Customer Reviews

The 4 Phase Man

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is Rick Steinberg's best, by far. Steinberg, author of Gemini Man and Nobody's Safe, sharpens his storytelling ability with every new novel. That Steinberg works in the espionage genre is all to that ailing genre's benefit. Stagnant since 1991, the field has been groping for gravitas, and Steinberg provides it in generous helpings.

4Phase man offers rich characterization--the best, in fact, that Steinberg has yet crafted--and a complex yet plausible storyline. And given the weekly headline revelations of the Chinese Connection to the present presidential administration, his storyline gets more plausible by the day.

In short, 4Phase is a riveting and satisfying read, woven with powerful, sinewy prose and populated with memorable characters who, we hope, will return in a sequel. 4Phase is a must-read for anyone who wants to peer into the future of the thriller in America. A bright future it is, as long as Steinberg keeps spinning tales!

Both men are former black ops agents who left the government to forge destinies of their own. They are all that are left of the elite 4 phase men and know they are each other's equal in every way that counts to survive. Jerry "Xenos" Goldman lives in self-imposed exile on the Mediterranean Isle of Corsica. He struggles to find a way to live with the guilt caused by the fact that he is responsible for multitudes of deaths in government sanctioned activities. Colin "Canvas" Meadows has become a mercenary selling himself to the highest bidder, which this time happens to be the Peoples Republic of China.

The Chinese government knows that their nation cannot be the dominant world power through overt acts of aggression. However, after a quarter of a century of patient planning, they believe they can not only neutralize but assimilate their most deadly opponent on the global scale. Nobody's Safe from this plot. They have recruited and turned a charismatic young American, highly placed in government circles, who wants their help in getting him elected President of the United States. Canvas must insure that the Chinese plan works flawlessly so that their Manchurian Candidate becomes the free world leader. Xenos must stop his former cohort and in turn destroy the plan.

THE 4 PHASE MAN is a powerful chilling political thriller that modernizes the classic MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE with the impact of modern communications and information technology. The two protagonists participate in the ultimate cat and mouse game. Though they are mirror images of one another in almost every way, their motives are dramatically different. Richard Steinberg has written an appealing but chilling tale that will provide him many accolades and bestow grandmaster status on him.

Harriet Klausner

This book was about an ex-soldier who's reality and nationalism was shattered in a startling revelation. He tries to let go of the past, but it soon catches up to him. He is asked to help a friend on a simple tracking job, but this job leads to an intricate conspiracy. I really liked the depth of this book, about warfare and how he realizes that he was just a pawn all his life. It goes on to talk about how he is haunted by the things he has done and is seeking forgiveness. This wasn't one of those shoot 'em up kind of books, although it did have many fast-paced action scenes in it, it actually had a very interesting story filled with sorrow and regret. I liked this book so much that I'm going to go and buy "The Gemini Man" which is also by Richard Steinberg.

A difficult book to get started, it clearly improves as it goes along. As I read the book, I had to keep reminding myself that the author is a real life security expert. Hmmmm... Just how much is really possible? If you really want to read something scary, read Nobody's Safe by the same author. Speculate on how poor your security is, I did.

Although not as good as "The Brotherhood of the Rose", Steinberg has picked up where David Morrell has since fallen flat. There is a great sense of character development and some real originality with the novel's plot. What makes Steinberg work for me is that he is not bogged down with the egocentric flux of Tom Clancy's flawless and seemingly immortal characters. I thought I would read Morrell forever, but it looks like Steinberg from now on. Steinberg is in the business, so he knows what he is talking about. He is not someone who spent (or still spending) his whole life playing Dungeons and Dragons, suddenly an "expert" on writing thrillers.

This was a very good book for its genre (political/techno thriller). The writing was very good, and particular the character development was outstanding. The plot is essentially a variation of the Manchurian Candidate, but updated for the modern times. In light of all the coverage on the connection between Clinton and the Chinese, and the theft of national security data by the Chinese, the plot is timely. The only reason why the book is not a 5 star is that the motivation of Xenos (the protagonist) is a bit weak. I didn't understand why he was so compelled to try to save Alvarez. Aside from this one small flaw in the plot, the book was great.

