Rating: 
Summary: Forgot what I wanted to say about this forgetable book...
Review: ...nah, not really. Unlike Dr Claude Lucas -(Luke) to those who know him - I have not suffered CIA induced amnesia. What I have suffered is a serious case of disappointment with this Ken Follett book. Something's wrong. Even with previous novels where the plot was thin and the story fairly light ('Night over Water' for example) the one thing you could count on Ken for was historical accuracy and for getting his facts straight. The man is known for spending years on researching his books. This makes the many factual errors here that much more puzzling and annoying. Quite frankly they take you right out of your reverie, or 'world of suspended belief' and that's bad - It's the one thing a fiction writer most wants from his/her reader. I don't think I'm overstating the case, and like some of the reviewers below, I found myself stopped dead my reading tracks by some of the bloopers. Ford Fiesta in 1958, D.C Police called Washington Police, (repeatedly) and Apollo 11 in 1968!. If you have to make a mistake about the date of an Apollo launch, your best bet is not to choose the mission when man first landed on the moon! And lastly, does anyone believe that the CIA and FBI have such lax security systems?I'll stop with the criticisms because these mistakes do not make the book unreadable. Follett is still good with a plot and the style he uses here -with chapter headings being countdown time to the launch of Explorer 1- provided a nice touch and increased the tension as we approached launch. Overall the premise is plausible, the tension is palpable and the plot sufficiently devious. It's just that it is a book that annoyed me more than entertained me, and I forget why.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not great
Review: I found this book to be an enjoyable read. I have become a Ken Follett fan recently after reading Jackdaws and Pillars of the Earth. I had heard this was one of his worst books and so I was prepared to hate it. But in the end, it turned out to be a fun and fast-paced read. As Luke wakes up in Union Station in Washington, DC, he realizes he does not know who he is. On a quest to keep America in the space race, Luke also has to rediscover who he is and revisit old choices. There is nothing like being in need of help to find out who your true friends are. Read this book if you are looking for something fun and exciting. But don't expect a deep literary work.
Rating: 
Summary: Ken, wha' happen?
Review: This is, frankly, a terrible book. It's made more so by the fact that Follett has written great books before (Pillars of the Earth, for instance)...so what the heck is he doing here? It is, at best, a first draft for any novelist. The plot: contrived. The characters: unbelievable. The writing: tepid, sophomoric. Whoever was editing this should be taken to task as well; there are obvious repetitions of the plot (like "Pete's" reasons for looking up to Anthony getting explained at least twice) that should never have made it to print. I'm reading alot of Elmore Leonard right now. While EL's stuff is crime fiction, not espionage fiction, it's the difference in writing that shouts out. Try reading Out of Sight or Ride the Rap, then take another look at Code to Zero...you'll be cringing within the first few pages. Ken, you're too good a writer to be churning out garbage like this. Take your time and give us something worthy of your talent and time.
Rating:
Summary: Flawed, but not without it's charms
Review: My thoughts are similar to others: this is an average book by an average writer. The concept is okay and the intermittent flashbacks are well done and necessary. Still, the book lacks in many places. Characters are poorly developed and you have a hard time buying their later actions. They seem to change on a dime, and motives are constantly in question. There is absolutely no suspense or mystery, as anybody can figure out who the bad guys are in a matter of a few chapters. Follett unintentionally spells it all out for the readers. I hesitate to point out specifics because I do not wish to spoil the read, but lets just say he leaves little to the imagination. For a description of the story, please read Amazon's editorial or some other reviews. There is no sense repeating the facts. I'd wait for the paperback. It reads fast, and may hold your interest for a couple days.
Rating: 
Summary: One of Follett's best
Review: Wow. I couldn't put this book down. When I read books like this, not only do I recall why I love to read, but I also remember why Follett's one of my favorite authors. Once again, Follett uses a real setting and occurence from history and works his story around it. It gives the reader a better sense of immersion in the story as well as giving its characters a more beleivable air. I don't want to spoil the plot, but it has elements of the Borne Identity in it so for fans of that movie/book, this would definetly capture their interest. This ranks right up there with my other favorites from Follett: Night Over Water, Dangerous Fortune, A Place Called Freedom...all of which are very close to Pillars of the Earth (the pinnacle of great storytelling in my opinion). FANTASTIC!
