The Apocalypse Watch [Paperback]

Robert Ludlum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1996

Deep in the Hausruck Mountains of Austria, there is a remote hideaway—the fortress-like nerve center of an ominous movement, the Brotherhood of the Watch. American agent Harry Latham has penetrated the movement, a neo-Nazi organization that was born in the days after the Third Reich's defeat and whose deadly tentacles have spread to the United States and beyond. Now, after three years in deep cover, and on the eve of his most spectacular success, Harry Latham has disappeared.

Drew Latham, Special Officer for Consular Operations in Paris, is frantic to discover his older brother's fate. But when he receives the sudden good news that Harry has surfaced, gut-twisting doubts arise. Has Harry's cover been blown? And if so, why has the Brotherhood of the Watch let him live?

For Harry Latham has emerged with an explosive list: the secret supporters of the movement, among them some of the highest-ranking officials in the United States and its allies, names synonymous with honorable service to their nations. It is a document that could topple governments—but is the list legitimate? Can Drew Latham trust his own brother?

To find the answer, Drew Latham decides to take on his brother's identity, stepping directly into the crossfire between the assassins gunning for Harry Latham—and those who want Drew himself dead.

From a hushed Alpine valley to the backstreets of Paris, from the ruling chambers of Washington and London to the casinos of Monte Carlo, The Apocalypse Watch is vintage Robert Ludlum, a superb international thriller from the writer who created the standard for a new kind of entertainment.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

American agent Harry Latham has prenetrated the fortresslike mountain hideaway of the Brotherhood of the Watch, a neo-Nazi organization that was born in the days after the fall of the Third Reich. After three years in deep cover, Latham has suddenly disappeared. His brother Drew, Special Officer for Consular Operations in Paris, is frantic to discover Harry's fate. But when Harry resurfaces, he's carrying dangerous cargo: an explosive list of the secret supports of the Brotherhood, including high-ranking US officials. Why has the Brotherhood let him live? Can Drew Latham still trust his own brother? Drew's search for the truth about Harry and the growing Nazi threat to the free world will plunge him into a labyrinth of deceit and death.

From Publishers Weekly

Ludlum's latest suspense tale of international intrigue spent 12 weeks on PW's bestseller list.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 768 pages
• Publisher: Bantam; First Edition edition (April 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553569570
• ISBN-13: 978-0553569575
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.2 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #234,814 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After a successful career in the theatre, Robert Ludlum launched his career as a best-selling writer with THE SCARLATTI INHERITANCE in 1971, the first of twenty-two consecutive international bestsellers. Robert sadly passed away in March 2001.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sappy dialogue aside, it could be better, but still okay..., April 18, 2001

By 

Jeff Edwards "RadioJeff" (Twin Falls, Idaho) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Apocalypse Watch (Paperback)

It seems to me that Robert Ludlum who, during the 70's and 80's could do absolutely NO wrong when it came to writing the best spy novels EVER, is still living IN the 70's...as far as writing goes. Let's face it, NONE of Ludlum's novels are gonna win any awards based on the dialogue of his characters...b-u-u-u-t if you are searching for the guy who could propel a novel based upon sheer narrative talent alone, Ludlum would win hands down.

As I read 'The Apocalypse Watch' I kept getting the distinct impression--at first--that this was a direct sequel to the wonderful 'Holcroft Covenant'...but that isn't quite the case. Then after reading a bit further, I felt that this was a quasi-re-write of 'Covenant' instead...but again, that isn't quite the case, either. As far as plot goes, it wasn't exactly Ludlum's most original, but I have to say, it certainly moved with the usual pace of his average thrillers. As I read this book, I felt somewhat saddened that truly one of the great Adventure/Thriller authors of all-time had begun to reach that point where his edge, his ability to be fresh has started to come to an end. What seems to have started with 'The Scorpio Illusion' has now continued with 'The Apocalypse Watch' and although I have high hopes for his future novels, it DOES appear that the 'absolute master of the superthriller' has seen the decline of his ability to dominate the audience he himself helped to create. But even so, I still enjoyed this book more than a LOT of other novels released in the past 5 years or so that were hailed as genius literary works of art. In my opinion, Ludlum just cannot escape his earlier novels, and his faithful reading audience has a very difficult time indeed reading his books without comparing them to his other tremendously entertaining novels. If we could do that, his novels (including his more recent ones) would stand up rather well.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting espionage adventure on a well-used subject!, July 17, 2000

By 

Mr N Forbes-warren "author of RESURGENCE and ... (Newport, South Wales, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Apocalypse Watch (Paperback)

Ludlum is back. Once again, an evil group of former military and industrialists is planning to reshape the world - now who is the protagonist THIS time? Hmmm. Anyway, this is a cracking thriller in the usual Ludlum mould. You'll either love this or hate this, judging by the other review I've read. I loved it, in spite of a few inaccuracies in some of the German grammar(it's Ihrer MAnn and not Ihr Mann, to pick but a few) and military procedures. But then again there's poetic license. In this book, Harry Latham, a Consular Operations agent, has infiltrated a neo-Nazi base and stumbled upon a plan of diabolical proportions. He undergoes neurosurgery and becomes one of them, then returns to Paris where neo-NAzis are infiltrating the FRench government. When he is murdered, his brother Drew is ordered to assume HArry's identity and seek revenge on his death. Along the way there's plenty of plot twists and sticky situations for Drew and his love interest KArin de Vries to get out of. And is her husband really dead? What secret is being held from the world by the Fourth Reich? What exactly is OPeration Water Lightening? Read and find out, you won't regret it. Mainly exciting and page-turning, but sometimes predictacle reading that requires no thought. On the whole, if you're new to Ludlum, try THE MATARESE CIRCLE and THE BOURNE IDENTITY first and then read this one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not one of Ludlum's best, November 8, 2002

By 

Florence Dove (Broad Brook, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Apocalypse Watch (Hardcover)

In the past, I have enjoyed Ludlum's novels. So it was with great anticipation that I opened the pages of this one. What a diappointment! After 150 pages I was still waiting for the book to improve, but alas, it was not to be. The main character/ "hero" Drew Latham is so wretched conceived that if stupidity were an Olympic event, he would rate a perfect score of 10 from every judge. He simply isn't believable and neither were any of the other characters. Pass this one by, and reread The Holcroft Covenant or The Matarese Circle.