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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
With an unbroken string of bestsellers dating from the early 70s (beginning with 1971's The Scarlatti Inheritance) and over 200 million books sold, Robert Ludlum is an acknowledged superstar of the political thriller. Gayle Lynds, who was compared to Ludlum after her 1996 debut, Masquerade, has two successful novels and a slew of pseudonymous pulp fiction titles to her credit. Together--after a fashion--they serve up book one of Ludlum's new Covert-One series of trade paperback originals, Robert Ludlum's the Hades Factor.
After three disparate Americans succumb to a hitherto unknown Ebola-like virus, the United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) is pressed into service. Since the USAMRIID's top doctor (and former military intelligence operative) Lt. Col. Jon Smith has yet to return from an overseas conference, the job of heading the medical research team falls to Smith's colleague and fiancée, Dr Sophia Russell.
Upon Smith's return, he is sequentially treated to a life-or-death warning from a childhood friend (and rogue FBI agent), several nasty near-death experiences and the viscerally graphic demise of his wife-to-be, an apparent virus victim. Enraged and bereaved, Smith flies into action only to discover doctored files, expunged records, and the distinct likelihood that he's dealing with cases of murder-by-virus. As more questions are asked, more deaths occur, official channels slam shut and Smith finds himself a wanted man, battling his best friend, an evil-genius gazillionaire scientist, corrupt politicians and Third World terrorists. In other words, it's Smith versus all the usual suspects.
Ludlum and Lynds cover no new ground here. In fact, The Hades Factor owes as much to Tom Clancy's Op-Centre series and Richard Preston's The Hot Zone as it does to Ludlum's own considerable body of work. That said, The Hades Factor still delivers a respectable level of intrigue and suspense, will likely be snapped up by output-starved Ludlum fanciers and will be right at home on the bedside tables of Preston fans. --Michael Hudson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
‘A writer who bests the bestsellers.’
Daily Telegraph
‘An ingenious storyteller with a wonderful and convincing imagination.’
Mario Puzo, author of The Godfather
‘Stuffs more surprises into his novels than any other six-pack of thriller writers combined.’
New York Times
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As happens many people I picked up a newer covert one novel a few months back and was pleasantly suprised at how good it was. The main character Jon Smith had a real edge to his character and a great story behind him. So this led me to the start of the series ie here. This novel is about Jon Smith in his pre covert one days and the events that lead up to him becoming a member.
The plot itself is good based around a incurable virus that has spread accross the world and the people who are using it to their own advantages. Step in Smith to save the day by travelling all over the globe and with a help of a few friends everyone needs a friend who's ex SAS.
A great book with great characters and a good starting bloc kfor the covert one series of novels. Once you read this I can see anyone buying the rest of the series.
Enjoy !
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In the prolog three seemingly unrelated people dye of a uniquely fast acting virus. Prepare for gushing blood and more.
Our hero, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jonathan ("Jon") Smith M.D. from USAMRIID, is warned by an old friend to be ware of the Ides of March. Oops I meat that the friend xxx warns him that he is in trouble. Evidently the warning is too little too late to save the love of his life. He spends the rest of the story with the help of some extraordinary friends, tracking down the culprits.
All the characters are bigger than life. They can go anywhere and do anything whit out the annoying details that would make the story impossible. Of course Robert Ludlum is a tad over descriptive and fluffs a 100 page tale into a 400 page tale mostly with gushy stuff (I suspect the influence of Gayle Lynds). The very thing that makes this story surreal is the very thing that makes this story fun. I am looking forward to the next book in the "Covert-One" series.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Sincerely, it looks like the book was entirely written by Gayle Lynds. One actually wonders if Ludlum has seen the book at all. The plot is not bad, but the style is so primitive and repetitive that it destroys the reader's interest long before the end of the story. There is no comparison with Ludlum's previous books, such as The Bourne identity or The Matlock paper.
Alain Schenkel and Tatiana Petrova
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
There's nothing quite like a deadly pandemic...
This was my first Robert Ludlum novel - indeed, my first real crime thriller - and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Read more
Published on 3 Aug 2009 by Miss E. Potten
A sticky situation
On the whole this is an excellent read. A bit convoluted at times and mushy, but hey... It really got going around 60 pages in and I couldnt put it down. Great premiss. Read more
Published on 2 April 2009 by Miriam Flett
Clearly not written by the man himself
This is very obviously not written by Mr Ludlum, all the propaganda about Irag and the psychotropic drugs Marty has to take, makes it sound more like a Government approved version... Read more
Published on 15 May 2008 by Charles Gosling
Hopefully Covert One is the one and only
"He yanked the steering wheel, turned the RV around, and blasted it out of the forest like toothpaste from a tube." I do not believe that Mr. Read more
Published on 9 Nov 2002 by taking a rest
Ludlum just gets better!
Another fantastic suspense thriller from Ludlum et al. The Hades Factor is not only a terrific example of suspense writing but also so descriptive that you truely do get lost in... Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2002 by J. R. Hall
Great book!
The book jumps from place to place but it all fits together to form a novel which is gripping and exciting. The world is attacked by a deadly virus but can Colonel Smith save it? Read more
Published on 22 April 2001
At last a turn for the better..
Once, Mr Ludlum was one of the thriller greats, and up there with the premier thriller league. The last few books have not been up to his usual standards, but this one, while not... Read more
Published on 10 Feb 2001
Ripping good read!
I used to read Ludlum years ago but his last few books I found rather boring and contrived. I am happy to say that with this novel the writer is back in form! Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2001
Excellent read, start of a good series
I have read most of Robert's work, all of them great. This although not a classic like the Bourne books is still very good. Read more
Published on 18 Aug 2000
Ripping good read!
I used to read Ludlum years ago but his last few books I found rather boring and contrived. I am happy to say that with this novel the writer is back in form! Read more
Published on 20 July 2000
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