Rating: 
Summary: A Shadow of Ludlum
Review: Robert Ludlum has written some great books (which I have re-read numerous times) - and this is not one of them.
While the plot is reminiscent of some of his masterpieces, the depth and accuracy is not there. This book was not finished (as we know) by the author. Perhaps that explains why some flagrant errors were not caught. For example, in one of the first scenes in the book someone's throat is cut via the femoral vein, come on! the femoral is in the groin/leg - what was meant was the carotid.
Nevertheless, this book is a pleasant read, especially in honor of a great author - just don't expect too much.
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: Lots of action...Lack of good editing
Review: My first Ludlum novel. I went to buy The Bourne Identity which was Out Of Stock at my bookstore so I decided to purchase The Sigma Protocol to get a taste of Ludlum's writing. The Sigma Protocol started out fast and furious and was quite intriguing but about halfway through the book you get the sense that he's attempting to rush the story and the reader has problems keeping a mental timeline of what is occuring within the story. At one point (and probably the worst example) a government Justice Department investigator is in the U.S. discussing details of a case and within a few pages is suddenly in Austria staking out the proposed suspect when prior to this it took Ludlum an entire 2 chapters just to get the suspect (Ben Hartman) to a particular home within Austria where he was already residing. It's events like this that begin to overcome the storyline and frustrate the reader. Finally, the editor did a very poor job of editing facts which support areas of the story. In one particular section Ben Hartman applies a headlock to an individual which "cuts the blood supply to the man's femoral artery" and renders the individual unconscious. Well, the only thing that is going to happen if you cut the blood supply off by blocking the femoral artery is that your leg will go to sleep since the artery is not located in the neck (as Ludlum leads you to belive). This happens every once in a while throughout the story. Overall, if it's action and a fast-paced story you are interested in then this book will probably satisfy your appetite. Happy reading!
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.
|
