Rating: 
Summary: Be willing to suspend your disbelief...a little
Review: A difficult book to get started, it clearly improves as it goes along. As I read the book, I had to keep reminding myself that the author is a real life security expert. Hmmmm... Just how much is really possible? If you really want to read something scary, read Nobody's Safe by the same author. Speculate on how poor your security is, I did.
Rating: 
Summary: THE BEST SPY THRILLER TO COME ALONG IN OVER TWO DECADES!!
Review: Gerald "Xenos" Goldman used to be a member of the DIA's legendary "4-Phase Man" program...a program designed to create the ultimate super spies who were capable of intelligence gathering, electronic warfare, counterintelligence and assassination. Only a handful of men ever made it through the program. Goldman was one of the few and one of the best. In time, however, he became disillusioned with the lies, the betrayals, and the killings. He walked away from his job and the intelligence community to start his life over again, and hopefully to make amends for the things he'd done. When Goldman's friend, Franco (a top member of the Corsican Mafia), asks him to search for his lost nephew in New York City, our reluctant hero unintentionally becomes the target of a Chinese "hit" team that is led by Colin Meadows, who's also a former member of the "4-Phase Man" program and has now become a mercenary. It seems that Communist China has a deep-cover mole planted within the highest echelons of the U.S. government, and this person could very well be in line for the Presidency. Franco's nephew accidentally saw something that he shouldn't have and was murdered because of it by the Chinese. Now, Colin Meadows and the "hit" team are after Goldman and will stop at nothing to prevent him from finding out about the conspiracy, even if it means killing the people closest to him. As the bloodbath begins and Goldman realizes what he's up against, he turns to Franco and the Corsican Mafia for help. Together, they strike back against the Chinese for revenge and honor, willing to die if necessary, determined to retaliate against those who'd dare attack their families. The real question, however, is whether Goldman can survive long enough to bring down the conspiracy and to stop his former comrade from the DIA? For me, THE 4-PHASE MAN by Richard Steinberg, is without a doubt the best spy thriller I've read in the last twenty years. Not only is it filled with unbelievable action and a hero who is a cross between James Bond and Rambo, but it's also a thinking man's novel. Many readers have even compared it to Richard Condon's classic, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE. Steinberg, himself a former member of the DIA, knows the political scene and writes from knowledge and truth, elegantly capturing the intrigue and deceit that permeates the capital of our country. The author has seen firsthand the deception of other nations and how they try to gain control over the United States through the manipulation of our economy and by buying many of the politicians outright. Needless to say, this greatly adds to the authenticity of the novel, making it not only suspenseful and fast paced, but also thought provoking as well. In many ways THE 4 PHASE MAN reminded me of Robert Ludlum when he was at his best back during the seventies and early eighties. The character of Gerald Goldman is one that I thoroughly enjoyed and know the reader will enthusiastically root for. Let us hope that Mr. Steinberg will bring Gerald Goldman back in a future novels. Highly recommended!!! If I could, I'd give this novel 10-Star rating.
Rating:
Summary: Freshman year revisited
Review: Richard Steinberg went back to his freshman year and scripted another winner. After his last book (a stinker that made me struggle through it), I was a little leary. I thought that maybe Gemini Man would be his only good novel. I was wrong. The 4 Phase Man is an incredible book. Schaeffer is correct (see other online reviews), the novel is a modern remake of the classic spaghetti western. This is significant in that you may not like the book if you're not into westerns. I am and I loved it. His 3rd novel doesn't offer the new ideals or cerebral massaging that Gemini Man does, but it's a killer novel just the same. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes covert-ops style books. Great read!
Rating:
Summary: Freshman year revisited
Review: Richard Steinberg went back to his freshman year and scripted another winner. After his last book (a stinker that made me struggle through it), I was a little leary. I thought that maybe Gemini Man would be his only good novel. I was wrong. The 4 Phase Man is an incredible book. Schaeffer is correct (see other online reviews), the novel is a modern remake of the classic spaghetti western. This is significant in that you may not like the book if you're not into westerns. I am and I loved it. His 3rd novel doesn't offer the new ideals or cerebral massaging that Gemini Man does, but it's a killer novel just the same. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes covert-ops style books. Great read!
