Code to Zero

Rating:
Summary: Good thriller
Review: Ken Follett's novel is set in the time of the Cold War. Just in time where the US and Russia start their race to explore the space.
The book starts when a man wakes up in a public restroom, dressed in rags, terribly hungover and without a clue how he's got there. In the next hours he finds out that he is an important rocket scientist...but still he doesn't know how he's lost his memory. Then it comes to mind that someone made him lose his memory as he might know more than he's allowed to. With the help of some friends he finds out that he's involved into a big conspiracy, which threatens his life.
Follett's book is interesting, well-written and fun to read. Nevertheless a big minus of "Code to Zero" are the strange coincidences that are sometimes hard to believe. Not too good is also the end that simply doesn't keep up with the high quality of the rest of the novel. But I have to say that these things are less important..."Code to Zero" is a good book and definitely worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Idea, But Follett Got Lazy with His Language
Review: Is this the same guy who wrote Eye of the Needle and The Key to Rebecca? This book recounts an allegedly fictional story behind the headlines of the "space race". The time period is that which precedes and follows the Soviet launch of Sputnik.

Reading like a spy thriller, Follett's book races to the final countdown of the launch of the Explorer in January 1958. Its main character (whose name I won't reveal) wakes on the floor of a railway station and remembers nothing of his past, including his name. Clearly he is a key player in the drama and much of the rest of the book is about his quest to recover his memory in time to save the space program. This is a very interesting storyline to think about and much of what is recounted here is plausible in an historical sense. However, the "memory struggle" of the book's main character becomes repetitive and tedious and the language between characters hollow.

It's a shame that this book wasn't better having come from a very good author equipped with an interesting story line. Perhaps the author was thinking too much about Hollywood and too little about a really good book.

Rating:
Summary: Everybody has his own point of view
Review: I read this book in less than 3 days, I gave the book to my wife and at least 3 friends and they enjoy the book the same as I, I don't know why some people are disappointed with this book, when I read their reviews I didn't wanted to post mine, but I really enjoy reading this book so I will recommend it to all of my friends.

Rating:
Summary: Did it again
Review: I would guess the best I can say is when I see Follett I know it will be a good read. This was outstanding with all the elements of Politics(cold war) espionage, mystery, intrigue and all the elements to keep you finding time to continue reading. One of my favorite Authors and I will continue to read all that he writes.

Rating:
Summary: Code To Zero
Review: The title of the book that I am reviewing is "Code To Zero," by Ken Follett. This is one of my favorite books. It is a mystery/suspense story. The main character is a guy named Luke and the supporting characters are Anthony, Billie, and Elspeth. There are a few more characters, but they're not very important so I won't name them. The story takes place in several different places. The year is 1958, but there are a lot of flash-backs, so it's kind of hard to keep up with the story. The Cold War is just ending and America is still in the space race with Russia. NASA keeps delaying the launching of the Explorer 1 because of weather conditions. But, the real reason is because there was word of a soviet spies who plan on sabotaging the launch of the rocket.
The soviet spies found a way to destroy the Explorer 1 before it can exit the earth's atmosphere. If they succeed they can stop America's last chance to beat the Russian's and win the space race. There are only two people who know what is going on and can put a stop to it. Luke, the main character, is a who just wants to know the truth. In the beginning of the story, Luke wakes up in the men's-room of a subway with no memory of his past. He doesn't even know his own name. He's dressed like a bum so he automatically guesses that he is a hobo and drank all of his memory away. But, later in the book he finds out that he is really a rocket scientist and somebody deliberately erased his memory because he knew some very valuable information. With the knowledge he had, he could guarantee the outcome of the space race.
Anthony was Luke's best friend in collage until he switched sides. Now, his mission in life is to stop America from beating Russia in the space race and making sure that Luke dose not interfere. His causes are really unknown so I'll just call him a traitor. Billie is helping Luke get his memory back and stop Anthony. She is also in love with Luke, but you will find out more about that if you ever read the book. Elspeth is Luke's wife, but there is more to her than there may seem. To bad telling you that would ruin most of the story for you. This is a great book with lots of action and suspense. But, even it has some cons. The beginning of the book is kind of slow and there are a few pauses in the middle, but that just builds it up for more action and suspense. If you don't mind those small flaws then you will love "Code To Zero".

Rating:
Summary: good idea, bad implementation
Review: 1 star for mr. follett and his creative juices coming up with the story
another star for a fast paced novel that makes a good read on the plane
and the last star for keeping me entertained

i withhold the last two stars: good but not great, and the other follet books are GREAT. also, i felt it was flat, i really like the idea of the story, but never felt it.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining
Review: The awakening of Luke - in a public Washington washroom - with amnesia lead us through the intriguing world of espionage, mind control techniques, CIA intrigues, KGB spies, the growing of the american space program, flashback stories of Luke, his wife and friends in his search for the true in several locations like Washington, DC, Huntsville, Georgia and Cape Canaveral in Florida. A very well written thriller recommended for those who like this kind of literature.

Rating:
Summary: Space Race thriller
Review: Code to Zero is an unusual book. The main part of the plot takes place over a period of a couple of days in 1958, though there are flashbacks to earlier periods, some of them the better part of two decades. The author jumps between the plot and the flashbacks rather seamlessly.

In the main story, the protagonist wakes up in a men's room in a train station, dressed as a bum. He's not certain what or who he is, but he thinks he has skills and that his clothing isn't a good representation of his status. He soon gets his bearings and begins to regain his footing, stealing clothes and a car, then working on figuring out who he is. Eventually this develops into a mystery: once he knows who he is, he must find out why he lost his memory, and more importantly what he was supposed to forget.

I did have a few problems with the story. Though I won't give away any of the twists of the plot, I will tell you that I thought it a bit much for the main character to be all of the things he is in the story. And I will say I found the solution to the story to be a bit obvious and predictable. Those things being said, the writing is good, and the action flows along quickly and seamlessly, so you don't notice you're reading that much.

This is a good book, and I enjoyed it.

Rating:
Summary: Code to Zero by Ken Follett
Review: I haven't read many Ken Follett books, in fact only three. But I am quite impressed with the style of writing in the book. However, the basic subject hasn't been portrayed as well as it could be. There are a lot of books on this subject, the best I can remember is Robert Ludlum's "The Bourne Identity (TBI)." I think this book fails to deliver the thrills of TBI, but due to his simple and to the point style of writing, Mr. Follett has found a new fan, in me.

Rating:
Summary: A Page Turning Read
Review: I don't share the sentiments of those who did not like this book. It was given to me for Christmas a year ago and I regret not having picked it up sooner to read through it. The central character wakes up in Washington's Union Station with what he thinks is a bad hangover, dressed like a bum and not knowing who he is. After many chapters, that issue is solved only to open up other questions, most notably why has someone tried to erase his memory? He is able to piece together that he is a rocket scientist associated with the Explorer I launch, that he has an OSS background, and that he came to Washington because of concerns he had about the integrity of the Explorer program. Someone didn't want him revealing what he knew, but who and why?
The answers to those questions come in an interesting way and as they are revealed, his life is put in considerable danger as is the safety of the Explorer I launch. I have enjoyed most, but not all of Mr. Follett's books, but this one is a clear winner.