Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code (Abridged): A Covert-One Novel Audiobook

" We listened to this while driving south to Florida. It is a good road trip book; lots of action, mystery, and characters to keep up with. Thanks, Barb, for passing it to us. I am trying to update this with my Blackberry, a real challenge. "

" Not bad - I enjoy an espionage story once and awhile "

" For me this book got a little slow in the middle with the action and sort of predictable also. You know the good guy was going to get away but even the way it happened was just a little too predictable. I still enjoyed it and it was a good vacation read! "

" Robert Ludlum died in 2001. This book came out in 2003 with Gayle Lynds as the co-author. This is the fourth book of the Covert-One series. Covert-One is a top secret U. S. agency that fights corruption, conspiracy and bio-weaponary at the highest and most dangerous level in the society. It is composed of ex-military men who are political and technical experts. Gayle Lynds co-created this series with Ludlum in 2000 with the release of its first book, The Hades Factor. Gayle Lynds is a woman who writes and competes in the male dominated spy-thrillers genre. She used to hide behind guy names like G. H. Stone, Gayle Stone, Nick Carter, and Don Pendleton. This reminded me of the time when the Bronte sisters hid behind their masculine pen names because people during that time did not take women writers seriously. Almost 200 years ago, there is still a remnant of that prejudice. So what if Lynds is a woman writing spy-thriller novels? Why can we accept that women can do everything or write everything that men do? In fact, with Ludlum dead already and books under his name still sell like hotcakes, I suspect that some of these books were not even started by him or the main storylines, what they call as Ludlum’s “unused notes,” might not really be in existence. Robert Ludlum has become a marketing brand and his co-writers just use it to sell their works. However, I cannot blame the Ludlum Estates since Ludlum was an excellent novelist when he was alive. For me, he gave conspiracy theory, that would otherwise be blasé and formulaic, the human and sensitive face. His works celebrate heroism of crusaders, whether simple men or group of men against powerful evil men or empire. That contribution to the genre is something that will be very hard to duplicate. In this book, that individual is Covert-One agent, Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Jonathan “Jon” Smith, M.D. He is asked by Covert-One director Nataniel Frederick “Fred” Klein, a government agent with experience with the CIA and the Pentagon, to go to Taiwan to investigate about the death of the contact who reported that a Chinese vessel has dispatched from Shanghai. Loaded to that vessel are raw materials that will be used by Iraq to manufacture WMD (Weapon for Mass Destruction). This reminded me of President Bush’s scare tactic after 9/11. However, Lynds has that sensitivity not to name the president here Bush. Her president’s name is President Samuel Adams “Sam” Castilla who immediately orders the investigation but later gets second thoughts because he is informed that his biological father is still alive and is being held prisoner by the Chinese since fifty years ago. So, the question boiled down to: which is more important to the president, his biological father or curbing the global terrorist in Iraq? Another thing that I liked about these Ludlum books is that it can also be heartwarming and not the usual bang bang that you find in spy-thriller. Of course it has lines like "the volcanic sound shattering the stillness of the night." The word "volcanic" creates the image of Mt. Pinatubo and the people fleeing the volcanic mud (called lahar) here in the Philippines. So, I felt really into the scene. But also the novel has a sweet poetic line like "what the caterpillar sees as death, the wise man sees as a butterfly." Critics of Ludlum books say that his novels (or novels bearing his name though he is long dead) are a bit theatrical. I don't mind. I just like them!!! "

" Love the character of Colonel Jon Smith. If you suspend belief these are great thrillers and certainly very easy reads. If you want believable plots and great literature then this is not for you. "

" it had alot goin on..there is soo mch inone book..its amazin..this was the first robert ludlum book i read and truly awesum..m hooked! a must read..its amazin! "

" Liked it even though the topic isnt a fav of mine. Chinese bluffs about chemical weapons is a typical scenario, not an intrigueing them. I really just like his story telling ability and characters. "

" Gayle is pretty good with Ludlums franchise "

" The last Ludlum I'll read. But it was decent for what it was... "

" I thought Ms. Lynds carried the torch very nicely for Mr. Ludlum in this true thriller. She engaged the reader early and kept the tension and pace at a nice clip. Enough twists and turns to keep any reader thoroughly entertained. It's a keeper. "

" Didn't enjoy this one as much as the earlier books. It was OK, but wouldn't probably bother keeping it to read again later. In the series thus far I think books 1 & 2 are the best, 3 was pretty good, but this one sort of fizzed out and dragged on before ramping up for the last 100 or so pages. "

" Easy read for a Robert Ludlum book. Well developed plot and characters that are real to life. "

" In this Covert One novel John Smith finds himself in Hong Kong and China trying to stop a ship full of dangerous chemicals from entering Iraq. A fun and quick read. "

" Another great thriller in the covert one series. There are a few gaps in the storyline, but overall a good read. "

" Very quick reading and a good spy novel. "

" Pretty good book, took awhile before it turned into a page turner though. "

" Enjoyable read, but it created a superman-type character out of someone who would realistically be more of an academic. The book was ok, but the continual miraculous resolution of a perilous situation became more numbing than exciting. "

" I loved this book and I couldn't put it down for a second. I read it in two days and that is only because I forced myself to go to bed. The twist and turns are awesome!! "

" This book was very exciting and intricate. I really enjoyed it, couldn't put it down. "

" Another gread Covert One novel! "

" This was my first spy thriller other than Tom Clancy. I really liked it. Unlike Clancy's books that can seem to go on and on, this one kept things moving and interesting. "

" This was O.K., typical Ludlum. A little too predictable, and I never really felt invested in any single character. There was no hero, just an odd assortment of wanna-be's. "

" Another great thriller in the covert one series. There are a few gaps in the storyline, but overall a good read. "

" Surprisingly slow going. Couldn't get through it and gave up at around page 175. "

" read this a long time ago but I think I'd give it a 5 "

" This was O.K., typical Ludlum. A little too predictable, and I never really felt invested in any single character. There was no hero, just an odd assortment of wanna-be's. "

" I loved this book and I couldn't put it down for a second. I read it in two days and that is only because I forced myself to go to bed. The twist and turns are awesome!! "

" Not bad - I enjoy an espionage story once and awhile "

" Very quick reading and a good spy novel. "

" The last Ludlum I'll read. But it was decent for what it was... "

" Gayle is pretty good with Ludlums franchise "

" This was my first spy thriller other than Tom Clancy. I really liked it. Unlike Clancy's books that can seem to go on and on, this one kept things moving and interesting. "