Yuri Danko, a deep-cover Russian asset for Covert-One, is on the run. His last communication was a cryptic and urgent plea for extraction. With no hint of what could have driven Danko to such extreme action, operative Jon Smith is sent to the pre-arranged meeting place in Venice to bring Danko out. Days later, Danko arrives at the rendezvous - but before he can reveal what he knows, he is ripped apart by a spray of assassins' bullets.
With only some scant clues left behind by Danko to go on, John Smith quickly concludes that someone is out to do the unthinkable: steal a sample of smallpox from Russia's cache of bioweapons. The deadliest of viruses, if a new mutation of smallpox were developed and released, it could cause an epidemic of unparalleled destruction.
Working to stop the theft, Covert-One finds the adversaries are several steps ahead of them. The virus is smuggled out of Russia to the United States. Now Jon Smith and his colleagues must unravel the mystery of the Cassandra Compact, overcome their powerful and invisible opponents, and recover or destroy the virus - before the power of Armageddon falls into the hands of a madman.
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"Very enjoyable espionage thriller. Ludlum's writing style is clear and just suspenseful enough to give the reader a good ride but without too many out of this world twists and complications that make it impossible to follow (or even half way believable). Even though it's an older book, it maintains relevance since it is about the theft of a collection of small pox virus from a Russian lab for not very altruistic purposes :-) I think what really appeals to me about Ludlum's stories is that I feel like the hero is always just one half step ahead of the villains. I like that feeling of control. I *don't* like it when every new reveal comes out as some sort of surprise or smack to the forehead (see Brown, Dan)." — Christina (5 out of 5 stars)
"Very enjoyable espionage thriller. Ludlum's writing style is clear and just suspenseful enough to give the reader a good ride but without too many out of this world twists and complications that make it impossible to follow (or even half way believable). Even though it's an older book, it maintains relevance since it is about the theft of a collection of small pox virus from a Russian lab for not very altruistic purposes :-) I think what really appeals to me about Ludlum's stories is that I feel like the hero is always just one half step ahead of the villains. I like that feeling of control. I *don't* like it when every new reveal comes out as some sort of surprise or smack to the forehead (see Brown, Dan)."
" interesting book to read about conspiracy, but i more interest how can biotechnology could be so scary and dangerous in the hand of unresponsible scientist, and how amazing is the virus "
" It started off slow and I almost put it down, glad I didn't it was a very exciting 2nd half. "
" A decent book but not up to Ludlum's usual par. Smallpox has been virtually wiped out except for a small amount in Russia and the CDC in Atlanta. A small amount is stolen from Russia and by very confusing means is smuggled into the secret lab of a pharaceutical conglomeratein Hawaii. It is chemically altered to make the smallpox more virulent but the biggest mutation can only be made in micro-gravity. This is where Ludlum brought in too many characters as the bad guys get the sample aboard the space shuttle Discovery and into orbit where the final mutations are completed by the chief biological scientist aboard. The majority of the action in the book takes place at the end of the book but then the epilogue leaves the reader hanging. As I said, a good book but if you want Ludlum at his best read The Bourne trilogy. "
" This is also a good read, like The Hades Factor (Covert-One #1) - only that it gets better. "
" Ludlum is a great writer, but a little too graphic for my taste. "
" As a fan of the Covert One series I loved this adventure - not great literature but an enjoyable quick read - if this is all you want then this series is for you. "
" Another fun exciting read about the exploits of Jon Smith as he saves the US and the World from another deadly biological hazard. "
" All Ludlum novels are excellent "
" As are all of Robert Ludlum's books, it is a very intriguing, exciting, entertaining book. The plot was very good and easy to follow. All in all a very good book for a warm summer's day. "
" you can't stop reading from cover to cover "
" I listened to an abridged audio version. Good story, the the abridgement made the timeline seem unrealistic. Maybe the unabridged version has the same problem "
" The Covert One novels are frightening. Bioweapons, good guys who are bad guys and vice versa. Full of action and each one has taken a little over a day for me to read. I get started and can't put them down. "
" One more book that carries on the Robert Ludlum tradition, one man against the world ... atleast here he has a few frends and gets support at every stage. But still it feels like one man saving the world. "
" Once you start, Ludlum doesnt let you put down the book. Fast paced and exciting! "
" The story line was alright; I wasn't much for the language though "
" Very disappointed - not up to Ludlum's standards. Not a lot of action and very predictable. There was no surprise as to who was involved - everything fell together a little too neatly. "
" Generally, I love Robert Ludlum but I'm not a fan of the Covert 1 series. "
" It took me longer to get into this book, than other of Ludlum's books. "
" Ludlum did a wonderful job with this book. I enjoyed all of the twists in The Cassandra Compact. "
" A conspiracy to steal and alter a smallpox virus to create the ultimate bio-weapon. This is a follow up to The Hades Factor and another in the Covert One series. An OK story but the writing is obviously Shelby and not Robert Ludlum. "
" Every once in awhile, a Robert Lundrum fix is not bad. "
" A good listen when driving. Makes the time go quickly. "
" The beginning of the Covert-One series. "
Eric Van Lustbader is the author of more than twenty-five bestselling novels, including New York Times bestsellers The Ninja and The Testament. His novels have been translated into over twenty languages. He has also written several novels in Robert Ludlum’s highly successful Bourne series, including The Bourne Legacy, The Bourne Betrayal, The Bourne Sanction, and others. Before turning to writing full-time, he enjoyed a highly successful career in the New York City public school system, where he holds licenses in both elementary and early childhood education.
Paul Michael, winner of several Earphones Awards, has also won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He has acted on stage, radio, television, and in feature films in Canada, Great Britain, and the United States. He has had leading roles in series and made-for-television movies and has guest starred in such series as VIP and Alias. He has been nominated for a Canadian Emmy and has recorded over 150 audiobooks, including the international bestseller The Da Vinci Code.
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