Rating:
Summary: Terrible book
Review: Not worth the paper it is printed on One of the worst books I have ever read...and I read a lot. The author uses a well-worn plot: spies from Russia against the spies from US. Yet he cannot make any of it credible. Everything in this book conforms to your worst expectations. Shallow characters, stereotypical actions, simple plot.. The plot is easy to enough see from the beginning of the book...It has short sentences and a fluent writing style that make it an easy read...Still what a waste of time....I was interested in this book because of its context in late 50's space exploration....but I learned almost nothing on it from this book.... If you want to read a good spy book, read John Carre. If you want to read a good book, read Hemingway or other equally great writers. Don't waste your time on this book.
Rating:
Summary: Pure formula
Review: Follett is a talented enough writer that even this implausible, formulaic, cloak and dagger tale is not a total bust. Still, I expected a lot more. I have greatly enjoyed several of Mr. Follett's other books (though I haven't read any recently), but I found the plot of this book to be so contrived, and the lead character's struggle with amnesia to so implausible, it tainted the whole experience for me. Like most stereotypical cold-war spy thrillers, the lead character is a former OSS operative who learned his craft behind enemy lines in WWII. In this tale, conveniently, an entire group of college chums/lovers become secret agents either during or after the war and their relationships form the basis for the plot. I found the calm, analytical, behavior the amnesiac possesses as he proceeeds to solve the riddle of his past to be totally unrealistic. Fortunately, he works out enough of the riddle to find his way to his ex-secret agent, ex-girlfriend, who also happens to be a renowned leader in the field of memory loss. Heh, heh, heh. I'm not kidding. Pure, B-movie stuff. For those of you who really enjoyed this book--more power to you. Enjoyment is what reading is all about. But to those who gave it five stars, I have to wonder whether you've ever read a truly good cold-war thriller (or a good Follett thriller).
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating story of love and deception
Review: Luke woke up to find himself sleeping on the floor of a public toilet with a bum named Pete. It was a staggering start of a novel. Luke couldn't remember even his name. His street life began. These anecdotes of homeless bums are quite different from those of Street Lawyer by John Grisham. Soon a woman named Elspeth appeared. So the woman knows about Luke. The tale returned to the past; the year was 1941, and the relationship was unfolded between Luke and Elspeth, Luke and his colleague Anthony, and Luke and Billie Josephson who was dangerous to Elspeth's happy life with Luke. The tale was back to the present. The year was 1958. Luke was loitering in the city for his lost memory. He sensed he was followed by two people. His friend Anthony Carroll was now Luke's enemy. Somehow Anthony was responsible for his loss of memory. Luke was Dr. Claude Lucas responsible for space programs of USA. A rocket was to be launched soon, but something was wrong and Luke knows the reason behind his lost memory. He must get back his lost memory to save USA. Untold story by Luke's side was mysterious enough. I knew the enemies of Luke, but the enigma was Elspeth whose intention was not apparent. She is Lukefs wife, but acts against Lukefs welfare. The drama unfolds with lightning speed. Every chapter consumes only half an hour. Luke moves, Anthony counter-moves, Billie enters, and Elspeth spins the wheel. This setup was superb enough to attract and grip my heart to read along faster and faster to the final mind-numbing conclusion of this splendid masterpiece of love and deception. You wonft regret holding this book in your hand.
Rating:
Summary: a good thriller
Review: i enjoyed it, it reads quick and has some good moments, not bad at all, but not great.
Rating:
Summary: Exciting historical novel
Review: Follet's Code to Zero shows me that the horrible "Third Twin" is just an abberration on his otherwise great collection of novels. Code to Zero, written in 2000, covers the 2 days preceding the launch of the United States' first successful satellite rocket launch. The story revolves around 4 friends who met at Harvard before WWII. Follet throws in some background about Luke, Anthony, Elspeth, and Billie's days at Harvard and then time spent as spies during the war. The lives of the four are intertwined till the very end and there is love and betrayal at every corner. Follett's strength is his charactarization and his research of the time period and the subject matter. This is a solid novel that is fun to read, but the end isn't a jolting climax, just a logical ending to all that preceded it.
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