Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic...right on up until the end.
Review: This is one great historical thriller. It's got almost everything you could ask for. It brilliantly mixes WWII, the Cold War, and the plight of Israel into a fascinating page-turner. Sadly, it turns into a Scooby-Doo episode at the end. I half expected the antagonist to announce "and I would've gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids." But the cartoon ending doesn't take away from the overall enjoyability of the book. It just keeps me from giving it 5 stars. If you like this book, read Double Standards: The Rudolf Hess Cover-up.
Rating: 
Summary: best
Review: This is one of the best novels I've read to date. The work is so well written that the reader feels that he is actually in the story. It is a very long book and would be considered excessive if not for the quality of the work. I was disappointed at the end because I did not want the story to end
Rating:
Summary: Complicated but thrilling.
Review: This is simply an outstanding book. Right from the get go Iles grabs you and doesn't let loose. The book flies by as you gobble up the words, which lead from scene to scene. Parallel timeframes are traced up to the same moment but through a different set of eyes. Iles juggles many balls in the air at the same time but manages to keep them separated and suspended together. A very carefully woven fabric of intrigue entices the reader to keep going. The violence in the book is appropriate to the subject matter and is never gratuitous. There are some nasty people in the world and Iles is writing about the nastiest. There are no super heroes. Many times it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad. There are no writer's crutches, gimmicks, or supernatural ploys to spoil the suspense. You don't know what will happen next and that makes for an excellent book. The sheer volume of events and characters make this a book inappropriate for readers with a short attention span. This book is not the mindless, pulp fiction pap that fills so many best seller lists today. This book has some meat to it, which is so much more satisfying than most of the formula novels churned out for mass consumption. When I finished the book I felt I had read my money's worth. Mr. Iles has another satisfied customer.
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: This is the first book I've reviewed, so I'm not going to try and go into depth about the plot or anything (besides, I wouldn't want to spoil it for you, now would I). Basically, it's a good book, great read, goes fast (despite the # of pages). I just read it for the second time (on a plane back home from vacation), and still liked it, partially because of the number of sub plots. I had forgotten some of them, thus making it a good story the second time round.
Rating:
Summary: a stunning political & historical read with thrills & chills
Review: This novel was amazing in its complexity and detail, while keeping the reader deeply and emoptionally involved. The historical background of a time that sends chills to all our hearts was downright incredible. An amazing first novel, I can only dream of mastering a novel like this my first time around.
Rating:
Summary: outstanding thriller, especially since Greg Iles' first
Review: This outstanding book set Greg Iles on his way to becoming one of the best thriller writers around. Using the fascinating true story of the Hess mission to England during World War II, the book hooks the reader with the death of the individual supposed to have been Hess in Spandau Prison in Berlin decades later. The question of that prisoner's true identity and the revelations contained in a narrative linked to him set the superpowers on edge in Berlin and launch a tale oozing with suspense. That tale culminates in an extravagant neo-Nazi plot involving an eccentric and mega-rich identity, and it draws in a slew of equally interesting characters from a German policeman to an Israeli secret agent. Some reviews note disappointment in the conclusion - I would have to agree, it is not on the same level as the rest of the book, somewhat anti-climactic. The historical backdrop is handled nicely, and the pure fictional suspense is hard to match.
Rating:
Summary: outstanding - especially since it was Iles' first thriller
Review: This terrific book launched Greg Iles as a leading thriller writer. Using the fascinating true story of the Hess mission to England during World War II, the book begins with the death of a prisoner (who was supposed to have been Hess) in Berlin's Spandau Prison. The question of that prisoner's true identity sets the superpowers on edge, culminating in an extravagant neo-Nazi plot engineered by a mega-rich eccentric. There's plenty of equally interesting characters, including a German policeman and an Israeli secret agent. The conclusion could have been better, but getting there is well worth the trip. The historical backdrop is handled nicely, and the pure fictional suspense is hard to match.
Rating:
Summary: Very exciting
Review: Very difficult to put down once you pick it up. I studied a bit of history and find that the book is 'quite realistic'..
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and disturbing
Review: Very Good Book. The characters aren't particularly memorable, but who cares: this book's plot is pure pleasure. Lightning-fast pacing and loads of suspense make it a relatively quick read. I haven't read any other his other work, but I definitely got my money's worth.
Rating:
Summary: A SUPERIOR WWII SPY THRILLER!!! A MUST READ!!!!!!!
Review: Very interesting meshing of history, fiction, and tension. It reminds me of Michner, but has much more of a punch to it. I'm glad I read it, the only regret I have is that I wish I would have read BLACK CROSS first, because one of the characters in this book is in Black Cross, and chronologically, Black Cross takes place first. I'm an Iles fan for life. I sincerely hope he takes his time between novels, and does not fall into the trap of churning out commercial crud like some other authors do. So far he hasn't, and I am looking forward to reading his next book.
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