Gerald "Xenos" Goldman used to be a member of the DIA's legendary "4-Phase Man" program...a program designed to create the ultimate super spies who were capable of intelligence gathering, electronic warfare, counterintelligence and assassination. Only a handful of men ever made it through the program. Goldman was one of the few and one of the best. In time, however, he became disillusioned with the lies, the betrayals, and the killings. He walked away from his job and the intelligence community to start his life over again, and hopefully to make amends for the things he'd done. When Goldman's friend, Franco (a top member of the Corsican Mafia), asks him to search for his lost nephew in New York City, our reluctant hero unintentionally becomes the target of a Chinese "hit" team that is led by Colin Meadows, who's also a former member of the "4-Phase Man" program and has now become a mercenary. It seems that Communist China has a deep-cover mole planted within the highest echelons of the U.S. government, and this person could very well be in line for the Presidency. Franco's nephew accidentally saw something that he shouldn't have and was murdered because of it by the Chinese. Now, Colin Meadows and the "hit" team are after Goldman and will stop at nothing to prevent him from finding out about the conspiracy, even if it means killing the people closest to him. As the bloodbath begins and Goldman realizes what he's up against, he turns to Franco and the Corsican Mafia for help. Together, they strike back against the Chinese for revenge and honor, willing to die if necessary, determined to retaliate against those who'd dare attack their families. The real question, however, is whether Goldman can survive long enough to bring down the conspiracy and to stop his former comrade from the DIA? For me, THE 4-PHASE MAN by Richard Steinberg, is without a doubt the best spy thriller I've read in the last twenty years. Not only is it filled with unbelievable action and a hero who is a cross between James Bond and Rambo, but it's also a thinking man's novel. Many readers have even compared it to Richard Condon's classic, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE. Steinberg, himself a former member of the DIA, knows the political scene and writes from knowledge and truth, elegantly capturing the intrigue and deceit that permeates the capital of our country. The author has seen firsthand the deception of other nations and how they try to gain control over the United States through the manipulation of our economy and by buying many of the politicians outright. Needless to say, this greatly adds to the authenticity of the novel, making it not only suspenseful and fast paced, but also thought provoking as well. In many ways THE 4 PHASE MAN reminded me of Robert Ludlum when he was at his best back during the seventies and early eighties. The character of Gerald Goldman is one that I thoroughly enjoyed and know the reader will enthusiastically root for. Let us hope that Mr. Steinberg will bring Gerald Goldman back in a future novels. Highly recommended!!! If I could, I'd give this novel 10-Star rating.

When I first read "Gemini Man" I knew that here was an author that would be worth reading no matter what he wrote. This book is comparable to the best of Ludlum and Morrel and has it all. The characters are great and keep the book rolling along well. They are very 3 dimensional, with weaknesses to go along with their strengths. Mr. Steinberg is very good at presenting the motivations that drive his characters and the insights they have. But don't think this bogs it down or supplants the action, there's plenty of that as this juggernaut rolls along and keeps you coming back for more. This is a must read, along with his other 2 books. I hope we have many years to look forward to reading his books.

Richard Steinberg went back to his freshman year and scripted another winner. After his last book (a stinker that made me struggle through it), I was a little leary. I thought that maybe Gemini Man would be his only good novel. I was wrong. The 4 Phase Man is an incredible book. Schaeffer is correct (see other online reviews), the novel is a modern remake of the classic spaghetti western. This is significant in that you may not like the book if you're not into westerns. I am and I loved it. His 3rd novel doesn't offer the new ideals or cerebral massaging that Gemini Man does, but it's a killer novel just the same. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes covert-ops style books. Great read!

From GEMINI MAN to NOBODY'S SAFE and now THE 4PHASE MAN, Steinberg continues to grow and excel as a writer. With brilliant insight and the twist of a phrase, Steinberg introduces characters and plot lines that should make Tom Clancy and other bestseller fiction writers jealous. Hopefully Steinberg will treat us to many more books!