I have always been a fan of Ludlum, this book is a reason why. Ludlum, is the master of International intrigue, and this is no different. At one moment we are in London, Paris, Washington D.C. and places all over the world. Scofield along with a Russian agent Talienkov, must stop a plot to control the world, through finacial avenues. These sworn enemies have to work together, to destroy this Circle. Many twists and turns and not every one is who they seem. Highly recommend this. This is a keeper.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I love this book so much that I have read it about seven tim
Review: I know that some people believe the characters aren't well developed and the plot is the same as all his other books. What you have to remember though is why people with average jobs and mediocre lives read books like this. It is a form of escapism. If you can't see yourself visiting the murky depths of the world of international espionage you can still experience it through the imagination of Ludlum and his characters. The book is a form of escapism where we can be thrilled and entertained by the experiences of eople who live in a world so far detached from our own in this case an imaginary one.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Old yet thrilling fresh!!!
Review: I read this book probably ten or eleven years ago. It's greatness impelled me to revisit it. I have always liked Ludlum and this second time around made it even much more sweet because the power of the Matarese Circle is still alive.

This novel is about a memorable dynasty, two arch-enemies that will band together for redemption. Good reading!


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