Rating: 
Summary: The betrayal is how you feel after reading this trash
Review: This book is very bad. I found that reading it was a punishment more then anything else. I think the fact that this trash was released should be a crime. I have a problem with the so called rich playboy that runs off to serve in an intelligence agency in WWII or any war for that matter. Mr. Ludlum seemly enjoys the use of super rich heros that run around doing intelligence ground work by simply paying people off. Yet he never really takes the time or energy to focus on producting a good story that makes sense. Even intelligence agents have spenting caps and are not allowed to just come out of their bank account. Most rich people never stand up to support the war as an active field agent anyway-so I find that to be a hard pill too take. What you do find are those that capitalize on the war by selling products to the enemy or those that simply enjoy their wealth and power acting as if they are too good and wise for direct action. If you look at the "hero" of the story you would see that he seemly had no real intelligence training. I'm sorry but being rich and sleeping around doesn't make a good agent. In fact that is the type of thing that makes someone a danger to the mission. I had a problem with the fact that the enemy agent was always there. There was no logical reason for the agent to understand the heros next move but he was there. Another thing that got under my skin was the fact that his contacts were not even trained very well or were not people in the right postions to be useful to the mission. With no logical way to go under cover after he was found out I still had no idea why he was never killed. The biggest problem that I have with the hero was the amazing level of luck that never ran out. I also have a problem with the fact that this man is so sexy that women cannot turn him down. Come on? This book was the biggest joke for fiction that I have read in a long time. Please, use your time for something meaningful.
Rating:
Summary: Hapless hero and hopeless plot
Review: Tristan violates the most basic rule of novel writing: that the reader has to care what happens to the main characters. Normally, I love spy adventures and am fascinated by adventures in the Nazi era. The main character in this novel is so stupid and inept and his survival so unbelievable and dependant on dumb luck, that I almost, despite my Jewish background, found myself rooting for the Nazi assassin to finish him off.
Rating: 
Summary: Taut World War II and Cold War Espionage Thriller
Review: When Robert Ludlum died, he apparently left behind a number of partially finished manuscripts that are being completed, polished and published posthumously. Although The Tristan Betrayal has Mr. Ludlum credited as the author, I think that cautious readers should assume that this book is only partially his. I have chosen to evaluate the book as though a new, unknown author rather than Mr. Ludlum wrote it.That said, I thought that The Tristan Betrayal is a cut above the average espionage thriller written today. There's an abundance of action and a balanced plot that will keep you curious enough to want to get to the end. It's not quite the page-turner that will keep you up until the wee hours in the morning to finish it, but I did keep going until 12:30 one night. The book contains two intertwined story lines. The briefer one involves the coup against Gorbachev in the early 1990s just before the collapse of the old U.S.S.R. Former ambassador Stephen Metcalfe has been summoned by an old friend to help foil the coup. The key player is a mysterious Communist bureaucrat known as the Conductor. Can Metcalfe persuade the Conductor to withdraw his support from the coup? Or will nuclear holocaust and civil war follow? The longer story line is a flashback into the early days of World War II just after Hitler and Stalin formed their nonaggression pact. In this story, Stephen Metcalfe is a young espionage agent working for a small group authorized by FDR himself. He's picking up intelligence in Paris when his organization is penetrated by the Gestapo. Metcalfe barely escapes the fate of his colleagues who are assassinated by a dangerous counterespionage agent for the Germans. Arriving in Switzerland, Metcalfe is given a new assignment in Moscow that is even more dangerous than the situation he left behind. Before the story ends, his actions rekindle an old love and set off a series of international actions that have major consequences for the war. I cannot remember reading very many stories that involve overcoming both the Nazis and the Communists. Such opponents provide wonderful grist for all kinds of social commentary, and make it easy to root for the good guys and gals. Even rarer, the book has a pretty credible love story in it. That plot structure is held together with lots of action as Metcalfe dodges watchers and pursuers. Although the action and plot aren't as intricate as a Le Carre plot, I found the book to be more than entertaining. Ultimately, this book is based on the idea that one person can make a difference. As I finished reading it, I began to wonder what one thing each of us could do to make a large difference to those we love and to the world. That final reflection was a worthy gift for having read a fine novel.
