Rating: 
Summary: Classic Ludlum
Review: Okay, sadly Mr Ludlum has passed on but this should not cloud one's judgement. When on form Ludlem was the master of the conspiracy novel (long before anyone had heard of the X Files!) but he has recently turned out some poor stuff (like the awful Cry of the Halidon). So I started this wondering if it would be a return to form, and I am pleased to say it was!
Female Government agent and bored rich kid investigate a strange organisation known as Sigma. The deeper they get the more everyone wants to remove them from the playing field. What is Sigma? Who are their friends and why does everyone want to kill them?
Its good stuff and the only reason it did not quite make the five starts was a slightly rushed ending...
Rating: 
Summary: what a lousy book...
Review: Having recently seen the movie "The Bourne Identity", and never having read Ludlum before, I thought I would give him a try. I picked up "The Sigma Protocol", and was very dissapointed. I guess I expected good writing from an author whom everyone exlaims is so great. The plot lines and ideas were good, but the actual storytelling left much to be desired.
Rating: 
Summary: Unbelievable story, but a damn great book!
Review: Just the beginning of the story will never keep you away from it. Each chapter will keep you want to read the following chapter. You're hooked! The actions were written as vividly as possible. Hooray for Ludlum, he kept me guessing until the end. And you never thought that the story would end that way, just like the movie: Sixth Sense w/ Bruce Willis. Believe me, read this book. The stylish writing style and suspenseful, gripping thriller about WWII, Industrialists, The world, and how history can be concocted to be imparallel with what were taught in school. Are we living in a blossoming history, untouched or compromised? Read this book and it will make sense. One word of advice, don't get succumbed to ideology presented to this book, it seemed surreal. Goodluck!
Rating: 
Summary: A small step down from the Bourne, otherwise great.
Review: Although I enjoy Mr. Ludlum's works, I had to give Sigma 3 stars as I think the conspiracy could have been strengthened still. The core plot is plausible if supported further. But in itself, this is a great book and still bears the Ludlum signature - its still fast-paced, heart-pounding with a globe-trotting hero etc. If this was the work of any other author, the praise would be well deserved but Sigma from one that authored the Bournes, leaves me just a bit disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Science Fantasy Ruined it for Me
Review: I'm new to Ludlum books, having downloaded this title from Audible.com and simultaneously buying a copy of "The Bourne Identity" in paperback in anticipation of seeing the movie. (Side note: The book and movie have little in common, other than the name of the main character!) I enjoyed "The Bourne Identity" very much (the book, anyway). Not so for "The Sigma Protocol" however.First, part of the storyline seemed borrowed directly from "The Bourne Identity". A man is suddenly hunted through the streets and financial institutions of Zurich by mysterious enemies for unknown reasons. The setting and action were incredibly similar between the two stories. The sense of deja vu was distracting. Second, and more significantly, I found the conclusion of "The Sigma Protocol" entirely unbelievable. Without giving it away, the ideas were simply science fantasy with a dose of "helpless victims" thrown in for emotional play. The story lead me toward a big climax, and when I got there I just thought it was ridiculous. Quite a letdown.
Rating:
Summary: Vintage Ludlum!
Review: "The Sigma Protocol" VINTAGE Ludlum...A story of a man attempting to unravel the mysteries surrounding his brother's death, his father's identity, and the attempts that had been made on his own life. Robert Ludlum's last (The Sigma Protocol) showcases his best effort to date...the height of his literary profession, in my opinion. John Savoy
C.E.O. & Financial Advisor
Savoy International
Motion Pictures
Rating:
Summary: What the best Ludlum book to read is..
Review: As a fan of Mr. Ludlum's for several years, I have read nearly all of his books, and enjoyed most of them greatly. The first book I was given as a gift turned out to be the best work he has done, IMHO. 'The Sigma Protocol', like all his other books centers around an ultra-secret organization with henchmen who can not shot straight. I would not bother reading Sigma unless you have never read another Ludlum work. The best book that I have read by this excellent author was 'The Bourne Identity'. If you are looking for an excellent book about covert operations and the spy biz, there is no doubt in my mind that you'll enjoy The Bourne Idenity a great deal more than any other work Mr. Ludlum has done. Please don't misunderstand me. I adore his writing, but it has not been up to par with 'The Bourne Identity'. The plots are more and more unbelievable and the events are recycled. None the less, just like watching your favorite movie, you will still enjoy the works he's done. In summation, read the Bourne Identity and be a buff for when the movie comes out.
Rating:
Summary: There is no zero star choice so it gets one.
Review: BORING! Predictable! Worse though is how far out he went to impress us with all of the politically correct things he could throw in gratis -- with no point made to the story. In other words he preaches. I can get that on the news at night.
Rating:
Summary: Mediocre and predictable
Review: This book is a never-ending stream of action clichés that have you shouting "get to the point already... we figured it out 300 pages ago!" A few of the tired devices employed over and over and OVER again: professional killers emptying countless magazines of ammo at our two heroes without hitting either of them; throw-away characters who further the plot with a rambling monologue or two but are assassinated before they give too much away (although the heroes escape scot-free); left-for-dead villains who somehow recover from their injuries (like multiple gunshot wounds to the chest!) and become threats again -- and of course a bottomless supply of experts, just a phone call away when the undiscoverable needs to be discovered. And throughout it all you have our heroine -- supposedly a cream-of-the-crop government agent -- acting like a rank amateur: repeatedly making highly-sensitive phone calls ON HER HOTEL ROOM PHONE, and even discussing top secret material on her cell phone -- while in her seat on a commercial airliner still at the gate! The worst part, though, was the novel's predictability. Every new revelation is obvious to the reader long before it's obvious to the heroes, although that doesn't dissuade Ludlum from his heavy-handedly attempts to inject suspense into every discovery scene. It's excruciating to be saying "yeah, yeah, I figured that out ages ago" while Ludlum is basically screaming: "Wow, isn't this discovery earth-shattering? Isn't this just too incredible to fathom? Haven't you just been on the edge of your seat, waiting for this particular part of the mystery to be revealed?" Pass on this one.
Rating:
Summary: First Ludlum book- DEFINITELY NOT THE LAST!!!
Review: I found out Mr. Ludlum passed away in the last year. I thought- why not read one of his books? I sort of wanted to at best. What I got into COMPLETELY took me by surprise.
THIS MAY BE THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!!!!! Imagine Ben Hartman seeing one of his old high school buddies who he hasn't seen in the past 15 years in Europe. Now imagine your "buddy" pulling a gun out to try to kill you. Ben luckily survives and then the "turn-your-world-upside-down-trying-to-figure-out-what-in-the-world-is-going-on" world tour is on. You see, all Ben thought he understood about his life has been mostly a big lie. Friends are now your enemies. And total strangers hold your life in their hands. Everybody you speak to seems to be gunned down by some secret shadow group simply called- SIGMA. Axis, Allies, Nazis, megacorporations, money, good guys, and bad guys all on the same side? This isn't possible- is it??? What Ludlum eloquently gives the reader is COMPLETELY mind-numbing. This can't be happening? Can it? Yet he intricately weaves his tale to be not only possible, but entirely plausible!! Don't take my word for it. Read this COMPLETELY ABSORBING book. I certainly know this will not be my last Ludlum book. 23 more books to go? I can't wait.
| 
