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Code to Zero

Code to Zero

List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Starts OK, shows promise - and goes downhill FAST
Review: I really think Ken Follett is losing it. The last book of his that I read, "Night Over Water", had cartoon characters as its principal actors and a plot straight out of an old WWII movie - although I had to admit he did his research.

The problem is magnified here, with "Code to Zero". Again, Follett has done his research, there's no denying that - but this novel is just about as bad as "Night Over Water". The story starts out very well, and held my interest for quite a while. A man wakes up in a corner of Union Station in 1950's Washington DC, with no knowledge of how he got there - or of anything else before that moment. He's dressed like a bum, but his thoughts, instincts, and actions contradict that first impression. He sets out to discover who he is and how he got to Union Station, and therein lies Follett's tale.

But the initial interest I had in the story soon disintegrated when I discovered that "Code" was really nothing more than a potboiler spy story, something I thought Follett was incapable of writing until now. Basically this turned out to be a story of the heroic United States against the godless Communists, and while this does have some kind of weird but logical resonance after the events of September 11, this type of story has been done before - and much better (Arnaud DeBorchgrave's "The Spike" springs immediately to mind).

Follett has a new novel out in hardcover, and I'll reserve it at my local library. I'm willing to give him another chance - but my patience is wearing thin.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Predictably Follett
Review: Perhaps, his best work is Pillars of the Earth. It is unfair to compare this novel to that masterpiece. However, it would be nice if he returned to the level that he first accomplished in Eye of the Needle and Key to Rebecca.

This has become what I expect from Follett - an interesting story lacking compelling characters that I could ever care about. This books follows the same unfulfilling road traveled by previous works such as the The Third Twin and the Hammer of Eden.

The story centers around launch of Explorer I and the possibility of Soviet sabotage. I suppose I would have been more interested if Explorer were something more than an oversized weather baloon, but the Republic would have continued had the launch failed. The story moves along through subterfuge and deceit (some of it improbable).

His novels have become predictable in terms of character and format and pace. If that's what you want this is a tolerable read.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good - but not Follett's Best
Review: I adore Ken Follett novels. I agree that he is the most romantic of all thriller writers. This one is well written, fluid, taut and touching at times. However, this does give the impression of having been written in a hurry. It is upto a standard - as most novels by the mature Ken Follett are - but falls short of doing adequate justice to the plot.
I would give it around 3.5 stars.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great premise fails to disappoint
Review: With the fantastic premise promised on the back cover, it would have been easy to underdeliver on the potential that it offered, by Mr Follet delivered to the expectations. The plot was good. Character development was good. I especially appreciated the jumping timeline that allowed the reader to gain an appreciation for the undercurents of the characters' motives, while maintaining suspense in two separate timelines. As a younger reader, I also appreciated the 1940-1957 setting that gave me a unique glimpse into a time that I know only through traditional WWII and early Cold War media.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic Follett
Review: There are certain plot devices in fiction that raise red flags with me because they are almost always indicative of a lack of originality: the two that stand out the most are the use of twins and even worse, amnesia. But any cliche, in the right hands, can become something special. Follett first demonstrated this with The Third Twin and now, in this amnesia-driven story, with Code to Zero.

Follett is known as a master of the spy thriller, and this story demonstrates why: likeable characters, evil conspiracies that slowly unfold, constant action and romance. It surprises me that there seems to be so many negative reviews for this work, when there is really nothing significantly wrong with this; in this genre, Follett does everything that is expected and does it all well.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A "Made for TV" novel...
Review: "Eye of the Needle" was one of my favorite spy novels, so I was excited when I received "Code to Zero" for Christmas. As others have said, it is an amazingly quick read and an interesting story, albeit remarkably similar to Ludlum's "Bourne Identity."

The one thing that struck me throughout the book was that I felt like I was watching [reading] a made for TV movie. I suppose part of the reason could be the layout of the book - each chapter is one of three sub-stories, and you get a piece at a time. Since every third chapter (roughly) is a continuation of one sub-story, it's quite a page-turner. I think the other reason it felt like a "Made for TV Movie" is that the quality just wasn't there. "Eye of the Needle" was a much better book, and I would bet Follett spent twice as much time writing it.

On an airplane? Need a "quickie" for a vacation? This is the book for you. A good story, a quick read, but not one you'll be thinking about after you put it back on your bookshelf.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Yet, another great read by Follett
Review: This was a thoroughly, engaging novel. It was difficult for me to put the book down. Follett is still the master of suspense, espionage and intrigue. The reader meets Luke, the main character, after Luke wakes up to learn that he has lost his memory. With clandestine CIA operatives tailing him, Luke must find his identity. Along the way, he uncovers a plot where he is the subject to be silenced. Watch as Luke attempts to prevent an enormous disaster in the Cold War.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: CODE TO ZERO ***
Review: Code to Zero

The novel "Code to Zero", written by Ken Follett, can be said to be easy to read in so far as the author doesn't use difficult expressions.
The suspenseful and exceptional story deals with the phenomenon of scientific espionage and grips the reader and robs himself/herself the sleep.
Although the reader is confused by the regular change between present and past, i.e. the author uses numerous of flashbacks, he/she keeps on reading because the story is not boring like typical other stories which handles always about "true love", sex, drugs and murder.
Action, emotions and science are combined to an interesting, best-selling novel which doesn't cost much.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: An engaging story, even if not his best
Review: I found this account of space flight in the 1950's very entertaining. While the concept of wiping out someone's short term memory is hard to believe, I enjoyed the idea of trying to find out who you are by testing your knowledge and experiences. The hero, Luke, found out who he was too quickly, but the whole story has a quick and entertaining pace. Follett created an insight into the world of early space launches at Cape Kennedy and I enjoyed the action switching from D.C. to Alabama, to Florida. I bought this book for a long plane ride and was happily engaged for the trip. I echo the wishes of other reviewers that the characters should profit from more development, particularly Luke's wife. All in all, a worthwhile effort.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Rates four stars despite flaws
Review: Interesting premise? Absolutely. Easy read? You bet. Contains obvious and sloppy mistakes? Yes. Predictable? About halfway through. Why four stars? I enjoyed Luke as a character. Some have questioned his "luck" at finding out his identity so quickly. I did not at all. His is supposed to be a brilliant human being and used that intelligence to his advantage. Billie possessed both strength and vulerability. Finally, it was simply a fun read with a very interesting premise. Sometimes you just have to overlook mistakes or you miss out on something enjoyable.


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