Rating:
Summary: Taut World War II and Cold War Espionage Thriller
Review: When Robert Ludlum died, he apparently left behind a number of partially finished manuscripts that are being completed, polished and published posthumously. Although The Tristan Betrayal has Mr. Ludlum credited as the author, I think that cautious readers should assume that this book is only partially his. I have chosen to evaluate the book as though a new, unknown author rather than Mr. Ludlum wrote it. That said, I thought that The Tristan Betrayal is a cut above the average espionage thriller written today. There's an abundance of action and a balanced plot that will keep you curious enough to want to get to the end. It's not quite the page-turner that will keep you up until the wee hours in the morning to finish it, but I did keep going until 12:30 one night. The book contains two intertwined story lines. The briefer one involves the coup against Gorbachev in the early 1990s just before the collapse of the old U.S.S.R. Former ambassador Stephen Metcalfe has been summoned by an old friend to help foil the coup. The key player is a mysterious Communist bureaucrat known as the Conductor. Can Metcalfe persuade the Conductor to withdraw his support from the coup? Or will nuclear holocaust and civil war follow? The longer story line is a flashback into the early days of World War II just after Hitler and Stalin formed their nonaggression pact. In this story, Stephen Metcalfe is a young espionage agent working for a small group authorized by FDR himself. He's picking up intelligence in Paris when his organization is penetrated by the Gestapo. Metcalfe barely escapes the fate of his colleagues who are assassinated by a dangerous counterespionage agent for the Germans. Arriving in Switzerland, Metcalfe is given a new assignment in Moscow that is even more dangerous than the situation he left behind. Before the story ends, his actions rekindle an old love and set off a series of international actions that have major consequences for the war. I cannot remember reading very many stories that involve overcoming both the Nazis and the Communists. Such opponents provide wonderful grist for all kinds of social commentary, and make it easy to root for the good guys and gals. Even rarer, the book has a pretty credible love story in it. That plot structure is held together with lots of action as Metcalfe dodges watchers and pursuers. Although the action and plot aren't as intricate as a Le Carre plot, I found the book to be more than entertaining. Ultimately, this book is based on the idea that one person can make a difference. As I finished reading it, I began to wonder what one thing each of us could do to make a large difference to those we love and to the world. That final reflection was a worthy gift for having read a fine novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Not his best but still Ludlum nonetheless
Review: With Robert Ludlum's passing in 2001, it was easy to surmise that any subsequent offerings would be "something less" than if the master were still alive. Still and all, we've seen the co-authored books, wherein Ludlum would provide the outline and the co-author would pen the tale. These books, while not in Ludlum's league, are still worthy offerings in the genre. Subsequently, Ludlum's agent and publisher commissioned completion of partial manuscripts and published them in Ludlum's name. While still solid mystery and intrigue, most have fallen short of true Ludlum quality. I guess the only thing to say is this is what we're left with...a remaining taste and a lot of great memories. THE TRISTAN BETRAYAL opens in Moscow 1991, with political uprsing caused by Communist hard-liners intent on overthrowing Gorbachev's government. The reader is introduced to the venerable American Ambassador Stephen Metcalfe, who is secretly and urgently summoned to bring his considerable experience and knowledge to bear on this coup attempt. Only later does the reader learn why Metcalfe is called to broker this deal, one he is immensely qualified to handle. Flashback 1040...Hitler's Nazi Germany has ravaged a great deal of Europe and is revelling in its short-lived glory. Russia has yet to enter the fray and is solidly glued to fence-riding. Similarly, America has not entered what would eventually become World War II however, Roosevelt is sparing no cost to ensure the cost of entering this conflict is well-studied and planned. To this end, America and Britain are running the gammut with their spys attempting to clandestinely ascertain the Nazis "Achilles Heel." American spy, Stephen Metcalfe, undercover as a debonair Argentian playboy, is assigned the seemingly impossible task of making contact with a former lover, the only woman he has truly loved in his short life. This woman, Lana, is a Russian primaballerina whose father is a fomer Russian general. Metcalfe learns that Lana has a new lover...a dispicable German (Nazi) diplomat. Metcalfe's mission? Regain Lana's trust with the goal of feeding false military information about the Russian military to the Nazis through Lana's lover. The goal? To give America the ally it needs by misdirecting Hitler to attack Russia. Metcalfe's cover is unwittingly blown in Paris and he is pursued by the Nazi Gestapo from Paris to Moscow, and ultimately to Berlin. Along the way, many of Metcalfe's brethern agents and friends are murdered by various assassins but in particular, one German agent whose weapon of choice is a piano string. As Metcalfe winds his way toward his mission's goal, he runs afoul of the ever-paranoid Soviets, who now want to see him dead as well. Metcalfe has to stay ahead of both Gestapo and Soviet intelligence as well as his own side, a side willing to sacrifice one to benefit the many. The resulting intrigue is pure Ludlum. The storyline however suffers without the master's transparent segues. This story moves back and forth from WWII to present day somewhat disjointedly and without much punch. I found myself willing these transitions to mirror other Ludlum offering albeit futilely. While the storyline provides the requisite twists and allure, the climax falls woefully short. For Ludlum afficianados, TRISTAN is one you'll want to read. However, be prepared for something less than the master's touch.
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