Rating: 
Summary: Exciting book but stupid plot and cliche ridden ending
Review: Most of this book is Ludlum at his best. It is action packed with two capable heroes. There is very little of the character development, which Ludlum does poorly, to get in the way of the action. The plot is a your basic B-grade spy movie plot of the international cadre trying to manipulate the world. Fortunately that doesn't detract too much from the story telling. The ending is a real letdown and is an action movie cliche. The KGB partner is killed while saving the American hero, but with his dying breath urges the hero to leave him and go get the bad guys. The American hero then puts an end to the story by machine gunning down all the bad guys. It is an easy, no-brainer conclusion.
Rating: 
Summary: Good read, but sloppy details.
Review: Although sloppy in the research department, the character development and plot make this a very enjoyable book to breeze through. I enjoyed every minute it took to finish.
Rating:
Summary: How does he get away with it?
Review: Though I enjoyed the book I wonder how Robert Ludlum gets away with his pathetic use of foreign languages. One can tell from the other reviews that his use of Russian leaves a lot to be desired. The Italian is even worse. Surely he could afford someone to tell him a few words in the real language! Also, he seems to be fooled by the inordinate use of zeros in the italian currency, as the sums he mentions often do not add up to more than a couple of thousand dollars, if that. It's hard to get serious about world financial conspiracies when you talk about 10 million lires, less than $8000.
Rating:
Summary: Silly, implausible, but entertaining
Review: I am not sure if the author has even the vaguest ideas about the things he's writing about. Male Russian spies have female last names and every word in Russian is misspelt. I guess he never cared to look up the names of the cities in Russia and never checked even the basic words. The mysterious Russian organization is called for some reason 'the aquatic counter espionage'. If Ludlum can't get the Russian word for espionage right, I don't expect him to know much about the field at all....The Matarese Circle is not about international espionage, of course. For this, you'll have to turn to John Le Carre. The Matarese Circle is something average between the Masonic lodge conspiracy theories and 'The Godfather', and despite the utter silliness of the idea itself, I found the story immensely involving and entertaining. Ludlum is a great craftsman when it comes to juicy descriptions of violence and tension, unexpected plot twists, and that exciting feeling you get when you uncover the mystery bit by bit with the heroes of the book. I recommend the book to anyone who wants a superbly crafted plot and crackling tension. I don't recommend it to anyone who looks for realism, techno-babble, secrets of international espionage... or a cast of well-developed characters (I guess there are still certain English teachers left who want that for some reason). Ludlum's characters are all cardboard, not that I would ever care. Great beach read, all in all
Rating: 
Summary: Makes you think twice...about EVERYTHING
Review: They are everywhere, yet they are invisible. They exist, yet no one knows about them. They are the Matarese. For decades they have existed in the shadows of everyday life...politics, finance, real estate, corporations. You name it, they have it. After a century of waiting, they will have what was promised to them by their founder-the world. Only the worlds best spies can destroy them-Brandon Alan Scofield and Vasili Talaniekov. They are sworn enemies, but only united can they fight this incredible army. I thought this book was incredible! Basic spy theory with awesome plot. Top CIA agent united with Top KGB agent to destroy an international circle of killers-the Matarese Circle. This book makes you think about who is running our countries, banks, businesses, and other aspects of our daily lives...Robert Ludlum did such an awesome job on this novel that don't want to read his sequal-THE MATARESE COUNTDOWN, because i don't want to be let down...
Rating:
Summary: Fun read, but pretty fluffy
Review: This book is good. It is a fun adventure story that will carry you along from scene to scene. It would be marked 5 stars if fluffy spy espionage were on the top of my list.. which it isn't. It isn't great writing, the same artifices are used many times, and the book contradicts itself occassionally. However, it is a great adventure romp if you like fluffy adventures.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've ever read
Review: This book is great, It was suspenseful,and action packed.Ludlum is a great author
Rating: 
Summary: illogical, poorly plotted, and silly
Review: Ludlum's popularity mystifies me. Are people just impressed by anyone who can write a long book about an international conspiracy, regardless of how thin the characterizations or implausible the plot? The plot of this book was probably composed in its entirety in about 15 minutes of "thought" while Ludlum was watching a TV sitcom. Compare this self-indulgent book, with its reliance on laughably unlikely coincidences, with the wonderfully plotted books by Robert Goddard or the massively researched Tom Clancy novels. Doesn't it embarrass Ludlum to be competing with those writers?
Rating:
Summary: Nothing Can Be Better
Review: In 1911 on the island of Corsica, a mad baron/genius devises a plan to destroy the corruptors in the government and take over the financial world and world governments. The Matarese, as this SPECTRE-like group is called, is a group hired killers. Brandon Scofield, CIA, and Vasili Talaniekov, KGB, are now the only ones that can stop after a time table is set into motion for Matarese domination. They have sworn to kill each other to avenge the death of their wife and brother respectively but now they must join forces. Matarese assassins strike from New York, where they murder the Chaiman of the Joint Cheifs of Staff, and Moscow, where they do away with a top nuclear physcist. Plenty of suspicion runs around when the hotheads of both nations accuse the other. Talaniekov is contacted by his dying mentor, a KGB killer. There he learns about the Matarese and their plans. He also learns that the only other one that can stop them is Scofield. That is all I will give to you for fear of ruining this awesome book. The intrigue, mystery, and suspense are splendid and the dialouge is crisp. The novel keeps you guessing up until the very end with a titanic climax. If you don't know what to read, read the Matarese Circle!
Rating:
Summary: The best book I have ever read, it is my favorite
Review: I started this book and could not put it down. I got to around the last 200 pages and read them in one sitting. I was up until 2 am entranced by this book because the plot was so fantastic and wove itself through 600+ pages into one of the most brilliant novels I have ever read. If you read only one Ludlum, this is it.
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