Rating: 
Summary: Don't believe the hype
Review: So I met this guy at a book signing and asked him about his books, if he writes good books like John LeCarre or Len Deighton or if he writes throwaway ... like James Patterson. He said his books are similar to Deighton. No way! Deighton's protagonists are men of substance who have fear, cynicism, and are well drawn. For example, Bernard Samson from the three series of books Deighton wrote. Another good character would be ANYONE in LeCarre's Cold War novels. The protagonist of this novel is some superguy with no flaws, who, as we are reminded ad nauseam, puts fear into other men. Oooooooh! As it is, this book is terribly stereotypical, evil plots, one man stands alone, the Corsicans are all hidden and dangerous ( Ludlum has been there and done that! ), the hero is burned out, etc etc etc. This book is like a happy meal, the parts are there but it is shallow fulfillment, requiring no active thinking at all, just passive chewing. I prefer a meal from a five star chef, so give me LeCarre, Deighton, Gerald Seymour, Frederick Forsyth, or Craig Thomas for espionage/intrigue novels. This book did have some neat tricks as to eavesdropping or breaking into places, otherwise, a totally predictable yawner. If you want advice on good books by these authors, email me at ....
Rating:
Summary: very entretaining but ...
Review: The story's plot is fairly simple. A retired secret agent comes out of retirement to investigate the disappearance of a friend's brother. During the investigation, he uncovers a plot by the Chinese to use their mole, a member of the American President's cabinet, to install the mole as President and take over the American government. To do this, they use a hit team headed by another former secret agent, a rival of our protagonist. Although battered, burned, and shot, our hero defeats the hit team and saves the nation. If you like a story with lots of graphic violence, this is the book for you, with a hero who is a cold killer. The book is short on style - I had trouble picturing the scenes - but is heavy on action.
Rating: 
Summary: Modern Day Western
Review: This book is a more modern version of the old gunslinger who used to do unspeakable acts for his Country and then figured out the difference between working for his country and working for ambitious men. So acts of contrition and soul searching follow. But there's always someone who wants him to come out of retirement but it requires balancing "the morality scales", i.e. unspeakable acts have to be committed against him before he'll "strap on his guns again" and seek vengeance that just happens to benefit the country's needs (in the author's view).The style is an old style of writing. Lots of filler. Lots about someone that after their story is told, they get their throat cut. Lots of flashbacks. And of course, even after the head of the Medusa is chopped off, tentacles remain: a follow up? He's a better writer than I am, but I'm not a writer. This book is formulaic and predictable....
Rating:
Summary: A winner.....
Review: This book was about an ex-soldier who's reality and nationalism was shattered in a startling revelation. He tries to let go of the past, but it soon catches up to him. He is asked to help a friend on a simple tracking job, but this job leads to an intricate conspiracy. I really liked the depth of this book, about warfare and how he realizes that he was just a pawn all his life. It goes on to talk about how he is haunted by the things he has done and is seeking forgiveness. This wasn't one of those shoot 'em up kind of books, although it did have many fast-paced action scenes in it, it actually had a very interesting story filled with sorrow and regret. I liked this book so much that I'm going to go and buy "The Gemini Man" which is also by Richard Steinberg.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best spy-conspiracy thrillers out there
Review: This brilliant novel portrays 4 Phase Man - the best black ops agents in the world, of whom only two are left. Both have taken their lives in different directions. Canvas sells his services to the Chinese, which want to take over US by implementing their own servant in US government. Xenos must stop them and Canvas, while also save himself from his past. The action is amazing, the plot awesome, the characters brilliant. This is Steinberg's best book. Simply superb.
Rating:
Summary: Great thriller -- highly recommended
Review: This was a very good book for its genre (political/techno thriller). The writing was very good, and particular the character development was outstanding. The plot is essentially a variation of the Manchurian Candidate, but updated for the modern times. In light of all the coverage on the connection between Clinton and the Chinese, and the theft of national security data by the Chinese, the plot is timely. The only reason why the book is not a 5 star is that the motivation of Xenos (the protagonist) is a bit weak. I didn't understand why he was so compelled to try to save Alvarez. Aside from this one small flaw in the plot, the book was great.
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