Customer Reviews

The Covenant

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Written before the Sept 11th hijacks, this book traces a complicated series of pathways that uncover a plot to destroy America.

The book is richly detailed and the characters are full-fleshed and real. The set of plots that converge only towards the end of ths book are gripping in and of themselves. Gulvin's ability to bring them together demonstrates great forward planning.

As one other reviewer has noted, it is a tad tiresome to switch from one sub-plot to another, but press on. It's worth all the effort.

It's also worth reading Gulvin's other books, which feature the same main characters and you are able to see the development of their relationships, and also the sheer breadth of the author's vision for his plots.

A young English tourist gets killed on a freight train in the Texas, a CIA undercover agent is trying to kill Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan, a female sergeant is murdered in London, a gang leader buys drugs from a vagrant in New Orleans, right-wing leaders get killed in the US and a Japanese terrorist is bombing the ... out of Washington D.C. What these six stories have to do with each other? Everything according to the author, but it takes a lot of pages.

The book is 579 pages and only after more than 400 pages do all these stories start to converge. This makes the book a real tour the force and some of the story lines are and remain sketchy. The book is well written which makes you read on, but the switching between all the stories is quite tiring and unsatisfying. So all in all a nice book which could have been a very good book if the author would have focussed a little bit more.

This was the first book I have read by this author and I was very impressed. There are several sub plots which do not come together until the last 30 pages or so. It is a fast moving thriller, which is dependant upon some amazing coincidencies to make it work, but so what? Switch off your reality sences and enjoy a cracking read.